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Kampala, Uganda | URN | The Pathology Department at Mulago National Referral Hospital has developed an innovative WhatsApp-based notification system designed to save cancer patients from the burden of long queues and wasted transport costs.
The initiative, spearheaded by Dr. Sharif Musoke, an Associate Consultant Pathologist at Mulago, allows patients to check the status of their biopsy results from the comfort of their homes.
For years, patients submitting biopsy samples for cancer screening or diagnosis have faced a grueling waiting process. While the standard turnaround time is three to five days, various logistical challenges often lead to delays. Traditionally, this required patients, many traveling from up-country to sit in long lines daily just to ask if their results were ready.
“We have been noticing a lot of our patients coming to sit in line, waiting for results,” Dr. Musoke explained. “We wanted to reduce those lines and protect patients from individuals who might ask them for money to ‘fast-track’ their results or simply to check if they are ready.”
The new system uses a “robot” (automated bot) integrated with WhatsApp. The process is straightforward for the layperson where a patient patient initiates and sends a simple “Hi” or “Hey” to the dedicated department WhatsApp number. After initiating the conversation, the bot automatically requests the Lab Number found on the request form given to the patient when they submitted their sample. The system scans the lab data and returns an immediate status update.
Dr. Musoke says that if the result is ready, the patient is advised to come to the hospital for collection. If not, the bot suggests checking again in 24 hours. Notably, if a result is flagged as “not found” or excessively delayed, the system sends an alert to the pathology team to investigate the bottleneck.
“In the long run, we will have an empty desk where someone will just be coming for a result that is already ready,” said Dr. Musoke.
The development of the system was not without its challenges. Dr. Musoke built the platform as a solo developer, navigating the technical complexities of integrating medical data with social media. He also noted the difficulties posed by the ongoing restriction of certain social media platforms in Uganda, which complicates the backend infrastructure for WhatsApp.
While Mulago currently performs better than many up-country labs where results can take up to two months, Dr. Musoke acknowledges that manpower shortages still affect speed.
However, he believes this digital tool will provide the data needed to see exactly where delays occur, allowing the hospital to streamline its “turnaround time” toward a goal of just three days.
The system has been live for less than a month, and while official analytics are still being gathered, the department is optimistic that this “digital clerk” will transform the patient experience at Uganda’s largest hospital.
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