Improving Health Data Collection

Pediatrician Joel Selanikio discusses the effectiveness of digital tools in this data collection keynote. Selanikio talks about the old process for gathering global health data and how he is working to improve it.

Joel Selanikio explains that typically global health data is collected by going door to door, filling out data forms and then eventually putting some of that information on the Internet. He describes this process as costly, draining and ineffective. Instead, Selanikio encourages using digital devices to record the data with, which removes the need for typing this information out later. Selanikio believes that this method is easier and provides doctors with more accurate information.

The danger of misinformation in terms of healthcare is that when the people who supply medicine are unsure of an areas population, they may not send enough and not everyone will be vaccinated. Selanikio talks about how their is no greater tragedy than the death of a child,especially when it would have been prevented by a cheap vaccination shot.