Nighttime telemedicine and medicine delivery for young children
Improving Performance of a Pediatric TeleMedicine and Medication Delivery Service through mHealth Technology
This project uses phone-based telemedicine plus mobile delivery of medicines to help young children with breathing infections or diarrhea get timely care, especially at night.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11360354 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would call into a centralized telemedicine call center staffed by clinicians who use mobile health tools and updated decision-support to triage sick children. If the child can be treated at home, the team sends medicines and instructions to the household rather than bringing the child to a clinic. The project builds on MotoMeds work launched in Haiti in 2019 and a 2021 pilot, moving from paper tools toward digital mHealth and AI-supported logistics to improve safety and speed. Researchers will refine the technology and delivery processes to reduce delays and make nighttime care more reliable in resource-limited communities.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are caregivers of children (about 1 month to 5 years old) with symptoms of acute respiratory infection or diarrhea who live in areas served by the MotoMeds telemedicine and delivery program.
Not a fit: Children with severe or life-threatening conditions requiring immediate in-person emergency care, or families who live outside the service area, are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could get children treated faster at home, reduce complications and deaths from respiratory and diarrheal illness, and improve access to care overnight.
How similar studies have performed: MotoMeds' earlier pre-pilot (2019) and pilot (2021) in Haiti showed feasibility and safety, and telemedicine with home-delivery models elsewhere have improved access though more outcome data are needed.
Where this research is happening
Gainesville, United States
- University of Florida — Gainesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nelson, Eric Jorge — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Nelson, Eric Jorge
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.