CONNECTED MEDICAL UNITS PROGRAM – MOHAMMED V FOUNDATION FOR SOLIDARITY

A Unique Solidarity Model of Local Medical Intervention

The Foundation's accumulated experience, over more than twenty years, in the organization of medical caravans dedicated to rural areas and the efforts of public health institutions to meet the challenge of medical deserts have made it possible to define a new methodological approach. This took into account access issues linked to mobility, availability and continuity of care as well as delays and efficiency of care. The approach was based in particular on the exploitation of new technologies and the practice of telemedicine. Two factors which make it possible to adopt a large-scale scope of action and bring organizational innovation to medical practice.
The UMMC–FMVS program was thus designed in the form of a physical platform of fifty mobile units equipped with specific medical resources and means which are installed permanently (a period of one year) in a given location according to a network that covers several areas of the national territory. Their operation is ensured by a dedicated team assigned for the duration of activity (one year for the first test phase of the program). This provides patients with a medical service which combines consultations and care carried out in-person by a general practitioner, and tele-expertise carried out remotely by specialist doctors, operating from a central telemedicine platform.

The technical and medical components of a UMMC-FMVS

A UMMC–FMVS comes in the form of integrated modules including a specially designed and equipped medical building, in addition to a reception area (registration, waiting and rest areas) which create the right conditions for a positive patient experience.
The medical building is made up of two multipurpose consultation and treatment areas. They are equipped with basic medical instruments (blood pressure monitor, oximeter, height chart, scale, stethoscope, thermometer), medical furniture (adjustable medical chairs, medicine cabinet and medication, work surface, technical cabinet), connectivity systems as well as a complete range of latest generation biomedical equipment. This is the suite of connected examination devices (auriscope, dermotoscope, mobile camera, iriscope, ECG and double-probe ultrasound machine), a panoramic tele-expertise camera, an on-board medical application, touchscreens and a video station. This equipment is connected to automatically send medical data to the central telemedicine platform, without the need for manual entry of information, thus limiting the risk of error and optimizing the medical time allocated to the patient.

Medical services

For each UMMC–FMVS, a dedicated medical team (a general practitioner, two nurses and a receptionist) is mobilized and ensures its operation. It welcomes and ensures the care of patients, in order of arrival or depending on the severity and criticality of the health condition. A thorough clinical examination is carried out using connected devices and the on-board medical application.
Medical interventions include general medicine consultations (basic medical examinations, diagnosis and treatment of common ailments, prescription and delivery of medications), maternal and child health services, vaccinations, breast and cervical cancer screening. Additionally, diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), ambulatory care procedures (small surgeries, nebulization, debridement, etc.) and telemedicine (tele-assistance and tele-expertise) are offered.

The use of telemedicine is the decision of the general practitioner, depending on the relevance of tele-expertise and its added-value in relation to the patient's condition based on the pathologies identified. The video station then makes it possible to establish live contact with the central telemedicine platform. An expert may intervene according to the required specialty and assist in examinations and establishe or complete the diagnosis in tandem with the general practitioner.