SMS Comes to the Philippines
One of the most important parts of MiracleFeet’s approach to treating clubfoot is finding opportunities to eliminate barriers to treatment. Our partners in our clinics in Nicaragua and India use SMS texting to communicate with parents of children in treatment. When Philippine Band of Mercy, our partner in the Philippines, learned about the success of the SMS program, they jumped on the chance to implement the program for the families they serve.
This month MiracleFeet’s Senior Manager of Innovation, Lauren Wall, traveled to the Philippines to help set up the system. By the time she left, patients were already enrolled and receiving messages. These messages include appointment reminders, words of encouragement, information about clubfoot, and messages to share with family members. They are even specific to the phase of treatment the child is currently in – casting or bracing. The doctors and providers are also getting involved and several have requested to receive the same texts going to the families.
(L-R) Nica Badiola – Manila Site Coordinator, Lauren Wall – Senior Innovation Manager, Jessa Ducao – Cebu Site Coordinator
By the end of the year, 1200+ families in the Philippines will be receiving text messages. This is expected to help bring drop-out rates down and support the children through the complete treatment cycle, which can often span 4-5 years. We are very proud that our SMS message bank now exists in English, Hindi, Spanish, Tagalog, and are excited to continue to expand this program in additional countries.
