Exploration of Telemidwifery: An Initiation of Application Menu in Indonesia

Abstract

The midwifery continuity-of-care model improves the quality and safety of midwifery services and is highly dependent on the quality of communication and information. The service uses a semi-automated chatbot-based digital health media service defined with the new term “telemidwifery”. This study aimed to explore the telemidwifery menu content for village midwives and pregnant women in the Purwakarta Regency, West Java, Indonesia. The qualitative research method was used to explore with focus group discussion (FGD). The data collection technique was purposive sampling. The research subjects were 15 village midwives and 6 multiparous pregnant women. The results of this study involved 15 characteristics of menu content: (1) Naming, (2) Digital Communication, (3) Digital Health Services, (4) Telemidwifery Features, (5) Digital Check Features, (6) Media Services, (7) Attractiveness, (8) Display, (9) Ease of Use, (10) Clarity of Instructions, (11) Use of Language, (12) Substances, (13) Benefits, (14) Appropriateness of Values, and (15) Supporting Components. The content characteristics of this telemidwifery menu were assigned to the ISO 9126 Model standards for usability, functionality, and efficiency. The conclusion is that the 15 themes constitute the characteristic menu content required within the initiation of telemidwifery.

Midwifery Continuity of Care in Indonesia: Initiation of Mobile Health Development Integrating Midwives’ Competency and Service Needs

“…In providing services, the midwife’s duties in MCOC are identifying, providing appropriate and safe midwifery care, monitoring, and supporting women during preconception, pregnancy, childbirth, newborn, and postpartum [ 52 ]. By strengthening this continuously [ 1 ], including in emergencies [ 53 , 54 ], health service quality can be improved [ 16 ], preventing complications [ 4 , 55 ]. Midwives should have more quality time when providing MCOC to build relationships with clients, have a sense of community, and respect cultural diversity [ 56 ].…”

“…Our research suggests the potential innovation with the combination of midwife competency and midwifery care services ( Figure 3 and Figure 4 ). mHealth, which involves using information and communication technology to implement MCOC [ 16 ], can support healthcare to improve the quality of MCH [ 80 , 84 , 85 ]. It has been publicly utilized and suggests an effective public health service [ 38 ].…”

“…To overcome the causes, midwives need teamwork, such as with other midwives, nurses, and doctors [ 14 ]. Artificial intelligence (AI) also can help midwives to educate mothers through a conversational agent called a chatbot [ 15 ] or a combination of a chatbot and midwives’ direct conversation [ 16 ]. Supporting midwives’ competency regarding MCOC is crucial [ 17 ], including using mHealth [ 16 , 18 ].…”

“…Artificial intelligence (AI) also can help midwives to educate mothers through a conversational agent called a chatbot [ 15 ] or a combination of a chatbot and midwives’ direct conversation [ 16 ]. Supporting midwives’ competency regarding MCOC is crucial [ 17 ], including using mHealth [ 16 , 18 ]. However, a recent review showed limited competencies of midwives due to the lack of experience in conducting MCOC [ 19 ].…”

“…The village midwife examines pregnant women and provides immunization and contraception services while supervising CHWs in Posyandu . To facilitate data quality verification in Posyandu and MCH data monitoring, Rinawan et al built Posyandu mHealth, called iPosyandu, in 2017, starting for CHWs, currently extended to midwives/ bidan , named the iPosyandu Bidan app [ 16 , 38 , 43 ]. This app development is conducted as it is essential for fulfilling the need to increase midwives’ competencies integrated with their services based on mobile health that can facilitate midwives to develop themselves according to their profession [ 18 ].…”