ArticleCureus2023
WhatsApp-Based Record-Keeping System in a Private Neurosurgical Clinic Chain.
Article in Cureus, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Sankofa! Leveraging Cultural Assets to Advance Long-Acting Injectable Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Among U.S.-Based African Immigrants.Journal of immigrant and minority health · 2025Article
- WhatsApp and Its Role in Teleradiology.The Indian journal of radiology & imaging · 2025Article
- Towards 'Formalising' WhatsApp Teledermatology Practice in KZ-N District Hospitals: Key Informant Interviews.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background The demanding nature of neurosurgical practice requires a reliable system for documentation and record-keeping. The cost of electronic health record systems can limit their availability in low- and middle-income countries. That is why less expensive and easily accessible technological alternatives should be sought. In this article, we describe our adopted system for medical record-keeping based on WhatsApp (Meta Platforms, Inc., Menlo Park, CA). Methods In our chain of six clinics, each clinic has its record-keeping WhatsApp group dedicated to sharing medical data of outpatients following up in that specific clinic and of inpatients cared for in hospitals in its area. After each encounter, our surgeons share smartphone-captured pictures of their patients' medical data on the WhatsApp group of the related clinic. The medical data are then categorized and stored by the secretary on the clinic's computer to be accessed at any time for record retrieval. Discussion Our five years of experience with the WhatsApp-based record-keeping system with medical records of 11,729 patients proved to be reliable, cost-effective, user-friendly, and efficient, and it positively impacted patient care. Responsible behavior, security precautions, and regulating policies are essential to protect patient confidentiality. Conclusion Our system can be an inexpensive alternative to the electronic health record system in small healthcare facilities. It can help physicians practicing in low- and middle-income countries to improve medical records documentation, thereby improving patient care. There is a need for policies to regulate the use of instant messaging applications in professional medical communication.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.