Informatics

Order Entry and Results Reporting (SINTHA-Malawi)

Problem: Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), a 780-bed tertiary hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi, conducts over 200,000 lab tests annually. However, diagnostic inefficiencies—such as incomplete order forms, illegible handwriting, incorrect containers, and unprocessed specimens—undermine patient care. High specimen rejection rates and uncompleted lab tests reflect systemic issues. To improve outcomes and efficiency, there is a need to generate evidence on the impact and return on investment of health information technologies.

Solution: To address these gaps, we implemented the Order Entry and Results Reporting (OERR) system using touchscreen Computers On Wheels (COWs). These mobile units support electronic test ordering, specimen labeling, and data capture at the bedside. Each COW includes a touchscreen, QR code scanner, and label printer. The carts are supported by a centralized “SuperDock” station that handles charging, supplies, and organization. This intervention streamlines workflows, reduces errors, and supports data-driven improvement in diagnostic services. The scale up work is funded by the European Union (EU).

Skills developed: Programming, 3D modeling, CNC routing, system design, UI design, databases, cloud computing, Networking.

Project Partner: Kamuzu Central Hospital under Ministry of Health, EGPAF.

Publications: https://jhia-online.org/index.php/jhia/article/view/432/195

Using Robust Mobile Clinical Workstation to Support Community Outreach in Rural Honduras

Problem: Many children in low- and middle-income countries do not have the opportunity to attend clinic for routine growth monitoring.  Shoulder-to-Shoulder, an organization supporting a rural clinic in San Jose Honduras, conducts semi-annual site visits to 14 schools within a few hours travel from their clinic.  Getting to these schools often requires walking the final mile or two.  Once at the schools volunteer medical students and doctors conduct "well-visits", examining each child.  Height and weight are recorded using a paper chart.  However, since there is no record of these details from previous visits, it is difficult to know if a child's condition is improving.

Solution: To address this problem, we have developed a mobile data collection tool. 

Skills developed: Electronic design, circuit board manufacturing, software development

Project Partner: Shoulder to Shoulder Foundation

Improving Building Security and Access Privileges Using RFID

Problem: Building security is essential.  Locks and keys work, but do not provide flexibility to limit access to specific times of day or days of the week, easily revoke access, or to track access on an individual level.

Solution: To address this challenge our interns have locally developed a system using RFID.  The system is currently in use at our Training Center.

Skills developed: Electronic design, circuit board manufacturing

Project Partner: Internal

Managing hypertension in rural settings using remote monitoring

Problem: Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is on the rise in LMIC settings.  This can be managed with medication, however it requires regular monitoring.  This is difficult for patients living in rural communities without easy access to healthcare.

Solution: We have developed a portable blood pressure instrument that sends blood pressure measurements to a central registry and receives recommendations based on analysis of current and past BP measurements for that patient.

Skills developed: Electronic design, circuit board manufacturing, 3D modeling, CNC routing

Project Partner: Community against Diabetes and Hypertension (CADH)

Extracting patient demographic details from health passport labels

Problem: Patients registered in many health centers and hospitals in Malawi are issued with a sticker to be affixed to their health passport displaying their demographic details.  For more details see here.  When patients visit a different health facility their demographic details may not be present in the local database due to connectivity challenges.  This requires manually retyping the information into the local database.

Solution: We have developed a device that uses computer vision to capture text from a health passport label and store it in electronic format.   A short demonstration video of the device in use can be viewed here.  Not all information stored in the demographic record is shown on the label so additional details must be added manually. 

Skills developed: Electronic design, circuit board manufacturing, 3D modeling, CNC routing, computer vision, optical character recognition.

Project Partner: Malawi National Registration Bureau