Study title: Improving Neonatal Care Quality in Zimbabwe & Malawi
Lead Resercher(s)
Michelle Heys, Simbarashe Chimhuya, Msandeni Chiume-Kayuni
Funder(s)
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Wellcome Trust
Partner(s)
University College London, University of Zimbabwe, Kamuzu College of Health Sciences, Ministry of Health and Child Care, Neotree Charity, Global Health Informatics Institute, Imperial College London
Background
Neotree empowers healthcare workers to count and care for every newborn, particularly in low-resource settings. It addresses the high global neonatal mortality rate, with an estimated 6,500 babies dying in their first month of life. The primary goal is to improve the quality of care and equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to deliver proven interventions. Neotree utilizes cutting-edge digital technology supported by extensive medical research. In addition, Neotree aims to foster family-centred care approaches through the establishment of Patient and Public Investment groups which are now operational at all hospital sites.
Study aim(s)
To revolutionize healthcare delivery by leveraging digital technology including cutting edge artificial intelligence to enhance outcomes for newborns in resource-constrained settings.
Encouraging active involvement of families in care rendered to babies and mothers
Study design
Implemented in neonatal wards in Zimbabwe and Malawi, the Neotree system consists of a tablet application (app) that doctors and nurses use to:
Receive prompt clinical action alerts, ensuring necessary checks and tests are performed. It also facilitates quick feedback of lab results through laboratory integration.
Guide diagnostic decisions and clinical management, helping identify potential risks and appropriate actions.
Provide bedside and classroom education and training.
Collect data, generate reports, and create dashboards. This reliable data can inform decision-making and identify areas for improving newborn care.
AI for SBI (Artificial Intelligence for Serious Bacterial Infection)
Quality Improvement initiatives
Neolab- Neotree has a laboratory script which is directly linked to the Neotree admission and discharge script. The laboratory has reduced turnaround time for blood culture results from 5 days to <48 hours improving antimicrobial stewardship and infection control. The Neolab uses the Barcode system for easier identification samples at the laboratory from the ward.
Golden hour- The Golden Hour initiative emphasizes the importance of delayed cord clamping and skin-to-skin contact for newborns as a quality improvement measure.
Daily record- a script embedded in the Neotree application which is being used for daily monitoring of admitted patients. This initiative aims to make full use of the Neotree application providing comprehensive management of neonates from admission, daily monitoring up until discharge.
Study dates
2018-Ongoing
Study website
Publications
Study film