ePOCT+ and the medAL-suite: Development of an electronic clinical decision support algorithm and digital platform for pediatric outpatients in low- and middle-income countries.

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Ressource 1Download: 2023 - Tan - ePOCT medalsuite dev - PLOSDH.pdf (1162.06 [Ko])
State: Public
Version: Final published version
License: CC BY 4.0
Serval ID
serval:BIB_A79E38067C4E
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
ePOCT+ and the medAL-suite: Development of an electronic clinical decision support algorithm and digital platform for pediatric outpatients in low- and middle-income countries.
Journal
PLOS digital health
Author(s)
Tan R., Cobuccio L., Beynon F., Levine G.A., Vaezipour N., Luwanda L.B., Mangu C., Vonlanthen A., De Santis O., Salim N., Manji K., Naburi H., Chirande L., Matata L., Bulongeleje M., Moshiro R., Miheso A., Arimi P., Ndiaye O., Faye M., Thiongane A., Awasthi S., Sharma K., Kumar G., Van De Maat J., Kulinkina A., Rwandarwacu V., Dusengumuremyi T., Nkuranga J.B., Rusingiza E., Tuyisenge L., Hartley M.A., Faivre V., Thabard J., Keitel K., D'Acremont V.
ISSN
2767-3170 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
2767-3170
Publication state
Published
Issued date
01/2023
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Editor
McGinnis Ryan S.
Volume
2
Number
1
Pages
e0000170
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: epublish
Abstract
Electronic clinical decision support algorithms (CDSAs) have been developed to address high childhood mortality and inappropriate antibiotic prescription by helping clinicians adhere to guidelines. Previously identified challenges of CDSAs include their limited scope, usability, and outdated clinical content. To address these challenges we developed ePOCT+, a CDSA for the care of pediatric outpatients in low- and middle-income settings, and the medical algorithm suite (medAL-suite), a software for the creation and execution of CDSAs. Following the principles of digital development, we aim to describe the process and lessons learnt from the development of ePOCT+ and the medAL-suite. In particular, this work outlines the systematic integrative development process in the design and implementation of these tools required to meet the needs of clinicians to improve uptake and quality of care. We considered the feasibility, acceptability and reliability of clinical signs and symptoms, as well as the diagnostic and prognostic performance of predictors. To assure clinical validity, and appropriateness for the country of implementation the algorithm underwent numerous reviews by clinical experts and health authorities from the implementing countries. The digitalization process involved the creation of medAL-creator, a digital platform which allows clinicians without IT programming skills to easily create the algorithms, and medAL-reader the mobile health (mHealth) application used by clinicians during the consultation. Extensive feasibility tests were done with feedback from end-users of multiple countries to improve the clinical algorithm and medAL-reader software. We hope that the development framework used for developing ePOCT+ will help support the development of other CDSAs, and that the open-source medAL-suite will enable others to easily and independently implement them. Further clinical validation studies are underway in Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Senegal, and India.
Pubmed
Open Access
Yes
Create date
13/02/2023 14:19
Last modification date
03/03/2023 7:47
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