Skip to content

I-TECH Network Presents at End-of-Year Conferences

Yao He at GDHF 2023

It was a busy fall season for teams throughout the I-TECH Network, several of which had robust representation at end-of-year conferences including the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) 2023 the Global Digital Health Forum (GDHF) 2023.

Welcome additions to I-TECH’s regular lineup of conferences were Infectious Disease Week (ID Week) 2023 and the 40th Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference, attended by representatives of I-TECH’s new network partner, the UW Center for Stewardship in Medicine (CSiM).

Representatives from the network presented more than a dozen posters, spoke at panels and discussions, and led an interactive workshop. Read below for more details (links to presentations will be posted as they are made available).

ICASA 2023, 4-9 December, Harare, Zimbabwe

The theme of this year’s conference was “AIDS is not over: Address inequalities, accelerate inclusion and innovation.” I-TECH Network partner the Zimbabwe Technical Assistance, Training, and Education Center for Health (Zim-TTECH) and its partners Pangaea Zimbabwe AIDS Trust (PZAT) and Zvandiri presented several posters representing their work to innovate and improve access at the training and community levels.

Zim-TTECH:

  • Gloria Gonese at ICASA 2023

    Romana R Katekwe, Edson Chidovi, Frances Petracca, Batsirai Makunike, Gloria Gonese, Kerry Thomson, Zwashe Bangani, Haddi Cham, Mirriam Mugwise, Emmanuel Govha, Stefan Wiktor, “Improving Access to Quality Improvement Training through Off-line Electronic Learning: A Case Study from Zimbabwe”

  • Langalokusa Sibanda, Peace Ntini, Richard Mashapa, Gloria Gonese, Rickie Malaba, Tendayi Mharadze, Ralph Makuyana, Methembe Ndlovu, Ruth Levine, Vivian Bertman, Abigail K. Korn, Kerry A. Thomson, Owen Mugurungi, Tsitsi Apollo, Getrude Ncube, Mirriam Mutseta, Beauty Nyamwanza, Batsirai Makunike-Chikwinya, Stefan Wiktor, “DREAMS Ambassadors Increase HIV Self-Testing Uptake by Male Partners of Young Women in Zimbabwe”
  • Anjali Vasavada, Phibion Manyanga, Sandra Murwira, Lucia Gondongwe, Ponesai Nyika, Batsirai Makunike-Chikwinya, Gloria Gonese, Stefan Wiktor, George Mamire, Kerry A. Thomson, “Acceptance of Free Cervical Cancer Screening Among Zimbabwean WLHIV: Implications for Integration of HPV Testing into Routine HIV Care”
  • Rumbidzai Dhliwayo, Lennox Dziva, Ponesai Nyika, Chiedza Mupanguri, Gloria Gonese, Tsitsi Apollo, Owen Mugurungi, Talent Maphosa, Haddi Jatou Cham, Batsirai Makunike-Chikwinya, Stefan Wiktor, “Assessing Implementation and Outcomes of Screening for Advanced HIV Disease (AHD) Among Persons Living with HIV in Five Provinces of Zimbabwe”
  • Gloria Gonese, “High HIV disease burden among older clients aged ≥50years attending selected health facilities in Zimbabwe, Oct 2020 through March 2023”

PZAT:

  • Precious Moyo, Joseph Murungu, Shamiso Nyakuwa, Casper Hera, Imelda Mahaka, Blessing Mushangwe, Phibion Manyanga, Gloria Gonese, Batsirai Makunike, Takunda Sola, Getrude Ncube, Tendayi Mharadze, Rickie Malaba, Stefan Wiktor, “Key Populations Outreach Activities for Scaling Up HIV Prevention Care and Treatment Services in Harare, Zimbabwe”
  • Precious Moyo, Joseph Murungu, Shamiso Nyakuwa, Casper Hera, Imelda Mahaka, Blessing Mushangwe, Phibion Manyanga, Gloria Gonese, Batsirai Makunike, Takunda Sola, Getrude Ncube, Tendayi Mharadze, Rickie Malaba, Stefan Wiktor, “Layering Enhanced Economic Strengthening Interventions to Reduce Vulnerabilities Among Sexually Exploited Minors and Young Women Selling Sex in Zimbabwe”
  • Sitshengisiwe Ruzibe, Casper Hera, Precious Moyo, Joseph Murungu, Shamiso Nyakuwa, Imelda Mahaka, Langalokusa Sibanda, Peace Ntini, Gloria Gonese, Batsirai Makunike, Mirriam Mutseta, Getrude Ncube, Tendayi Mharadze, Rickie Malaba, Kerry A. Thomson, Stefan Wiktor, “Services for Sexually Exploited Minors and Young Women Selling Sex Enrolled in DREAMS program, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe”

Zvandiri:

  • Vivian Chitiyo, Tanyaradzwa Napei, Billiart Tapesana, Ann Selberg, Edson Chidovi, Gloria Gonese, Kerry Thomson, Talent Maphosa, Haddi Cham, Ngwarai Sithole, Tsitsi Mutasa-Apollo, Nicola Willis, Stefan Wiktor, “Minimizing Interruption in Treatment (IIT) through Peer Connections of Adolescents and Young People Living with HIV in Zimbabwe”

 

GDHF 2023, 4-6 December, Washington, D.C.

The Digital Initiatives Group at I-TECH (DIGI), and others from I-TECH, presented their work in a number of ways at this year’s Global Digital Health Forum. GDHF is a leading global public health industry conference for technology vendors, donors, researchers, government representatives, and implementing organizations working in low- and middle-income countries.

Hannock Tweya and Caryl Feldacker at GDHF 2023

Posters:

  • Feldacker C, Murethi M, Ndhlovu D, Bisani P, Kathumba D, Samala B, Oni F, Wagaba K, Kagereki E, Wassuna B, Tweya H, “Mobile Electronic Medical Record Systems: The Community-based ART Retention and Suppression (CARES) App Design for High-Quality, Integrated Antiretroviral Therapy in Lilongwe, Malawi”
  • He Y, AbuShweimeh R, Kouabenan YR, Assoa PH, Puttkammer N, Gloyd S, Wagenaar BH, Komena P, Kamelan N, Iiams-Hauser C, Pongathie A, Kouakou A, Hoffman N, Flowers J, Abiola N, Perrone LA, “Determinants of Routine Implementation for Electronic Laboratory Information Systems in Côte d’Ivoire: a Mixed-Methods Implementation Science Study”
  • He Y, Kouabenan YR, Assoa PH, Puttkammer N, Gloyd S, Hoffman N, Wagenaar BH, Komena P, Kamelan N, Iiams-Hauser C, Pongathie A, Kouakou A, Flowers J, Abiola N, Perrone LA, “Perceptions and Experiences of Data-Driven Decision-Making and Data Dashboard for HIV Viral Load Testing and Early Infant Diagnosis in Côte d’Ivoire”
  • Gadabu O, Manyiyo B, Yiga H, Chigoriwa C, Chirowodza L, White C, Mankowski P, Mutesasira M, Gita C, Maxwell L, Muserere C, Flowers J, “A FHIR Training Workshop to Facilitate Interoperability Between the IMPILO EHR and the LIMS System in Zimbabwe”
  • Secor, A, presented by Patric Prado, “Electronic Medical Record Data Missingness and Interruption in Antiretroviral Therapy among Adults and Children Living with HIV in Haiti: A Retrospective Longitudinal Study”

Virtual Panel:

  • “Building Next-Gen Digital Health Solutions On FHIR With Open Health Stack” Presenter: Patric Prado

Individual Presentations:

  • “Efficiently Leveraging Individual-level Health Data For Population-level Data For Decision Making: A Call To Action For FHIR-based Secondary Data Use” Presenter: Piotr Mankowski
  • “Implementation of An Online Course By MOH For Health Workers In Kenya: Strategies And Lessons For Success” Presenter: Robert Oboko
  • “Applying Critical Reflection To Reimagine Global Digital Health Interventions: Introducing The (Re)imaginator” Presenter: Beth Dunbar
  • “Advancing National Health Information Systems Maturity: Lessons Learnt On Implementing The Informatics-Savvy Health Organization (ISHO) Assessment And Action Planning Framework For Health Leaders In Zambia” Presenter: Kendi Mburu
  • “Online Learning as an Innovation And Sustainability Initiative In Digital Health In Low And Middle Income Countries” Presenter: Robert Oboko

Topic Lounge Discussions:

  • “Perceptions On The Quality Of Electronic Medical Records In LMIC” Presenter: Jan Flowers
  • “Bringing Into Production A Health Information Exchange Architecture In Côte D’Ivoire: Using Open Standards And Software To Enable Cross-site Patient Histories And Real Time Dashboarding. Côte D’Ivoire HIE” Presenter: Casey Iiams-hauser

Interactive Workshop:

  • “Creating, Leading, And Managing Informatics-Savvy Health Organizations (ISHO): Concept, Principles, And Application”

 

ID Week 2023, 11-15 October, Boston, Massachusetts

IDWeek is the joint annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA), the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP). This year, CSiM presented:

  • “Asymptomatic Bacteriuria Underestimates True Inappropriate Prescribing for Non-Urinary Tract Infections” Presenting author: Whitney Hartlage, PharmD

 

40th Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference, 11-13 October, Sunriver, Oregon

For this year’s Annual Oregon Rural Health Conference, Rupali Jain, PharmD, and Natalia Martinez-Paz, CSiM Manager, shared lessons learned in Cohort 2 of their Intensive Quality Improvement Cohort (IQIC) program and how Critical Access Hospitals can approach QI in the post-COVID-19 healthcare environment.

  • Session title: “Case Study: Asymptomatic Bacteriuria Quality Improvement Projects in Critical Access Hospitals”

Digitizing HIV Case Management to Support Patient-Centered Care in Jamaica

In collaboration with the Caribbean Training and Education Center for Health (C-TECH), Jamaica Ministry of Health and Wellness, JASL, and technical working group members, the Digital Initiatives Group at I-TECH (DIGI) is supporting the development and implementation of a mobile health client engagement tool in Jamaica. 

The tool facilitates communication between clients living with HIV and their healthcare providers in between their care visits, through a digital case management system and two-way text messaging services. The tool gives clients anytime access to a text-message-based health library and the ability to ping their care team for telemedicine services.  This digital health intervention seeks to strengthen the therapeutic alliance and enhance patient medication adherence.

This digital health intervention is made possible through funding and support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) via a sub-award granted to the Caribbean Training and Education Center for Health (C-TECH) and DIGI through the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH). 

Transitioning OpenELIS Training and Implementation to Local Professionals in Côte d’Ivoire

For nearly a decade I-TECH has worked in Côte d’Ivoire in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop and implement an electronic laboratory information system (LIS) in key laboratories. In order to respond to evolving data needs and ensure timely access to quality laboratory data, an electronic LIS requires ongoing development and continuous user training and technical support.

Previously, from 2015-2017 I-TECH worked closely with the Ivorian Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene (MSHP)’s Directorate of Informatics and Sanitary Information (DIIS) to identify, develop and reinforce the capacity of local professionals to lead and conduct LIS training, deployment, and maintenance activities in anticipation of national roll-out of the LIS at 96 general hospital laboratories. As part of this effort, and in collaboration with the DIIS, I-TECH trained users and deployed LIS at 13 national and regional level laboratories. Between 2013 and 2015, the total number of local professionals competent in LIS deployment increased to 24 local LIS support providers, while the number of in-country LIS trainers increased to 27. Within ten months, local IT providers and trainers trained over 75 health care workers to use an LIS and implemented an LIS at 36 laboratories. During supervision visits to 26 laboratories, within 4 to 6 months post-installation, 25 out of 26 (96%) of laboratories were actively using the LIS.

More recently, Côte d’Ivoire International Training and Education for Health (I-TECH CIV), I-TECH’s local partner in Côte d’Ivoire, has started working directly with CDC and DIIS and continued to engage I-TECH computer developers and deployment strategists to continue the progress with LIS.

I-TECH continues to make considerable progress with code base development for OpenELIS. For more information, visit the OpenELIS Global website.

Mauritius

Since 2020, the Digital Initiatives Group at I-TECH (DIGI) has worked closely with the Mauritius Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) to optimize and improve workflows across health systems in Mauritius to ensure the rapid processing and notification of COVID-19 test results.

In collaboration with the Mauritius MOHW, DIGI deployed OpenELIS, an open-source electronic LIMS, to increase capacity at the national reference laboratory and optimize the workflow between regional flu clinics and reference labs.

DIGI also digitized the COVID-19 screening declaration form that is used for all passengers arriving at the Mauritius International Airport and supported MOHW in opening a COVID-19 reference laboratory at the airport to rapidly process tests and notify passengers of their COVID-19 test results. Since opening in December 2020, the airport reference laboratory has returned over 250,000 tests and continues to process thousands of tests daily.

DIGI continues to support MOHW with LIMS training, LIMS maintenance, and national laboratory strengthening.

Program Highlights

Optimizing the COVID-19 Testing Process at the Airport in Mauritius

As a measure to help stop the spread of COVID-19, the Government of Mauritius began requiring that all arriving passengers ...
Read More

Implementing a National Laboratory Information System in Mauritius

Since 2020, the Digital Initiative Group at I-TECH (DIGI)  has worked closely with the Mauritius Ministry of Health and Wellness ...
Read More

Creating a Data Warehouse to Support COVID-19 Surveillance in Mauritius

The Digital Initiatives Group at I-TECH (DIGI) worked closely with the Mauritius Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) to implement ...
Read More

Creating a Data Warehouse to Support COVID-19 Surveillance in Mauritius

The Digital Initiatives Group at I-TECH (DIGI) worked closely with the Mauritius Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) to implement a national laboratory information system (LIMS) using OpenELIS and expanded it to create a national-level data warehouse.

The data warehouse captures all the information that has been input into OpenELIS by the two reference labs and all ten regional flu clinics and creates real-time, easy-to-read data dashboards. These dashboards are used by the MOHW staff and public health officials to track national COVID-19 cases numbers and trace ongoing and potential outbreaks of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

DIGI continues to support MOHW with LIMS training, LIMS maintenance, and national laboratory strengthening.

Implementing a National Laboratory Information System in Mauritius

Since 2020, the Digital Initiative Group at I-TECH (DIGI)  has worked closely with the Mauritius Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) to deploy a national laboratory information management system (LIMS) using the OpenELIS platform. The LIMS connects the national reference laboratory to regional laboratories and flu clinics around the country to quickly process COVID-19 tests, as well as send results notifications to patients via text message or email.

The OpenELIS system, while implemented to support COVID-19 surveillance, was also designed to be able to support most routine lab workflows, including HIV viral load testing and other other infectious diseases (e.g., HIV, Ebola, Zika, Chikungunya), which ensures MOHW can quickly trace, respond to, and manage cases.

DIGI continues to support MOHW with LIMS training, LIMS maintenance, and national laboratory strengthening.

Optimizing the COVID-19 Testing Process at the Airport in Mauritius

As a measure to help stop the spread of COVID-19, the Government of Mauritius began requiring that all arriving passengers submit to COVID-19 health screenings upon arrival in Mauritius. To rapidly process the influx of tests and quickly notify passengers of their results, the Digital Initiatives Group at I-TECH (DIGI) worked closely with the Mauritius Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) to digitize the COVID-19 screening declaration form for all passengers arriving to the Mauritius International Airport and supported MOHW in opening a COVID-19 reference laboratory at the airport to rapidly process the tests and send notifications of COVID-19 tests passengers.

The airport laboratory is connected to the National Reference Laboratory via OpenELIS, which allows all the data captured on the digital form, such as passenger information and COVID-19 screenings/test results, to assist public health officials from all over Mauritius to carry out surveillance and contact tracing efforts.

Since opening in December 2020, the airport reference laboratory has returned over 250,000 tests and continues to process thousands of tests to passengers and citizens of Mauritius daily.

COVID-19

I-TECH provides technical assistance on the prevention and control of COVID-19 that ranges from training health care workers and facilities in infection prevention and control best practices to supporting the development of national policies and standard operating procedures. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I-TECH continues to work with ministries of health and other key stakeholders to ensure that laboratories, health facilities, and clinics are implementing and being trained in procedures to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19.

In addition to directly supporting COVID-19 prevention and control efforts, I-TECH has been working with governments and the ministries of health to ensure the continuity of HIV care and treatment by supporting clinicians via telephone consultations, developing messaging campaigns to connect people living with HIV (PLHIV) with pharmacies and clinics stocked with antiretroviral therapy (ART) medications, and helping PLHIV form community ART refill groups.

Program Highlights

National COVID-19 Emergency Response in Malawi

In collaboration with the Malawi Ministry of Health (MOH) and Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), I-TECH has ...
Read More

Optimizing the COVID-19 Testing Process at the Airport in Mauritius

As a measure to help stop the spread of COVID-19, the Government of Mauritius began requiring that all arriving passengers ...
Read More

Creating a Data Warehouse to Support COVID-19 Surveillance in Mauritius

The Digital Initiatives Group at I-TECH (DIGI) worked closely with the Mauritius Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) to implement ...
Read More

COVID-19 Sentinel Surveillance in Malawi

Despite establishing  COVID-19 monitoring measures within the existing routine national surveillance system and significant efforts to conduct testing, contact tracing, ...
Read More

Laboratory Systems

Medical laboratories are a critical component of quality health care and provide essential data for patient care and treatment, disease prevention and control, and public health policy development. I-TECH recognizes laboratory strengthening as a core component of its work. I-TECH’s Laboratory Systems Strengthening (LSS) team’s mission is to improve laboratory operations for optimal patient care and treatment, disease surveillance and response, biosecurity, and policy development. The LSS team fosters the development of sustainable laboratory systems and laboratory capacity in multiple countries throughout the world and comprises staff at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle, as well as locally based staff. The team leverages partnerships within UW and with external collaborators globally, and engages directly with Ministries of Health and funders to accomplish mutual objectives.

In addition to the highlights below, I-TECH also has had laboratory programs in Cambodia, Côte d’Ivoire, Lao PDR, the Middle East and North Africa, and Zambia.

Program Highlights

Creating a Data Warehouse to Support COVID-19 Surveillance in Mauritius
The Digital Initiatives Group at I-TECH (DIGI) worked closely with the Mauritius Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) to implement a national laboratory information system (LIMS) using OpenELIS and expanded it to create a national-level data warehouse. The data warehouse captures all the information that has been input into OpenELIS ...
Read More
Global Health Security Agenda in Kenya
I-TECH Kenya’s Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA)-funded programs aim to advance the GHSA goals of preventing , detecting, and responding to disease threats to health security. For the past 8 years, I-TECH Kenya has had a cooperative agreement with US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to work closely ...
Read More
Health Information Systems in Haiti
Electronic medical record (EMR) systems have the capacity to improve clinical decision making and quality of care at site level but can also be leveraged to make data-driven, population-level public health decisions. At the request of the MSPP ...
Read More
HIS Leadership and Governance in Kenya
As a key member of the Kenya electronic medical record (EMR) system technical working group, I-TECH works to implement and standardize the EMR systems used in the management of national HIV and AIDS care and treatment data. Similar efforts have focused on ensuring that different electronic systems can communicate with ...
Read More

Loading...

Kenya

Since 2005, I-TECH has drawn on expertise from the University of Washington and the University of California, San Francisco, to support the Ministry of Health (MOH) in advancing priorities in the areas of health information systems (HIS), HIS leadership and governance, Global Health Security (GHSA), and evidence-based Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practices.

I-TECH Kenya’s programs aim to improve the quality of patient care and enable health care facilities to meet their health information, data collection, and reporting needs. I-TECH Kenya’s GHSA funded programs aim to advance the Global Health Security Agenda through strengthening information systems and reporting, and improving IPC in health care facilities.

In all efforts, I-TECH Kenya works closely with the MOH and local partners to develop and implement programs that can be successfully transitioned to local ownership, ensuring sustainable progress toward Kenya’s long-term health goals.

Program Highlights

Global Health Security Agenda in Kenya
I-TECH Kenya’s Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA)-funded programs aim to advance the GHSA goals of preventing , detecting, and responding to disease threats to health security. For the past 8 years, I-TECH Kenya has had a cooperative agreement with US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to work closely ...
Read More
Health Information Systems in Kenya
In 2012, I-TECH designed and developed an electronic medical records (EMR) system, KenyaEMR, to support the care and treatment of HIV/AIDS. KenyaEMR is built on the OpenMRS platform. I-TECH supported the implementation of KenyaEMR in over 300 health facilities throughout Kenya—one of the largest open source EMR rollouts in Africa ...
Read More
HIS Leadership and Governance in Kenya
As a key member of the Kenya electronic medical record (EMR) system technical working group, I-TECH works to implement and standardize the EMR systems used in the management of national HIV and AIDS care and treatment data. Similar efforts have focused on ensuring that different electronic systems can communicate with ...
Read More