Digital tools to support the expansion of COVID-19 antigen rapid diagnostic tests

Health care workers in many low- and middle-income countries faced significant challenges in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Without the ability to obtain timely, accurate information on COVID-19 cases, health care workers and administrators struggled to make informed decisions about patient care, disease surveillance, supply chain management, and other critical aspects for an effective pandemic response. A digital tool for health care workers to collect and manage COVID-19 antigen Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) data is needed to facilitate informed patient care decisions, while allowing administrators to monitor outbreaks and necessary public health interventions.

Facilitating effective COVID-19 data management

After assessing user and market needs in Zambia, Senegal, India, Brazil, and Vietnam, a standardized COVID-19 antigen RDT data model was established to enhance the interoperability of patient and diagnostic data collection platforms. This data model supports accelerating the development and deployment of a set of minimum functionalities with a minimum dataset, incorporating data exchange and format standards for collecting COVID-19 data. Once incorporated into leading mobile health tools, administrators can use this standardized and aggregated test data for informed decision-making and support workflows for health care workers administering COVID-19 antigen RDTs.

Data management tool for health care workers

PATH and FIND have worked closely with mobile software development partners in low-resource settings to develop context-driven solutions to improve COVID-19 diagnostic data collection and use. This has included the development of the core COVID-19 antigen RDT data model, which has been leveraged to develop customized solutions to digitalize and improve health care workflow efficiency, including:

• India-specific mobile tool
  • Developed by Connection Loops
• Two open-access tools to use or customize. Please email Dimagi for access to the following:
  • Mobile tool and user guide for General use
  • Mobile tool and user guide for use in Senegal

Each application leverages the core data model and supports varied workflows and additional data elements based on extensive mapping of health facility and stakeholder requirements and user testing. The major areas for support in existing applications include patient management, results reporting, and referral for continuing services.

Given the standardization of the core data model, though existing and future applications can differ based on their intended context, the same key data is still being collected and can be leveraged for analysis and reporting at higher levels.

Developers can readily develop customized solutions for other RDTs and diseases using the open-source data model, a template of data fields specifically relevant to the COVID-19 RDT workflow, and detailed digital systems and user requirements documentation.

Implementation of the data management tool
To assess acceptability and satisfaction among community health workers PATH piloted the use of the Senegal-specific mobile tool at two community health facilities and a district-level health center in Kaffrine in early 2023. As a key output of this work, PATH developed an Implementation Guide (also available in French) that outlines health system and context-specific enabling factors and activities that should be considered when introducing this digital tool or future digital health tools. This guide is intended to augment the Digital Systems and User Requirements (DSUR), which provides a common language for various audiences—program managers, software developers, and implementers of digital systems—to ensure a holistic understanding of the appropriate health information content within the COVID-19 antigen RDT health program area, to catalyze the effective use of these digital systems. The DSUR is available for the Senegal context (in French), as well as for Zambia and General use.

If you want to leverage or adopt any of the dSTARR assets and require technical assistance, please email.