International Collaboration to Develop a Remote Monitoring Web App for COVID-19 Patients in Armenia: Design and...

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Digital Health
• Health Informatics

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic strained healthcare systems globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Armenia.
• Armenia faced resource shortages (beds, oxygen) exacerbated by geopolitical conflict, overwhelming healthcare facilities.
• Lack of home-based care frameworks intensified the strain from COVID-19 patients requiring prolonged oxygen support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish an international collaboration for developing a web application.
• To support the home monitoring of COVID-19 patients with persistent oxygen requirements.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a rapid, coordinated, and collaborative international approach.
• Developed a lightweight OpenMRS web app integrating health screening, monitoring, and discharge forms.
• Customized the application for the specific context of Armenia using human-centered design and agile sprints.

Main Results:

• The web app was designed and developed within a 2-month timeframe.
• The system successfully managed 5087 patient records for 439 unique patients.
• Demonstrated feasibility of rapid digital health solution deployment.

Conclusions:

• The project offers a viable framework for remote patient monitoring in LMICs.
• Highlights the potential of digital health solutions to overcome resource and geopolitical challenges.
• Suggests a scalable model for improving healthcare delivery in underserved regions.