Innovative healthcare: AKUH organises first-ever medical hackathon

Experts come together to solve pressing problems in ER facilities of city's hospitals

KARACHI: The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) organised its first-ever medical hackathon at the university auditorium on Monday.

The event brought together a variety of experts, such as doctors, nurses, businessmen, engineers and designers to solve pressing problems in the Emergency Room (ER) facilities of the city's hospitals through a number of innovative ideas. After undergoing two days of extensive problem pitching, innovating and pulse checking, more than 80 participants in eleven teams presented their ideas to the jury on how to hack problems in the ERs.

Critical Creative Innovative Thinking (CCIT), an open forum at AKUH, hosted the three-day medical hackathon to find innovative solutions to daily challenges faced by ER departments, according to Organising Committee co-chairperson Muhammad Taha Anwar. "The hackathon aims to change traditional thinking and bring in creativity," stated Anwar.

The 'best idea' award was given to 'HistorER' for their idea on developing an electronic solution to save time in the ER by introducing cards with Quick Response codes that can show a patient's medical history when scanned.

Team 'JackED', runners-up of the hackathon, presented an idea of using customised shirts, rather than traditional gowns, to make ECGs easy. The second runner-up award was shared by team 'TrICS', that proposed the idea of a web-based application to inform ERs of incoming trauma patients and their severity so the ERs can prepare beforehand, and  team 'Breath Hacks', that proposed the idea of a machine called 'Ambu Bag Compression Device' to replace hand ventilation.

"Traditionally, healthcare systems are hierarchical, risk averse and slow to change. The lack of innovation, especially in environments with few resources, has not delivered positive healthcare outcomes for the majority," said former AKUH ER head Dr Junaid Razzak, while speaking on the need of a medical hackathon.

Solving the challenges of healthcare for countries like Pakistan is possible through innovation, claimed Razzak.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2016.