Real-Time Malaria Case Reporting: From Custom Apps to Global Goods – LAO PDR and Cambodia
(This article first appeared in the Digital Solutions for Malaria Elimination Community of Practice (DSME) Quarterly Newsletter – December 2018)
PSI is transitioning from its custom-developed Malaria Case Surveillance (MCS) app to the new DHIS2 Android Capture app, a global good supported by DSME. The new tool was chosen as a more sustainable solution for real-time reporting and case notification. After two months of testing, field-piloting and iteration, field officers are replacing the app across 500 private sector providers, with completion expected in January 2019. Challenges included tight timelines related to planned DHIS2 upgrades; differentiating between bugs, configuration errors, and user errors; and navigating change management across stakeholders.
Several factors contributed to a relatively smooth and quick transition:
- With the backend (DHIS2) remaining the same, no transition of legacy systems or re-wiring of integration solutions was required.
- Field staff have built capacity and refined approaches to implementing digital tools in recent years.
- Feedback mechanisms were in place to translate user experience into technical solutions, with several features from the MCS app now built into Android Capture to maintain similar user experience.
