Adelyn Soetyono
Multidisciplinary Designer
Updated monitoring device positioned to reduce mortality rates by minimizing misdiagnosis.
When Neopenda brought Neoguard to market in 2020, their vision was to reduce the mortality rates of newborn babies. The 4-in-1 vitals (pulse rate, respiratory rate, Sp02, and temperature) monitoring device is strapped on babies’ heads while a health provider in a hospital continuously monitors their vitals through a tablet.
Neoguard is currently used in rural health facilities in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and South Africa. Neopenda plans to also distribute Neoguard to other African countries.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the Neoguard device was proven useful in monitoring patients' vitals in not just infants, but for patients for all ages.
Therefore, Neopenda seeks to improve their device’s usability on infants, and to expand its users to include children and adults.
The current design of the device comes with numerous limitations. Originally intended to be worn around the head, it was chosen due to its effectiveness in measuring vitals in swaddled infants. It is essential for the device to remain visible for monitoring purposes.
However, unlike neonates who are frequently swaddled, infants and young children tend to remove the device from their heads frequently. Conversely, it is common for adults to inquire about the possibility of wearing the device in other locations, according to feedback from health practitioners.
When redesigning the device, there are certain factors to consider including cost, material/design requirements for medical devices, sensor placement, and training and usability.
Taking these considerations into account will help in creating a redesigned device that meets the needs of low-income markets while being user-friendly and adhering to safety standards.
The desired state for Neopenda is to have a wearable device that can be utilized by patients of all ages in low-income communities. The key aspects of this state include:
1. Affordability: The device should be cost-effective, making it accessible to people in low-income communities.
2. Ease of Use: The redesigned device should be user-friendly and straightforward to operate.
3. Comfort: Ensuring that the device is comfortable to wear, improving the overall experience for patients.
4. Mission Adherence: The device should align with Neopenda's mission of developing affordable medical technologies that cater to specific needs and can function effectively in any environment.
We reimagined Neoguard as a device that can be worn by patients of all ages at home, and came up with a rent-based business model along with strategies to partner with mPharma - a leading African pharmacy chain - and enter a new market.
The new service, Neomita, is comprised of Mita Band (physical device) and Neo Software (digital platform for inventory management).
The current product features a vital sensor and two-length straps that can be adjusted to fit babies and small children around their bodies, and adults around their arms. The user will be notified via flashing LED lights along with a beeping sound when their vital levels are outside of the normal range.
In rural Africa, reaching a hospital often requires a two-hour journey, prompting residents to rely on local pharmacies as their initial point of contact for addressing illness symptoms. By empowering these local pharmacies, the obstacle of traveling long distances and incurring high costs to reach hospitals is overcome.
mPharma is a prominent pharmacy chain operating in 9 African countries, including Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria, with over 850 pharmacies. They offer innovative financing and inventory management solutions to hospitals and pharmacies.
Both mPharma and Neopenda share a common mission to make affordable healthcare accessible throughout Africa. We believe that Neopenda can utilize mPharma's extensive network to reach a broader audience and have a more significant impact.
Neomita's rental model contributes significantly to a circular economy, promoting sustainability and affordability in healthcare. By offering rental services, we can extend the lifespan of the Mita band, reducing waste and environmental impact. This approach not only benefits the environment but also ensures that individuals and communities can access cost-effective medical technology, breaking down financial barriers to proper healthcare.
With a focus on affordability, Neomita aims to improve patient outcomes and reduce mortality rates linked to misdiagnosis by providing accurate and thorough patient monitoring. Access to reliable and affordable medical technology enables healthcare professionals to make better-informed decisions, leading to timely interventions and improved treatment strategies.
The first step in the process was defining the scope of the project and reframing the problem. We started by recognizing the success of the Neoguard device in monitoring patients' vitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, not only in infants but across all age groups. This led us to the realization that there is an opportunity to improve the device's usability on infants and expand its user base to include children and adults.
We identified the user need for a wearable device that can be utilized by patients of all ages in low-income communities, which aligns with Neopenda's mission of developing affordable medical technologies that cater to specific needs. To achieve this, we defined key aspects of the desired state for the device, including affordability, ease of use, comfort, and adherence to their mission.
By clearly defining the project scope and reframing the problem, we set a strong foundation for the project, with the goal of making a positive impact on healthcare accessibility and patient monitoring for people of all ages in low-income communities.
The second step of the research process began with conducting interviews with ID students from Ghana and Nigeria. These interviews provided valuable firsthand insights into the healthcare systems in their respective countries, allowing us to understand the challenges and opportunities that Neopenda could address through its innovations.
By engaging with these ID students, we gained a deeper understanding of the specific healthcare needs and preferences of users in African communities. Their perspectives and experiences, along with our secondary research helped us create detailed user personas and journey maps, which served as essential tools in identifying potential areas for Neopenda's interventions.
Following the interviews, we delved into researching common diseases prevalent in Africa, taking into account the insights shared by the ID students. We also looked into wearable health devices and relevant technologies that Neopenda could explore to enhance their offerings, where we gained valuable insights into the latest innovations and successful strategies within the region's healthcare landscape. Combining this information with the data from healthcare startups and wearable health device case studies, we developed a comprehensive view of the current healthcare landscape in the region.
This research approach allowed us to bridge the gap between theory and real-world experiences, enabling us to design solutions that are not only technologically advanced but also culturally relevant and user-centered. With these crucial research findings, we laid the groundwork for Neopenda's future initiatives, aiming to create meaningful and sustainable impacts on healthcare accessibility and patient monitoring throughout Africa.
is the average time taken for residents in rural Africa to get to a hospital
of the African population do not have access to the healthcare services they need
of all diagnosis in pre-hospital emergency cares are incorrect
During the ideation phase, countless design drafts were presented and thoroughly discussed, as we sought to conceptualize a product that would effectively address the healthcare needs of users in Africa. Collaborating with the Neopenda team, we leveraged their extensive expertise in the healthcare industry.
With a multitude of design concepts on the table, we worked to refine and consolidate our ideas. Through brainstorming sessions, sketches, and discussions, we narrowed down the options to the most promising concepts that aligned with Neopenda's mission and user requirements. Each design was carefully evaluated based on its feasibility, usability, affordability, and potential impact on patient monitoring and healthcare accessibility.
Once the key concepts were identified, the next step involved transforming these ideas into tangible prototypes. Utilizing readily available materials such as felt and foam sheets, we created physical representations of the proposed designs. These prototypes served as invaluable tools for testing usability and gathering feedback from potential users and healthcare professionals.
Through hands-on testing and user feedback, we refined and iterated on the prototypes, fine-tuning the design to optimize its functionality, comfort, and ease of use. This iterative approach ensured that the final product would meet the needs and preferences of its target users effectively.
Institute of Design (ID) at Illinois Tech
Jiwon Shin
Keval Parekh
Vanessa Chang
Martin Thaler
