HeartCare implementation and evaluation in demonstration sites (Android version)

Item Description:

The World Health Organization (WHO) was established in 1948 as a specialized agency of the United Nations. The objective of WHO (www.who.int) is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. “Health”, as defined in the WHO Constitution, is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. WHO’s main function is to act as the directing and coordinating authority on international health work.

The Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) is one of the six regions of the World Health Organization. Headquartered in Manila, Philippines, we work with health authorities and other partners in 37 countries and areas with more than one quarter of the world’s population.

BACKGROUND

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), mainly cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, impose a significant burden on health and development in the Western Pacific Region. NCDs are the leading causes of death and disability, responsible for 80% of all deaths in a Region that is home to more than one quarter of the world’s population.

In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions for Primary Health Care in Low-Resource Settings (WHO PEN), which gives guidance to primary health-care staff working with limited resources. Building on WHO PEN, in 2016, WHO and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the Global HEARTS Initiative to strengthen action against cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This Initiative has three technical packages: HEARTS technical package for CVD management, SHAKE technical package for salt reduction, and MPOWER technical package for tobacco control.

HeartCare is a user-friendly software application available on Windows and Android that was developed by Regional Office to simplify and standardize CVD risk prediction and management. It predicts an individual’s 10-year risk of a fatal or non-fatal major cardiovascular event (myocardial infarction or stroke) according to age, sex, blood pressure, smoking status, presence or absence of diabetes mellitus, and total body cholesterol or body mass index (BMI). HeartCare was developed as a digital alternative to the paper CVD risk prediction charts produced by the WHO and the International Society of Hypertension to address difficulties of some health-care providers in using these charts leading to errors in risk calculation and consequently suboptimal case management. The software also has a clinical decision support system (CDSS) that recommends clinical procedures and health counselling customized to the patient’s CVD risk level and other relevant clinical features, in line with the WHO PEN guidelines.

In addition to CVD risk assessment and customized health information, it provides a platform for electronic medical record management. It enables users to review previous medical records, including test results, of registered individuals. It builds a database of medical information and automatically generates reports, thus saving time on data encoding and analysis. It particularly has its advantage in collecting data at the primary care level, which is generally lacking in most low- and middle-income countries.

HeartCare has been implemented and evaluated in selected demonstration sites in the Western Pacific Region, requiring close collaboration among multi-disciplinary teams of experts. The purpose of this contract is to 1) provide continuing technical maintenance to the current Android version of the HeartCare software according to country needs and 2) improve upon the software in collaboration with other technical teams working on the project. A ‘lite’ version of the app will also be developed upon country request.

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

The  Management of Noncommunicable Diseases (MND) unit of the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WHO WPRO) seeks to contract an IT company to support the improvement and maintenance of HeartCare, an electronic medical recording system for primary healthcare, implemented in selected demonstration sites in the Western Pacific Region. The company will be expected to:

• Provide the necessary support for the maintenance and improvement of the current Android version of the HeartCare software to enhance user experience based on feedback from end-users;
• Development of new modules and improvement of existing modules for Android version; and,
• Develop a ‘lite’ version of the app for Android smartphones with limited functions that do not require internet access.

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

The work will require routine interaction with all the technical teams involved in the implementation of HeartCare including the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific.

• Output 1: Post-development software maintenance for the current Android version
• Output 2: Development of new modules and improvement of existing modules for Android version
• Output 3: Development of HeartCare ‘lite’ for Android smartphones that reflects fewer comprehensive functions
• Output 4: Remote support for HeartCare into the local health information systems in selected countries
• Output 5: Provide documents and products with outcomes to sustain project

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY

Output 1: Post-development software maintenance for the current Android version

• Deliverable 1.1: Comprehensive system maintenance for general upkeep, as well as for any technical issues, systems or security updates that may arise
• Deliverable 1.2: Minor function improvements as necessitated by ongoing use over the course of the contract
• Deliverable 1.3: Vigorous quality assurance to minimize technical problems, as well as increase data transfer speed

Output 2: Development of new modules and improvement of existing modules for Android version

• Deliverable 2.1: Create a set of use cases for generic API collection to allow secured and frequent data transfer to authorized data management platforms that monitor KPIs based on the data collected
• Deliverable 2.2: Fix and bind a mandatory router level subnet configuration of the server app to the client app for ease of end-user to link devices for data sharing
• Deliverable 2.3: Improve layout and user experience for existing modules, such as the calendar, biochemical testing, prescription/pharmacy modules, and the overall workflow, based on feedback collected from end-users
• Deliverable 2.4: Incorporate the Zendesk issue tracking system for complaint tracking and resolution ticketing

Output 3: Development of HeartCare ‘lite’ for Android smartphones that reflects fewer comprehensive functions.

• Deliverable 3.1: Incorporate the risk predictor module already present in the current version.
• Deliverable 3.2: Allow local storage of records, external access to risk charts, and a link to more information about the original HeartCare software.
• Deliverable 3.3: Develop a feature that allows user to select risk charts that are country-specific to link to necessary translation and guidance information.

Output 4: Remote support for HeartCare into the local health information systems in selected countries

• Deliverable 4.1: Regular biweekly virtual consultations with all teams involved in the HeartCare project
• Deliverable 4.2: Provide remote technical support for the maintenance of the HeartCare Android application in selected countries
• Deliverable 4.3: Submit monthly achievement report summarizing status of deliverables listed above

Output 5: Provide documents and products with outcomes to sustain project

• Deliverable 5.1: Provide final output products including final source codes.
• Deliverable 5.2: Submit updated user manuals for programme managers and end-users.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EXPERIENCE

Essential: 

Minimum of 5 years’ experience in developing Android-based applications.

Desirable:

Experience in developing and maintaining electronic medical records is a major asset.

Experience managing projects working with governments, and intergovernmental, hospitals and other development agencies, including World Health Organization, will be considered

TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

• Technical skills and knowledge on online software technologies; including insights into cloud server, computer networking, FTP system using online network and structured query language (SQL).
• Specific programming skills and knowledge in visual studio, Java, computer security, application programming interface (API), web services and database management system (DBMS)

LANGUAGES

Written and spoken fluency in English (Read – Write – Speak / “Advanced” level)

COMPETENCIES

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Producing results
• Moving forward in a changing environment

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Upon finalization of the contract intellectual property of content and products shall revert to WHO, including source codes and original editable files.
• Any data or results may not be shared or distributed without approval of the responsible officer in WHO.
• The contractual partner will not be required to be based at WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (Manila, Philippines) to perform the tasks related to this activity but will require daily interaction with all the technical teams involved in the implementation of HeartCare through email or virtual discussion as needed.
• Starting date of contract is 1 January 2021 for a duration of 6 months

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their Company Profile {for institutional applications} and Expression of Interest {cover letter} to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > by 15 December 2020.

The cover letter should outline how their experience and qualifications make them a suitable candidate for this position and should include their proposed daily consultancy fee and availability.

Please use Tender Notice No. 118923 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted

TOR for UNGM_APW_HeartCare_Android_2021_rev.pdf