Whitepaper: Catalysing Cross-Country Collaboration for Emergency Care Innovation
Introduction
Effective emergency healthcare delivery remains a critical challenge across many developing nations. Lack of resources, infrastructure deficits and knowledge gaps continue to undermine the ability to provide timely, quality care during medical emergencies. Recognizing the need to promote sustainable solutions, SnooCODERED, the healthcare logistics brand under the SnooCODE digital addressing system, organized a multi-faceted knowledge and solutions exchange to foster cross-country collaboration and drive innovative approaches.
The Frontiers Champions programme, supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering, provided a platform to convene diverse stakeholders and explore novel strategies with a multi-disciplinary approach. Through our Emergency Healthcare Solutions Exchange, a series of 3 dynamic virtual conferences complemented by a 3 -day on-site workshop, the SnooCODERED team facilitated a creative exchange of ideas, best practices and tangible solutions aimed at transforming emergency response capabilities in low-resource settings.
We were fortunate to have participants from over 15 diverse disciplines, from over 20 countries around the globe. Our programme partners included the African Federation for Emergency Medicine, Ghana’s National Ambulance Service, the Emergency Medicine Society of Ghana, Last Mile Health (Liberia), Benka Life (emergency service in Cameroon), and the Emergency Medicine Kenya Foundation.
Creative Approach and Execution
Embracing a spirit of innovation from the outset, SnooCODERED employed a strategic blend of digital tools, stakeholder mapping, and tactical scheduling to design an impactful program that maximized engagement and knowledge-sharing opportunities.
1. Leveraging Technology for Effective Coordination & Execution:
We leveraged our project management platform, monday.com, to streamline coordination across multiple teams and partners. This centralised system enables transparent collaboration, task tracking and real-time updates, ensuring seamless execution despite the geographical distribution of participants. It also allows you to create forms/surveys and receive their responses within its database through your website, which we took advantage of to better understand our community’s perspective, priorities and sources of information.
We also cannot ignore the brilliance of Zoom as a conferencing tool, with which we held our first ever webinars, enlivened by 20-minute breakout rooms for networking close to the end of each webinar.
2. Strategic Stakeholder Engagement:
Highly valuing the importance of diverse perspectives, we curated a network of over 300 stakeholders spanning emergency medical services, healthcare workers, academic institutions, businesses, policymakers, and technology innovators (including fellow Royal Academy alumni) from across Africa, Europe, and North America. Tailored communication strategies, including targeted email campaigns, WhatsApp groups, and social media outreach, ensured widespread dissemination of event details and maximised participation.
3. Tactical Event Scheduling:
To amplify visibility and foster synergies, we strategically scheduled our events in proximity to notable global celebrations and industry gatherings. The inaugural webinar was held ten days before International Emergency Medicine Day, leveraging the global platform's website to attract additional participants. Furthermore, we arranged the on-site workshop to coincide with the Royal Academy's Africa Prize event in Accra, enabling participants to experience a well-rounded program that blended intensive learning with networking opportunities and a little entertainment.
Participants at our on-site workshop each had a go at flying a drone with SnooCODE for emergency situational reporting
Impactful Outcomes
The knowledge and solutions exchange yielded tangible outcomes and facilitated strategic collaborations that hold promise for driving long-term improvements in emergency care delivery:
1. Identification of Viable Solutions:
Through interactive webinars, participants collectively identified satellite internet as a cost-effective solution to address the critical lack of stable connectivity in emergency rooms and mobile response units across Africa. This solution was subsequently tested and adopted by our Kenyan partner, the Emergency Medicine Kenya Foundation (EMKF), enhancing their emergency response capabilities.
2. Multi-Disciplinary Collaboration for Comprehensive Solutions:
During the on-site workshop, discussions highlighted the challenge of non-payment for ambulance services, a pervasive issue hindering emergency response efforts. In response, SnooCODERED facilitated a strategic partnership between its Cameroonian partner and a Ghanaian insurtech startup that participated in the webinars. This collaboration aims to develop an innovative e-wallet solution that promotes emergency medical savings and improves access to care for vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and the elderly in low-resource areas.
3. Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Building:
The events fostered meaningful knowledge exchange, skill-sharing, and capacity building among participants from diverse backgrounds. Interactive sessions, site visits, and networking opportunities enriched understanding of cutting-edge technologies, best practices, and contextual nuances, positioning attendees for future collaborations and enhanced emergency response capabilities within their respective regions.
4. Community Building and Sustained Engagement:
Beyond the immediate outcomes, the knowledge and solutions exchange laid the groundwork for a vibrant community of emergency healthcare enthusiasts. Post-event dialogues and ongoing partnerships underscore the lasting impact of SnooCODERED's initiative, fostering a collaborative ecosystem dedicated to driving innovation and improving health outcomes in underserved regions.
Future Outlook and Recommendations
Building on the momentum generated, SnooCODERED aims to solidify its position as a catalyst for cross-country collaboration and emergency care innovation. Key focus areas for the future include:
1. Publication and Dissemination of Findings:
This whitepaper showcases community insights, priorities, and effective practices identified through our Solutions Exchange events. Such resources aim to raise awareness, spark further discussion and provide a roadmap for stakeholders to address critical challenges in emergency healthcare delivery.
2. Recurring Event Series and Expanded Reach:
SnooCODERED plans to establish a recurring conference or solutions exchange, leveraging the existing network of participants and partners. This platform will facilitate the sharing of updates, presentation of new innovations, fostering of collaborations, and onboarding of new members to grow the community's geographical and disciplinary reach.
3. Sustainable Funding and Partnerships:
Securing long-term funding and strategic partnerships will be crucial for ensuring the sustainability and impact of SnooCODERED's initiatives. Potential avenues include collaborations with global health organizations, development finance institutions, public-private partnerships, and industry sponsors aligned with the mission of improving emergency care access in resource-constrained settings.
4. Infrastructure Development and Policy Advocacy:
SnooCODERED recognizes the importance of advocating for conducive policies and developing robust supporting infrastructure to drive systemic change. Efforts will focus on engaging policymakers, promoting regulatory frameworks that foster innovation, and developing sustainable models for emergency care delivery in underserved regions.
Conclusion
SnooCODERED's emergency healthcare knowledge and solutions exchange exemplifies the power of creative thinking, strategic execution, and cross-sector collaboration in addressing complex global health challenges. By fostering an inclusive environment for diverse stakeholders to exchange ideas, test prototypes, and forge partnerships, this initiative has catalyzed innovative approaches to enhancing emergency preparedness and care delivery in resource-constrained settings.
As SnooCODERED continues to build upon this foundation, the exchange programme stands as a testament to the transformative potential of leveraging creativity, innovation, and collective action to drive meaningful change in the realm of global health equity.
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