Web Connected Platform for Capturing COVID-19 Rapid Test Data to Support Decision-Makers in Real-Time

准确、实时的数据在当前抗击冠状病毒的斗争中至关重要。诊断检测被认为是了解和减缓病毒传播的关键。在这次疫情爆发期间，这种方法已经在一些国家产生了影响，并得到了世卫组织总干事的认可，他敦促各国加强检测活动。与全球各国政府类似，英国政府正在购买大量快速检测设备。就像警方的药物测试一样，它们可以快速得出结果，而且非常准确，价格实惠，便于携带，这使它们成为大规模人口测试的明显选择。它们更适合这一目的，而不像目前的一线标准——实验室PCR检测——它可能是准确的，但不能提供抗击大流行所需的周转时间。最新一代的快速诊断检测产生的数据揭示了有关病毒如何传播的宝贵信息，并使当局能够预测未来的传播。利用这些数据，各国政府可以采取知情步骤，采取有针对性的干预措施，保护公众健康。快速测试在测试点提供准确的实验室级结果。然而，结果不能总是用肉眼读取，所以解读它们要么通过便携式光学阅读器设备，要么通过利用手机相机技术的智能手机阅读器来完成。这也减轻了误解的问题。**然而，这些诊断设备产生的数据并没有被捕获并充分利用。**我们的项目是通过提供将这些设备连接到互联网所需的网络平台和技术来解决这一差距。数据在测试点被捕获，存储并汇总在云中，在云中可以引入算法来分析数据。它会立即显示在仪表板上，供决策者实时查看。还将收集性别、年龄、潜在健康状况、血型和地点等其他数据，从而更深入地了解流行病学。地理标记的结果和数据趋势将在仪表板的热图上提供。这将使NHS、公共卫生机构和其他利益攸关方能够监测新出现的热点，缩短反应时间并分配资源。这是一种全新的方法。有几个关于数据捕获的项目，但没有一个提议的解决方案与准确、快速的诊断测试相结合。我们的解决方案不仅有助于控制冠状病毒，还将最终根除它，并在全面部署后，防止未来的大流行浪潮。建议的扩展和附加价值是：开发一个额外的API（应用程序编程接口），使我们的系统TRANSFORM与英国和美国的各种电子患者数据系统之间实现互操作性。在英国，NHS Digital正朝着采用可互操作的电子病历（EPR）系统的方向发展，以促进更好的患者数据访问。数据是从诸如TRANSFORM这样的系统中收集的，因此系统之间的顺利集成和通信是必不可少的。这对英国公众和英国公共卫生机构来说都意味着附加价值，因为数据集将更加全面，包括额外的准确测试层、受试者、症状、位置和环境数据。这几乎是公共卫生机构为了快速做出明智决定所需要的所有数据。扩展TRANSFORM的功能，将附加的共病编码合并到为使用系统从快速横向流动测试中收集数据的每个受试者（患者）生成的记录中。共病编码使用国际公认的标准：SNOMED和LOINC。这些标准是通用的，在英国/欧盟/美国得到认可，用于为每位患者提供可互操作的医疗状况和合并症元数据集。这两个扩展的可交付成果将在中期增强我们项目的功能和价值。

Accurate, real-time data is essential in the ongoing fight against the coronavirus. Diagnostic testing is being held up as the key to understanding and slowing the spread of the virus. The approach has already had an impact in some countries during this outbreak and was endorsed by the WHO director-general, who urged countries to ramp up testing activity.Similar to governments across the globe, the UK Government is buying huge quantities of rapid tests. Just like police drug tests, they give quick results and are highly accurate, affordable and portable, making them the obvious choice for mass population testing. They are much more fit for this purpose unlike the current frontline standard - the laboratory PCR test - which may be accurate but doesn't offer the turnaround time needed to combat a pandemic.The latest generation of rapid diagnostic tests generate data which reveals valuable information about how the virus is spreading and allows authorities to predict future spread. Using this data, governments can take informed steps to action targeted interventions and protect public health.Rapid tests provide accurate, lab-grade results at the point of testing. However, results can't always be read by the naked eye, so interpreting them is done either via portable, optical reader devices or smartphone readers, which utilise the phone's camera technology. This also mitigates the issues with misinterpretation.**However, the data these diagnostic devices generate is not being captured and used to its full advantage.**Our project is addressing this gap by providing the web platform and technology needed to connect these devices to the internet. Data is captured at the point of testing, stored and aggregated in the cloud where algorithms can be introduced to analyse it. It is instantly visualised on dashboards for decision-makers in real-time.Additional data such as gender, age, underlying health conditions, blood type, and location will be collected, giving richer insight into epidemiology. Geo-tagged results and data trends will be made available on heat maps in the dashboard. This will allow the NHS, public health bodies and other stakeholders to monitor emerging hot spots, enhance response times and allocate resources.This is a completely novel approach. There are several projects around data capture but none of the proposed solutions integrate with an accurate, rapid diagnostic test. Our solution will not only help contain the coronavirus but ultimately eradicate it- and when fully deployed - prevent future waves of the pandemic.The proposed extensions and added value are:1. To develop an additional API (application programming interface) to enable interoperability between our system TRANSFORM and various electronic patient data systems in the UK and the US. In the UK, NHS Digital is moving towards the adoption of interoperable Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system to facilitate better patient data access. Data is collected from systems such as TRANSFORM, so smooth integration and communication between the systems is essential. This represents added value for both the UK public and UK Public Health agencies because the datasets will be much more comprehensive, including additional layers of accurate test, subject, symptom, location and environmental data. This is pretty much all the data public health bodies need in order to make informed decisions fast.2. To extend the functionality of TRANSFORM to incorporate additional comorbidity coding to the records generated for each subject (patient) who using the system to collect data from the rapid lateral flow tests. The comorbidity coding is achieved using internationally recognised standards: SNOMED, and LOINC. These standards are universal and recognised in UK/EU/USA and are used to provide an interoperable medical condition and co-morbidity metadata set for each patient.Both these extended deliverables will enhance the functionality and value of our project in the mid term.