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

准确、实时的数据对于持续抗击冠状病毒至关重要。诊断测试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。与地球仪各国政府类似，英国政府正在购买大量快速检测试剂。就像警方的毒品测试一样，它们可以快速得出结果，并且非常准确，价格实惠，便携式，使其成为大规模人群测试的明显选择。与目前的一线标准--实验室PCR检测--不同，它们更适合这一目的。目前的一线标准可能准确，但无法提供抗击流行病所需的周转时间。最新一代的快速诊断检测产生的数据可以揭示有关病毒如何传播的有价值信息，并使当局能够预测未来的传播。利用这些数据，政府可以采取明智的步骤，采取有针对性的干预措施，保护公众健康。快速检测在检测点提供准确的实验室级结果。然而，结果并不总是可以通过肉眼读取，因此可以通过便携式光学阅读器设备或智能手机阅读器来解释它们，这些阅读器利用了手机的摄像头技术。这也减少了误解的问题。**然而，这些诊断设备生成的数据并没有被捕获和充分利用。我们的项目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，存储并汇总到云端，并引入算法进行分析。这些数据立即在仪表板上实时可视化，供决策者使用。性别、年龄、潜在健康状况、血型和位置等其他数据将被收集，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相关者能够监测新出现的热点，缩短响应时间并分配资源，这是一种全新的方法。有几个项目围绕数据采集，但没有一个提出的解决方案与准确，快速的诊断测试集成。我们的解决方案不仅有助于遏制冠状病毒，而且最终将其根除--当全面部署时--防止未来的大流行浪潮。开发额外的API（应用程序编程接口），以实现我们的系统TRANSFORM与英国和美国的各种电子患者数据系统之间的互操作性。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TRANSFORM等系统中收集的，因此系统之间的顺利集成和通信至关重要。这对英国公众和英国公共卫生机构来说都是附加值，因为数据集将更加全面，包括额外的准确测试，受试者，症状，位置和环境数据。这几乎是公共卫生机构快速做出明智决策所需的所有数据。扩展TRANSFORM的功能，将额外的合并症编码纳入使用该系统收集快速侧流试验数据的每例受试者（患者）生成的记录中。共同体编码采用国际公认的标准：SNOMED和LOINC。这些标准是通用的，并在英国/欧盟/美国得到认可，用于为每位患者提供可互操作的医疗条件和共病元数据集。这些扩展的可交付成果将在中期内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.