MedSync Global

Tanzania is among the countries with the highest neonatal mortality rate (NMR) in sub-Saharan Africa. Compared to 5 deaths per 1000 live births in the U.S., Tanzania has faced 26-40 deaths per the same scale in the last three decades. Only 76% of all hospitals have a dedicated neonatology ward, often consisting of just one delivery room and lacking the needed sanitation and contact protocols that neonates require. Tanzania’s underdeveloped medical infrastructure leads to the non-systemic treatment of patients across its regions. As such, our focus lies on the critical issue of healthcare disparity, particularly evident in resource-scarce areas globally. Simply, we wish to address the lack of medical protocols and guidelines in hospitals that lead to sub-par patient care and outcomes. A study published in the Lancet suggests that implementing standardized health treatment protocols in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) could prevent over 150,000 deaths annually, particularly since 60% of deaths are from amenable conditions.

MedSync Global is an extensive global database of medical protocols aimed at low-income and underserved medical facilities that can help bridge the inequality and malpractice gaps between patients and providers. In its conceptual model, MedSync will provide a centralized, interconnected database of standardized medical protocols and guidelines accessible to healthcare providers worldwide. A secure cloud server will be used to store uploaded protocols and can be accessed with a singular laptop/computer. The integration of AI will allow hospitals to cross-examine different protocols and, based on their available resources, create hybrids that tailor to the specific patient. MedSync can also foster international cooperation by allowing doctors cultivated from different educations to team up and share their knowledge, creating well-versed and rounded patient treatment. By incorporating allopathic, osteopathic, and ayurvedic medicine, the solution can serve as the hub of medical interconnectivity to enhance patient safety. With the help of MedSync, The Bridge Initiative can reduce the widespread disparities seen in the medical community from Western to Eastern medicine as well as in socioeconomic gaps. By leveraging technology to facilitate knowledge-sharing, our solution empowers healthcare providers in low-funded countries like Tanzania to deliver evidence-based, high-quality care regardless of their resources.

The Bridge Initiative aims to globally synchronize the standardization of healthcare from providers to patients in resource-limited areas, starting with Tanzania. MedSync Global aims to deliver access to robust medical protocols to the approximately 3500 physicians who practice in Tanzania. Alongside governmental support, MedSync will revolutionize the treatment plans of over 60 million patients allowing a more well-informed and meticulous plan of care.

Working closely with software engineers and fellow university faculty, we are gaining and applying knowledge of how to develop and deploy a secure product that can be accessed globally. As students of UNC, we are eligible to receive mentorship on independent projects and apply for funding for its development. Our team lead is a reoccurring international medical volunteer and has observed how the implementation of standardized protocols through his firsthand volunteering/shadowing experiences in India can benefit a community. Furthermore, he has extensive exposure to the protocols currently present in standard American neonatal units and is researching neonatal diseases that stem from improper feeding and sanitation protocols. Our team’s combined knowledge spanning from computer science, information systems, global health, and medical anthropology, will allow us to streamline and deliver the most well-rounded and societally integrable solution for a complex and deep-rooted problem.

We have selected the conceptual stage above as we are in the initial phases of developing MedSync Global. While we have not yet built a tangible product or directly served beneficiaries, we have made significant strides in planning and preparation. Our team has conducted extensive research into the current healthcare landscape in low-income and underserved areas, particularly focusing on Tanzania. This research has included studying existing medical protocols, understanding the challenges faced by healthcare providers and patients, and identifying opportunities for improvement. Additionally, we have begun assembling a diverse team to ensure that our solution is comprehensive and well-rounded. We have also established partnerships with mentors and advisors who have experience in developing and deploying technology solutions in resource-limited settings. While we have not yet built or tested the product, we are committed to continuing our work and leveraging our resources to bring MedSync Global to the communities where it is needed most and make a meaningful impact on healthcare disparities in Tanzania and beyond.

Our overarching goal is to reduce the disparities in global health, specifically in underdeveloped countries like Tanzania, through the resources that Solve has to offer. However, there are various barriers that we will face in the process of developing MedSync into its scaled global implementation. Among these are ensuring that the platform itself is user-friendly, navigating the legal aspects of data privacy, and effectively implementing the final product.  By participating in Solve, we hope to leverage the platform's network of partners and experts to overcome these hurdles. Furthermore, we are eager to collaborate with like-minded organizations and individuals who share our vision for improving healthcare access and quality in low-income and underserved areas. Through Solve, we hope to create meaningful partnerships that will accelerate the development and implementation of MedSync Global, ultimately making a positive impact on the lives of millions of people around the world.  

The Bridge Initiative proposes a groundbreaking approach to global healthcare, harnessing established technology in a novel setting to address the complex challenge of standardizing medical care, even in areas of underfunding and resourcing. By creating an interconnected database, our solution harbors an innovative twist to a longstanding problem, offering an implementable and user-friendly approach that goes beyond geographical and institutional boundaries. The use of already approved protocols and the creation of potential hybrids through AI offers a fresh solution incorporating established and known treatments. MedSync Global democratizes quality medical care and promotes equity in health outcomes worldwide by ensuring that every individual, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status, can benefit from the latest advancements in healthcare.

Our solution, MedSync, is designed to make a profound impact on healthcare quality and global health equity by providing standardized medical protocols and guidelines to hospitals and clinics worldwide. By utilizing established protocols and ensuring their access to practices worldwide, MedSync supports healthcare providers to deliver both consistent and high-quality care. Through the widespread implementation of MedSync, healthcare professionals globally gain access to the latest medical knowledge and best practices, leading to improved clinical decision-making, reduced medical errors, and ultimately, saved lives. As MedSync promotes the implementation of standardized care protocols across all regions, it facilitates closing the gap in global health equity, bringing us closer to a world with more available access to quality healthcare.

Our impact goals for MedSync are focused on enhancing healthcare quality, increasing access to care, and reducing healthcare disparities. By implementing standardized medical protocols and guidelines, we aim to significantly improve the quality and consistency of healthcare delivery globally, leading to better patient outcomes and reduced medical errors. To gauge our progress, we will carefully track both the adoption rates of MedSync within our participating networks and the mortality rates of individuals at specific intervals—1, 2, 5, and 10 years post-implementation. We will monitor patient treatment and outcomes to assess the platform's effectiveness. Our primary focus is the comprehensive deployment of MedSync across more than 300 hospitals and clinics throughout Tanzania. Targeting Tanzania initially, MedSync aims to combat the staggering 60% mortality rate in low- and middle-income countries, potentially saving over 50,000 lives within a year through the standardization of care and protocols."

Healthcare providers will use an online interface accessed by their facility PCs. The data they will access via MedSync Global will be stored on a secure cloud server. The generation of hybrid patient plans through AI will also be available on the database interface.

3 Full-Time Staff 

2 Professional Collaborators 

3 Part-Time Students 

1.25 Years 

The Bridge Initiative understands the importance of diversity and inclusivity within our team to ensure that our new solution, MedSync, is culturally sensitive. Our team has made it imperative that we actively seek members from diverse backgrounds, including different ethnicities, and educational experiences; thus, ensuring that we can connect to the individuals and companies we are trying to connect with. Furthermore, we harbor a welcoming and inclusive environment by promoting open communication, respect, and collaboration among team members. Through our prior experience, we understood that hearing the voices of our other members is essential to the development and understanding of MedSync. Additionally, we address situations of hate or exclusion within our team. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion extends beyond our team to our partners and communities we serve. Recognizing the importance of cultural competency allows us to deepen our impact within communities, and develop new skills. Ultimately, prioritizing diversity and inclusivity, we aim to create a more equitable and effective solution that positively impacts the people in Tanzania.

We plan to collaborate with governmental health officials and NGOs involved in implementing One Plan III – Tanzania’s comprehensive public health initiative that aims to improve healthcare outcomes from 2021-2026. With the funding of this program, we plan to offer our product as a tool to achieve the goals outlined in One Plan III by providing evidence-based protocols. We will also seek grants from institutions committed to improving healthcare access that will help us further develop. The continuation of our funding will be leveraged by the success MedSync has in its early stages of implementation. 

To ensure that we are financially sustainable for The Bridge Initiative and MedSync aims we have devised a comprehensive plan, and have conducted multiple financial analyses. In the matter of revenue streams, we aim to establish multiple revenue streams to sustain our operations, these could include grants, government funding, and sponsorships/partnerships. With our partnerships, we aim to develop a cyclic model where funding allows the expansion of MedSync, and as a result, its performance will bring in further revenue. We are certain that this model will be sustainable through the proposed channels we proposed as it has been adopted from past NPOs and projects.