Mhealth Screening Solutions.
Impact Area:
Early Health and Well-being
Year of Investment and Stage:
2015 | Early Proof of Concept
Current Stage
Transitioning to Scale
Investment Amount:
>R1.5 Million
Financial Instrument:
Grant
Have we reinvested:
No
Status:
Exited
Mobile hearing and vision screening tools that can be used by anyone, anywhere. hearScreen™ is an award-winning hearing test solution, while Peek Acuity offers a clinically-validated visual acuity testing – both on a smartphone.
The Problem
Screening for hearing and vision impairment is vital, but challenging in impoverished and rural communities, where access to medical experts is scarce. The earlier hearing loss or visual impairments are diagnosed and treated, the better chance children have of developing to their fullest potential. At the time of our investment in late 2015, there were no systematic screening programmes using a combined approach to detect childhood vision and hearing problems in preschool children in underserved communities. Early detection of hearing loss and vision problems before school-entry is essential to ensuring a child’s ability to learn.
The Innovation
hearScreen™ operates on Android-based smartphones or tablet devices, and delivers the screening via calibrated headphones. Test administrators undergo basic audiology training prior to using the digital solution, to ensure they understand the concepts specific to hearing screening. The training covers test procedures, delivering instructions to the patient, conditioning the patient to respond when they hear a sound, noise monitoring, and communicating the results to the patient.
During the exam, the screener explains the procedure to the patient in their mother tongue, selects the icons to begin the automated protocol, and records the patient’s responses. The application analyses the responses and reports either a pass (with no further action required) or a fail, with referral options. When a referral is recommended, hearScreen™ can provide information on the nearest clinic.
Peek Acuity offers a clinically validated visual acuity (sharpness of vision) test on a smartphone. Developed by Peek Vision, the app calculates the visual acuity and presents it at the end of the test.
To offer a combined health solution, Peek Acuity was integrated into the mHealth Studio App, the hearX Group’s mobile interface for patient and facility data capturing and management. Its ecosystem design houses each mHealth solution for ease of use and offers online data management, surveillance, referrals and report generation.
Why we Invested
.
This change making solution overcame many of the traditional barriers to screening and made it possible to address problems before they have an irreversible impact. The fact that the service was both affordable and accessible meant children from poor communities had access to services that they normally wouldn’t.
Critical to the successful implementation of digital health solutions like hearScreen™ and Peek Acuity, is integration into the existing health system. Apart from providing funding, Innovation Edge also assisted the hearX Group in fine-tuning the referral process – to ensure that children
are supported by the broader health system one a hearing or vision problem is identified.
The Project Team
The hearX Group focus on affordable access to hearing care using smart digital health solutions that anyone can use, anywhere
The NEA Foundation is a public charity supported by contributions from educators’ dues, corporate sponsors, foundations, and others who support public education initiatives.