Hamro LifeBank

In Nepal, a patient’s family is responsible for arranging blood for transfusion. Folks have to run around blood banks to search if there is a match, transport blood to the hospital and find donors when there is a shortage. This is more common than you can imagine. With limited resources and lack of management, blood banks here rely heavily on outdated paperwork process. This basically means slow and cumbersome processes for disseminating information in a sector where efficiency is vital to save lives. Most folks rely on social media and their friends network to get the word out about their need for donors and try to follow a very scattered search process. Our solution is do away with this painful process with easy access to the right information at the right time.  

Our data-informed approach digitizes the lifecycle of a blood bag efficiently and transparently with higher process control.

According to the annual report of Nepal Red Cross Society (2015-16), nationwide blood collection of Nepal is 230,986 while the supply is 310,623. There is still a huge need of replacement donors. There is thus an undeniable possibility of having insufficient volume of blood products at blood banks leaving patients’ lives at risk.

The existing blood management process in Nepal is manual and inefficient. This, in turn, has led to a labor-intensive search process for patients and healthcare providers. Our research on the current landscape has identified an immediate need of an efficient and transparent blood management solution. There is a huge void when it comes to transparent and trackable data on usage, shortage, and wastage of blood and its products, also leading to a risk of less motivated youth donors. Also, since the onus of arranging blood is on the patient’s family, many of them are burdened to roam around searching for blood. In addition, they are not trained to handle blood while they transport it from one place to the other, thus begging for a need for higher process control.

Demand of blood in Kathmandu is about 40% of national demand (Nepal Red Cross Society, 2016. So, we initiated our operations in Kathmandu Valley, consisting of Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur. We have also started working with Bharatpur Red Cross in Chitwan. Combined, we are serving an approximate of 1.5 million. Our plans of expansion to other major cities of Nepal will increase the number by 4-5 times, approximately 10 million by 2020.

Hamro LifeBank aims to address current issues head-on with smart technology, awareness, and logistics management modules. Our goal is a holistic blood service system which includes data-centric workflow, a communication hub, and smart logistics services. While all three components are inter-linked for the overall success of our non-profit, we have divided them into three funding/sustainable models so they can grow independently. We have started doing some ground work on technology and have piloted our proof of concepts in a few blood banks. 

THE DATA-POWERED SOLUTION:

Solve I - Smart Blood Banks

A central repository built with all the needs of the nuances of local blood banks will help blood banks keep a transparent stock inventory accessible to hospitals and brew harmonized donor database. Solve II - Donor Motivation & Retention Hamro LifeBank is running smart blood donation campaigns targeted at youth. The overall blood management system will track blood data from collection to supply, thus creating a digital lifecycle of a blood bag. Imagine “Sia” donates blood. Hamro LifeBank’s mobile app captures her donor data and blood bag details. The blood bank tracks Sia’s blood investigation results, adds her blood bag details to Hamro Lifebank’s inventory and tracks details as the blood bag gets dispatched to a hospital, thus creating a digital lifecycle of a blood bag. Siyah is then sent a thank you message that her blood saved a life. Siyah is motivated to donate again. 

Solve II - Blood Information Dispatch System (BIDS) BIDS is a dynamic blood product/donor search system integrated with our centralized inventory and donor management system. BIDS will include real time data on available blood products across blood banks. BIDS will heavily rely on donor privacy and consent protocol and will integrate a feedback mechanism into our complete system to keep up-to-date data of donors and patients who need blood.

Our organization provides a technology driven smart blood management system as a replacement to an existing paper based manual system in Nepal. A vein-to-vein process that digitizes the blood donor data, blood bag, and blood bank inventory that makes authorities accountable and also motivates/retains blood donors. Our solution is a much needed improvement to the existing issues in the current process in Nepal.

Lifebank Foundation a non profit health innovation company, that is digitizing the existing blood banks in Nepal. As part of Hamro Lifebank project, Lifebank will also deliver blood to the patients in need. Our organization itself does not store blood or have a blood processing center but manages its logistics, from the donor to the patient, partnering with different transfusion centers.

The technologies that are currently used in our solution systems are as follows:

High level overview of the platform (Main stack)

Programing language

JavaScript

Framework

1. Node.js

2. Express

3. Bootstrap 4.0

DB Stack

MongoDB

In Nepal, blood transfusion has been dependent on manual paper based system. Data storage has been all over the place. Our digital system creates a central database that can provide real time live transparent data to blood banks and regulatory authorities, which in turn will help the public. With data, blood banks will also be able to do predictive analysis of shortage and needs and will help them make informed decisions. Along with that, our vein to vein initiative will motivate and retain blood donors. It can help in eliminating blood scarcity in Nepal. 

We are currently working in Kathmandu Valley (capital of Nepal), consisting of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, and Bharatpur with five blood banks. We are also closely working with Bharatpur Red Cross. Combined, we are serving an approximate of 1.5 million, including blood donors, patients and different blood stakeholders. Our plans of expansion to other major cities of Nepal will increase the number by 4-5 times, approximately 10 million by 2020.

• Goal: Harmonize donor identification and data. Measurement:

  • Phase 1 - 10,000 Donor data digitization and harmonization 

  • Phase 2 -  20,000 Donor data digitization and harmonization 

  • Phase 3 -  50,000 Donor data digitization and harmonization 

  • Phase 4 and beyond - 100,000 Donor data digitization and harmonization

• Goal: Introduce proper information dissemination process providing patients better experience during blood requirement. Measurement: 

  • Phase 1 - Launch a blood hotline from 9 to 6 pm for Kathmandu valley

  • Phase 2 - Launch 24*7 hotline/online service for Kathmandu valley

  • Phase 3 - Expand Phase 1 and Phase 2 to 3 major cities (Chitwan, Pokhara, Birgunj) 

  • Phase 4 and beyond - Expand to all provinces

• Create a transparent and accountable blood management system by arming blood banks with data for decision-makers to make informed decisions. Measurement:

  • Phase 1 - Implement centralized inventory in 1blood banks 

  • Phase 2 - Implement centralized inventory in 5 blood banks 

  • Phase 3 - Implement centralized inventory in 20 blood banks 

  • Phase 4 - Expand to 50+ blood banks

• Motivate and retain youth donors, thus increasing the number of voluntary blood donations. Measurement: Implement a transparent vein to vein process to motivate and retain donors

  • Phase 1 -  5000 new youth donors 

  • Phase 2 -  5,000 repeat donors

  • Phase 3 - 10,000 new youth donors

  • Phase 4 and beyond  - 10,000 repeat donors

Here’s an example of a measurable report we did for one of our blood donation events https://hamrolifebank.com/smar...

Adaptation and change management from a paper based system to a fully digital system. 

Hamro LifeBank will assist the blood banks in transition with digitialist services - by digitizing their existing data and training blood bank technicians how to use our system.

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Hamro LifeBank has seven team members each with a unique set of expertise.

Below explained are strengths and expertise of Hamro LifeBank team members.

1. Medical Strategist: Dr. Apurva Koirala is a graduate of Dow Medical College, DUHS, Pakistan and has worked as a licensed clinician at Grande Hospital, and Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu. He also worked for ANMF (American Nepal Medical Foundation) as a volunteer coordinator, organizing and coordinating relief camps to provide free health assistance, in the remote areas, to those affected by the April 2015 earthquakes in Nepal.

2. Change management: Rumee Singh is a communication strategist. She led communication teams in PepsiCo, NY and Dubai in transitioning to new digital applications as part of stakeholder engagement and change management strategies.  

3. Research and Development: Shristi Piya is a biotech KOICA fellow and has experience in research including with Kathmandu Municipality. 

4. Data privacy: Santosh brings his experience in data privacy and encryption with his experience for Anti Money Laundering departments in financial banks in the US (RBS and UBS). 

5. Operations head: Ruchin Singh is a UPenn/Wharton GSIH 2014 Social Entrepreneurship fellow and a dedicated entrepreneur who has established successful businesses in Nepal like Edushala and eSatya. He is also a professor at St Xaviers College, Nepal.

6. Administration and Finance: Raman is a business graduate experienced in managing finance and admin at different companies like Edushala and Lonetree marketing.

7. Event Coordinator: Dristi is a marketing graduate with an experience of marketing at financial institutions, colleges and import export companies in Nepal.

We have partnered with some local hospitals, blood banks and blood donors groups. With the hospitals and blood banks we have piloted the digital blood management system which helps them to collect and record data from blood collection to supply. We also conduct a monthly Smart blood donation event with them where we pilot our vein to vein program. With the blood donor groups, we have been collecting, digitizing and organizing their donor database. Along with this, we have been collaborating with them to conduct motivational and awareness programs on blood donation with youth groups.

Hamro LifeBank envisions to eliminate blood short in Nepal and develop efficient blood management system with the help of technology. It provides easy access to blood and blood information to those in need via blood delivery service and blood information dispatch system (Blood hotline). Along with, we are working to motivate and retain blood donors by creative ideas like messaging them about their blood usage information.

All blood banks along with hospital will be using the system to manage their blood banks. Government entities will be using the data generated from the system to take data informed decisions. Public will have easy access to blood when in need.

We are conceptualizing and piloting our idea with our seed fund and crowdfunding at different online platforms both national and global. In future we plan to sustain the business by collecting annual maintenance cost from system users, blood delivery service and developing blood insurance policy for corporate. 

Our detailed business model is available in this link: 

https://canvanizer.com/canvas/4oQkb1h1VV0STbMlWxxrt5oUf_J69pam

We plan to collect Annual Maintenance Fee from the blood banks to sustain the inventory system. Also we plan to collect revenue from blood logistics services which includes blood delivery (for hospitals and public) and blood donation drive management service (for corporates).

The opportunity to partner with a well reputed institute will give our organization and the team a much needed international exposure. We are looking for the opportunity to gain advices from experts at MIT or their partners. The global network of MIT will help us gain feedbacks and guidance from those who are already experienced in this field.

We are also exploring potential grant and funding opportunities in order to scale our system through out the country. Coming from an under-developed country with limited resources, Solve gives us a platform to connect with international partners or VC to make a bigger impact. Also, this will help us create a bigger voice in Nepal with the authorities.

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International Society of Blood Transfusion, ISBT

World Health Organization, WHO

According to the WHO, 14 per 1000 deliveries require blood transfusion globally. Giving birth to a child is an emotional roller coaster ride - from preparing to welcome this tiny little human being to anticipating the unknown complexities of what your partner’s childbirth process could be like. Add to that mix - the responsibility of having to arrange replacement blood in case your partner needs it during delivery and stress of finding a donor if the blood is short. 

Finding blood is a huge struggle and a labor intensive process in Nepal. A Nepalese family has the extra burden of finding blood in such situations which developed societies don't even have to think about. Also, there is no guarantee that you will find the right amount and type of blood at the right time. This puts the lives of women and newborns at high risk. During our research, doctors have claimed that severe bleeding during reproductive life is the largest direct cause of maternal deaths and near-miss and they have had a significant number of complications due to lack of blood supply in Nepal. 

Our vein to vein process has already been piloted with the largest public maternity hospital in Nepal, Paropakar Maternity & Women's Hospital. This hospital serves at least five hundred patients everyday through in and out patient services. Hamro LifeBank will utilize the prize for change management and implementation of proper blood management system at this hospital.

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We are maintaining and updating a cloud based central database for blood donors. Collecting basic information with their consent, such as phone number and address. This allows us to search for blood donor and contact them where there is a need or emergency. 

• This database is maintained and protected by Hamro LifeBank. 
• Data is encrypted in the database and decrypted by the system while reading the data.
• Log feature to see who, how, when and where the data has been changed.
• User tracking feature to track activity who has access to data.
• Proper roles and permission for specific users who can access the data.
• Periodical back up to ensure in case of accident/calamities data can be restored.
• Every transactions are atomic so that unless transactions are complete it will not reflect in database.
• System is session based so any kind of inactivity will log out the user. 

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