1.0 Background
LifeNet is an International Christian organization working towards transforming African healthcare facilities to provide high-quality, sustainable, and compassionate healthcare and saving lives. LifeNet operates in Uganda, DRC, Burundi, Malawi, Kenya, and Ghana, and is currently expanding operations to other countries including Togo and Zambia. To date, LifeNet has improved over 16 million patient visits with a comprehensive, face-to-face medical and management training support model. Consequently, participating health facilities have doubled the quality of care they provide to patients and improved their financial and administrative management. LifeNet is on track towards implementing its vision that aims at expanding operations to ten countries by end of 2023, improving healthcare for more than 10 million patient visits annually. Digital technology was identified as being pivotal in catalysing the effective and efficient advancement of this vision. Subsequently, a digital enablement strategy was developed and is under implementation to guide adoption, adaptation and use of digital technology across LifeNet programs. This far, a number of digital solutions prescribed by the strategy have been adopted and deployed, with the roll out of others planned in the near future.
The currently deployed solutions and those planned for the future present enormous opportunities for accelerating health outcomes. To expedite the realisation of these opportunities, LifeNet plans to further strengthen its digital health performance across the following areas: improved clarity on the cost of ownership of digital solutions, comprehensive metrics for assessing monetary value, ability of systems to exchange health information, and requirements for digital solutions to expand impact to more points on the continuum of care. In an effort to strengthen these areas, LifeNet would like to conduct a study aimed at; Analysis of and recommendations for our current digital solutions including examining their value for money, interoperability, as well as internal and external functionality requirements; Landscape analysis of and recommendations for future digital solutions including clinic management systems, mHealth, and telemedicine solutions and Development of digital indicators to assess adoption, usage, reach and value for money for current and future digital solutions. This is expected to go a long way in ensuring that the digital solutions adopted and implemented deliver the best of health value to LifeNet.
2.0 Objectives
The main objective of the consultancy is to conduct a landscape analysis of digital solutions in LifeNet’s current and prospective countries of operation that present opportunities for delivering health value across technology themes prescribed by the digital enablement strategy.
Specifically, this study is intended to:
- Assess the ability of currently deployed digital health solutions in successfully delivering value across partner health facilities.
- Examine the existing digital health solutions landscape with a view toward identifying suitable solutions for pilot and scale.
- Determine requirements of digital health solutions for deployment across current and prospective countries of operation
- Determine metrics for measuring value for money of the current and future digital health solutions
- Develop and validate an interoperability framework for Health Information Exchange (HIE)
- Develop and validate LifeNet digital health solutions implementation framework
3.0 Scope of Work
In achieving the objectives outlined above, the consultant is expected to engage in but not limited to the following:
§ Prepare in advance a detailed workplan with breakdown of time-bound activities. This workplan is to be delivered 1 week after signing the contract.
§ Prepare and present monthly progress reports showing relevant accomplishments, planned actions for the following month and updates on any issues affecting the assignment.
§ Undertake a review of LifeNet’s key documents including; the health strategy, the digital enablement strategy, progress reports, etc
§ Examine the functionality of the currently deployed digital solutions.
§ Extensive review of literature on possible digital health solutions for adoption and deployment.
§ Conduct field visits especially across partner facilities in Uganda.
§ Derive functional and non-functional requirements for current and prospective LifeNet’s digital solutions.
§ Develop: metrics for measuring value for money, interoperability guidelines, an implementation model of current and future digital solutions.
§ Validate all the developed artifacts with LifeNet key stakeholders.
4.0 Expected Deliverables
a) Objective 1 – Evaluation Report of the currently deployed digital solutions
b) Objective 2 – Digital Solutions Landscape Analysis report with recommendations
c) Objective 3 – Digital Health Solutions requirements document
d) Objective 4 – Value For Money Measurement Framework
e) Objective 5 – LifeNet’s interoperability Framework for HIE
f) Objective 6 – LifeNet’s digital solutions implementation framework
5.0 Timeline
The selected consultant is expected to deliver this assignment within 90 days from the time of signing the contract.
6.0 Required Documentation
§ A technical and financial proposal
§ A Curriculum Vitae of all consultants with evidence of similar works
§ Certificate of registration and evidence of tax compliance in case of a firm
7.0 Minimum Skills/Competences
§ A Master’s Degree in IT/ICT/Information Systems Management (for the Lead consultant)
§ At least 10 years of practical experience in ICT Management, Research, Evaluation, Strategy development, Systems Analysis, IT model/framework development, etc within the context of healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa.
§ Proven understanding of IT Implementation models/ frameworks such as TOGAF, COBIT, VAL IT, ITIL is a must especially in healthcare
§ Prior experience in conducting feasibility studies on digital health solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa
§ Good understanding of the Digital health landscape in Sub-Saharan Africa
§ Demonstrated understanding of digital health standards, interoperability and architecture
§ Prior exposure to digital health solutions such as: EMRs, eHMIS/DHIS2, mHealth solutions, Telemedicine, etc
§ Excellent skills in Research Methods
§ Relevant publications in the field of digital health
§ Excellent skills in report writing and presentation
How to apply
Individual consultants or firms can submit the required documentation to adminug@LNinternational.org not later than 17th December, 2021.