蓝莓视频

Ryan Tennant听is interested in听bridging听health care听and engineering. From co-op terms and research projects at Sunnybrook听and Sick Kids hospitals to听developing听a medical device听at a听company in Switzerland,听he鈥檚 always looking听to use听his听biomedical听engineering听education听to improve听the world around him.听

鈥淕iven my听background, my听co-supervisor professor听Catherine听Burns听and I met with听pharmacy professor听Kelly Grindrod and听Moses听Tetui,听her听post-doc researcher,鈥� says听Tennant.听鈥淭he clinic had just opened, and Kelly described听some of the听workflow听challenges听involved.听I听quickly听saw听that听a human factors perspective could听help听support the听vaccine roll-out听in the region.鈥澨�

The听HSC听Clinic gives the Pfizer-BioNTech听COVID-19听vaccine, meaning it has听a complex workflow听due to听the听vaccine鈥檚听temperature听and dilution requirements.听Combine this with the ever-evolving听guidelines around who is eligible for a vaccine, where vaccines are available and whether walk-in appointments are听supported,听and听designing the most efficient clinic becomes more challenging.听

鈥淚n some ways, running a clinic听is like a math problem听that you鈥檙e听doing听over and over again because your inputs听keep changing,鈥澨齌ennant听says. 鈥淭alking to the staff听and observing their听tasks, I听learned听about several听variables听that听can听influence the听final output听of the equation.鈥澨�

The听biggest challenge Tennant observed听was the potential for wasted vaccine. Once a听vial听of听the听Pfizer听vaccine is听punctured,听it听must be used within听a听six-hour window.听While听considering听several variables, the clinic team听makes听critical听decisions about听opening听extra vials.听To make decisions, the听staff听must听track and communicate information across听multiple听teams, including听the volunteers and check-in staff who coordinate patient flow,听the security staff tracking walk-ins,听the听pharmacy听team that prepares the听vaccines听for use and the听vaccination听team that听gets doses into arms.听

Efficient听and effective听communication听is听critical听to manage end-of-day dose听decisions, and听Tennant听was听determined听to听provide听a solution.听

鈥淭hey听needed a digital tool that could be shared and updated in real time across all teams,鈥� he says. 鈥淪omething that puts听all staff听on the same page听with respect to the numbers,听automates their calculations and听supports听human situational awareness听to help听predict their end-of-day doses.鈥澨�

After observing regional clinics and speaking听with听clinic staff,听Tennant听went to work听coding.听A week听later, he had a prototype app听to present听to the听team听at the HSC Clinic. Since then, he鈥檚听submitted听ethics amendments, gathered feedback from the many partners involved in the clinic and rolled out updates听to improve usability.听听

The app is now in beta testing at the HSC Clinic and was recently piloted at the large Every Dose Counts vaccination drive.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 a really simple app, but the reception has been overwhelmingly positive,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he app was designed to help alleviate the stress of end-of-day doses 鈥� to ensure that there are fewer or no doses that go unused.鈥澨�听

Tennant听continues to improve the app and integrate new features that support clinic workflow. He is also working with the Region and other partners to explore rolling it out in other locations where it may be useful. The goal is听to听also design a tool that is adaptable and may be of use in future vaccine rollouts.听听

鈥淲orking in partnership with the amazing听nurses,听pharmacists,听clinic听staff and volunteers has been听an听eye-opening听experience,鈥澨齭ays听Tennant, who听also volunteers听at the听HSC听Clinic with his family.听鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛听have been able to build this without their support and willingness to let me observe the ups and downs of their day.鈥澨�

The research project听was developed in partnership with听the Region and听its听vaccine clinics听and with team members from听the University of 蓝莓视频, Grand River Hospital,听and听St. Mary鈥檚 Hospital.听