One of the undisputed highlights of #EHRCON24 was the Collabrathon, a hybrid event in which teams worked against the clock to develop solutions to real-world healthcare challenges based on the IPS using rapid prototyping, creative innovation, and strict adherence to openEHR standards.
Competition was steep, but the trophy went to the DataHub Maastricht team: Hélène Kabbech, Jonathan Mélius and Kristīne Gusta. We caught up with the team to find out more about their winning submission, MediSave, and how they approached the 24-hour challenge…
The Collabrathon was always intended as a hybrid event for EHRCON24 attendees and competitors around the globe. How did you hear about it?
We heard from our colleagues about a hackathon happening during the conference that might interest us, especially since our day-to-day work as data engineers at DataHub Maastricht involves working on an openEHR project. We entered because we thought it would be a great learning opportunity. We didn’t know exactly what the Collabrathon would entail, but we hoped it would give us a chance to learn from the provided tools – and it did. None of us had heard about the IPS [International Patient Summary] before, but we were able to learn from its template and understand how it’s built and structured.
You were given the opportunity to choose from two personas – each with their own health challenge. What made you choose ‘Klaus’ for your idea?
We had some brainstorming sessions about the idea. Our focus was not so much on how our solution would look, but more how our solution might help the personas or a person in general. Funny enough, the first solid idea was about a QR code that a patient could have to share their IPS data.
This idea resonated with us especially because we are all expats and know the struggle of moving across borders and adapting to a completely new healthcare system. However, not long before the start of the hackathon, we heard about e-Patient Dave and realised that a similar idea had already been executed, so we dropped that concept and came up with MediSafe. The idea behind MediSafe seemed pretty obvious too – if you manage a lot of medication, you need to be very careful with interactions. For example, Klaus could be travelling and he has a need for medication from a pharmacy. You could ask the pharmacist, but there might be a language barrier and your own doctor is not always reachable.
Tell us a little about the MediSave solution
IPS MediSave is a healthcare app designed to make medication management safer and easier for older adults, like Klaus. It pulls information about your prescriptions from the International Patient Summary and uses smart tools to spot potential issues before they become problems.
Its key feature is the ability to check for harmful interactions between medications. If you’re starting something new or combining treatments, the app quickly identifies any risks with your current prescriptions. This can save you from unexpected side effects or complications.
The app can also look out for food-related interactions – some foods can interfere with medications, reducing their effectiveness or causing unwanted reactions. IPS MediSave flags these risks, helping you adjust your diet to stay on track with your health.
On top of that, it provides personalised safety advice. By using verified data from reliable sources, the app gives you real-time recommendations tailored to your situation. This means you can make informed decisions without having to rely entirely on pharmacists or doctors for every detail.
Marvellous. It sounds like DataHub Maastricht understood the assignment. How did you step up to the challenge?
We divided tasks based on individual strengths. For example, some focused on the backend – querying the CDR to explore what data was available, while others concentrated on the UX design to ensure it would be simple and user-friendly. One of the biggest challenges was the tight deadline – we completed the final prototype just five minutes before the deadline, so our presentation came together at the very last minute!
So what’s next?
For now, we are just actively working on day to day tasks that involve developing a multi instance (distributed) openEHR infrastructure.
The trophy is on its way – once again, congratulations!
Runner up – Dr Kolah Eugene , CEO Peri Bloom
Dr Eugene Kolah and his team from Peri Bloom were awarded the coveted Runner Up prize for Bloomvault, a personal health record platform designed to help users – like our persona Fatima – to manage and share their health data seamlessly with healthcare providers.
It features a timeline tracking essential appointments, immunizations, and milestones, specifically supporting maternal and child health. Users can securely share selected data via QR code or OTP, compatible with open EHR systems for standardised access. The platform includes summaries of medical history, medications, allergies, lab results, and directives, making it a comprehensive tool for ongoing care management. Bloomvault’s streamlined, user-friendly interface supports smooth care transitions and enhanced coordination across providers.
You can see both entries here:
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