9.3 - Digital Access to Malaria Guidelines in Cameroon: Experiences with the FEvIR Platform
| Friday, September 19, 2025 |
| 9:15 AM - 10:45 AM |
Speaker
Dr Brian Alper
President
Scientific Knowledge Accelerator Foundation
Digital Access to Malaria Guidelines in Cameroon: Experiences with the FEvIR Platform
Abstract
Background
Print-based malaria guidelines in Cameroon have limited dissemination to the point of care. In 2017, GINTech stimulated efforts to develop interoperability solutions for the evidence ecosystem. In 2025, a resulting “Evidence Based Medicine on Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources” (EBMonFHIR) project provides a technical standard for the computable expression of evidence and guidelines. eBase Africa engaged GINTech to make the Cameroon malaria guideline available in computable form.
Objective
To review the experience of developing and disseminating the Cameroon malaria guideline in computable form.
Content of presentations for panel sessions
Brian Alper will introduce the origin and current state of EBMonFHIR activities. In 2017 GINTech decided to explore interoperability solutions for the evidence ecosystem. In 2018, Health Level 7 International (HL7) approved a project to extend the HL7 FHIR standard to EBM knowledge. The EBMonFHIR project has developed a comprehensive Implementation Guide and resulted in an open collaboration (Health Evidence Knowledge Accelerator).
Joanne Dehnbostel will introduce the Fast Evidence Interoperability Resources (FEvIR) Platform with emphasis on relevant tools for guideline developers, including demonstration of adapting guidelines from MAGICapp and GRADEpro.
Noella Awah will report on her actual experience using the FEvIR Platform to convert a 199-page PDF for the Cameroon malaria guideline into a computable guideline.
Khalid Shahin will report on developments to address the realities of digital access in Cameroon, mainly to support offline viewing of the guideline on mobile devices.
Patrick Okwen will report on the experience in Cameroon in 2025 related to dissemination of the computable guideline.
Print-based malaria guidelines in Cameroon have limited dissemination to the point of care. In 2017, GINTech stimulated efforts to develop interoperability solutions for the evidence ecosystem. In 2025, a resulting “Evidence Based Medicine on Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources” (EBMonFHIR) project provides a technical standard for the computable expression of evidence and guidelines. eBase Africa engaged GINTech to make the Cameroon malaria guideline available in computable form.
Objective
To review the experience of developing and disseminating the Cameroon malaria guideline in computable form.
Content of presentations for panel sessions
Brian Alper will introduce the origin and current state of EBMonFHIR activities. In 2017 GINTech decided to explore interoperability solutions for the evidence ecosystem. In 2018, Health Level 7 International (HL7) approved a project to extend the HL7 FHIR standard to EBM knowledge. The EBMonFHIR project has developed a comprehensive Implementation Guide and resulted in an open collaboration (Health Evidence Knowledge Accelerator).
Joanne Dehnbostel will introduce the Fast Evidence Interoperability Resources (FEvIR) Platform with emphasis on relevant tools for guideline developers, including demonstration of adapting guidelines from MAGICapp and GRADEpro.
Noella Awah will report on her actual experience using the FEvIR Platform to convert a 199-page PDF for the Cameroon malaria guideline into a computable guideline.
Khalid Shahin will report on developments to address the realities of digital access in Cameroon, mainly to support offline viewing of the guideline on mobile devices.
Patrick Okwen will report on the experience in Cameroon in 2025 related to dissemination of the computable guideline.
Paper Number
88
Biography
Brian Alper is project lead for EBMonFHIR, GINTech Chair, CEO of Computable Publishing LLC, and has founded systems for decision support and guideline adaptation. Joanne Dehnbostel is research and analysis manager for Computable Publishing LLC and project administrator for HEvKA. Noella Awah is secretary of GIN Africa Community and a researcher at eBASE Africa with interest in guidelines and decision aids. Khalid Shahin is senior software developer for Computable Publishing LLC. Patrick Okwen is a leading expert in evidence synthesis and informed decision making. His work bridges research and practice to address critical challenges in education, health, and development.
