Smartphone-based Capabilities Screening for Neonatal Jaundice

Departments Included in Project: Pediatrics,

Project Classification: Safety, Effectiveness, Efficiency

Does the work incorporate equity?

Our goal is provide a valuable, safe, and cost-effective mobile health resource to screen for neonatal jaundice. Currently, there are other diagnostic and screening tools that help monitor for newborn jaundice, but they can be quite expensive and are mostly only performed in a healthcare space. In low resource communities within the United States and some impoverished communities throughout the world cannot afford frequent visitations in the newborn period to monitor for jaundice, as some families may be quite far from the pediatrician. With this device, we hope to one day provide equitable care to all newborns, regardless of socioeconomic status and ability to be seen in a healthcare setting. This device can be downloaded on any smart phone and used to screen for newborn jaundice, which makes this technology more accessible. There is a calibration card that is provided for small cost to help focus the image and adjust for lighting. Hopefully, one day parents can use this app from home and collaborate with their pediatrician in determining next steps for intervention for their child. Currently, this app is already being used in more remote parts of the world, such as Tanzania and Uganda.

Does this work address any of the UChicago Medicine quality priorities as listed on the Clinical Excellence Scorecard?

Ambulatory Access to Care