Barriers and Facilitators to IMPALA use (A New Research Study)

New IMPALA Research Paper Published! Implementing the IMPALA continuous monitoring system for paediatric critical care in Malawi: A mixed methods study of barriers and facilitators
‍

The GOAL 3 team is dedicated to creating technology that is not only effective but also seamlessly integrated into the real-world healthcare context. A recent mixed-methods study investigated the implementation of the IMPALA continuous monitoring system in paediatric critical care in Malawi. The research explores the barriers and facilitators to adoption, providing invaluable insights into how we can continue to improve our system to best support healthcare workers and patients.

‍The study, which gathered data from observations, interviews, and questionnaires from both healthcare providers and caregivers, revealed key findings about the system's impact on the ground.

Key results from the study:
‍

• Improved Quality of Care: The IMPALA system was generally well-received by healthcare providers and caregivers. It was perceived to improve the quality of care by providing reliable and continuous vital sign measurements.
• Time-Saving for Health Workers: Healthcare providers reported that the system significantly reduced the time they spent manually monitoring children, allowing them to focus on other critical tasks.
• Challenges Identified: The research also highlighted areas for improvement. Some of the main challenges included alarm fatigue due to false alarms, a lack of familiarity with the technology, and staff shortages that limited the ability to respond to every alert. The study also brought to light that some caregivers held cultural beliefs that made them hesitant about the technology.
  ‍

At GOAL 3, these findings are a roadmap for our future development. The positive feedback confirms that the core benefits of our system, reliable monitoring and time savings are making a real difference. However, the identified barriers, particularly alarm fatigue/reaction and the need for more extensive training and caregiver involvement, are critical for us to address.
‍

We are committed to using these insights to improve the IMPALA system and its implementation, ensuring that our technology is not only cutting-edge but also culturally sensitive, user-friendly, and truly impactful in every setting. 
‍

The full article was published in PLOS ONE.
‍

This research was funded by EDCTP.

‍