MediFind.org

"We've worked with Gene for the past 18months on a project that at first seemed simple but quickly became more complex. At the start, it was tempting to push the job out to an offshore consultant to make the app in one go. I’m so glad we didn’t. Gene patiently worked with us to explore the problems we were trying to solve. He demonstrated a great flexibility and patience in understanding the user’s perspective and what we were trying to achieve. Gene has all of the technical skills we needed, but it was his willingness to learn with us as the project and our needs developed that really made the difference. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him for projects, large or small."

Medifind's idea is to create a marketplace for pathology and laboratory services in Kenya that would consist of an app that lets doctors and their patients choose laboratories based on ratings, quality certifications and relevant information about location, price and services offered. Later iterations of the app would allow doctors to track patients and samples across tiered, connected laboratories while a text notification system would guide patients to better care.

Medifind is an initiative led by a team of researchers and social entrepreneurs who are seeking to improve the quality of laboratory services in Kenya by providing patients and doctors with more information on price and quality. They are funded by a Gates Grand Challenge grant.

Patients and clinicians currently lack objective assessments of quality in pathology services despite growing demand. For the more difficult, technical tests that many of the smaller laboratories are unable to process clinicians lack important market information and make poor choices as a result. The marketplace can create value from a very small start, while working towards a much bigger, clinician-driven, bottom-up revolution in pathology service in Kenya.