Global Health Innovation Index Highlights Dimagi

The annual evaluation from the Center for Innovation and Impact highlighted CommCare as a “potential game changer” for its ability to “improve service delivery and transform the way health data is collected and used.”

The 56-page report highlighted 10 innovations for their “enormous potential to complement existing programs in addressing the world’s most critical needs.” These innovations ranged from software solutions to service delivery models and medical devices. The index measured each innovation on four criteria:

1. Health Impact
2. Demand & Sustainability
3. Organizational and/or Partner Capacity
4. Progression to Scale

Dimagi and CommCare were rated as having “proven positive evidence” on all counts.

Featured among global standouts

Among the other featured innovations were a low-cost community health approach from Living Goods and a proactive community case management model from Muso.

The report’s profile of CommCare highlighted the capabilities of case management to help track patients’ health data over time and deliver more personalized care, especially offline.

It also included the important caveat of CommCare’s ability to deliver impact depending on the program’s ability to integrate it effectively, including a well-defined plan with specific goals and organized training. Mobile data collection tools are not silver bullets, but they can be hugely impactful if implemented correctly.

A renewed urgency amid COVID-19

The evaluation of the innovations began before coronavirus began, but USAID was quick to clarify that, if anything, the global pandemic has only made the potential of and need for these innovations that much greater:

“Confronted with the enormous, unprecedented, and deadly consequences of the global coronavirus pandemic, we feel a renewed imperative to draw on new ideas and approaches to address today’s global health challenges. We wrote this Global Health Innovation Index before the coronavirus had sickened millions, before global lockdowns had restricted access to vital services, and before economies had lost millions of livelihoods… Today, there is even more urgency to surface life-saving innovations and rapidly maximize their potential.”

USAID Global Health Innovation Index

Dimagi’s Co-Founder and CEO, Jonathan Jackson, shared his pride at being included in the Index:

“Dimagi’s goal has always been to develop tools to support underserved communities, so it’s encouraging to see USAID’s recognition of the impact CommCare-supported programs have had around the world. We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but we couldn’t be more proud of our partners and the work they’re doing with CommCare.”

Jonathan Jackson, Co-Founder and CEO, Dimagi

To further explore the report, visit the USAID Center for Innovation and Impact.