Interoperable Medical Donations | My Bridge International at EBME Expo

Engineering Global Equity Through Interoperable Donations: Lessons from My Bridge International

Jean-Michel Tchamba, CEO of My Bridge International, set out a straightforward but ambitious idea: use a digital portal to connect UK hospitals, manufacturers, and universities with healthcare providers in underserved nations—matching surplus equipment, essential medicines, and expert time to clearly stated needs.

“Our newly launched digital platform connects healthcare professionals in underserved regions with experts in the UK and provides a gateway for medical supplies to reach those on the front line.”

Why Clinical Engineering Sits at the Centre of Global Donations

Global inequity shows up as device downtime, missing IFUs, no spares, no service capability, and incompatible accessories. Every one of those is solvable with engineering discipline: asset histories, traceability, interoperability, and realistic commissioning plans.

This mirrors the NHS’s digital transformation priorities—interoperability, data-driven care, and resilience. Those same principles should guide medical donations.

Interoperability is an Ethic, Not Just a Feature

It’s tempting to “ship and hope.” But if a monitor only works with proprietary cables, you’ve exported lock-in and risk. Donations should follow the same standards we use at home:

• Open standards first: Devices and software that integrate cleanly (HL7/FHIR where relevant).
• Scan4Safety and GS1 discipline: Consistent identification of people, places, and products with durable, scannable labels.
• IFU-first practice: Ship validated device-accessory combinations with accessible instructions, ideally in local languages.

Traceability That Travels with Every Donation

A donation is not just a shipment. It should include:

• Service and test records (last PPM, calibration certificates).
• Configuration snapshot (firmware, cybersecurity notes, network settings).
• Spares and consumables to cover the run-in period.
• Commissioning plan with training responsibilities.

Safety, Cybersecurity, and Sustainability in Low-Resource Settings

• Cyber basics: Offline manuals, hardened defaults, first-boot checklists.
• Power and environment: State power requirements, UPS needs, and environmental limits.
• Right-sizing: Choose equipment that can be maintained with local skills and tools.
• Lifecycle transparency: Identify field-replaceable parts, lifetimes, and reorder pathways.

A Practical Checklist for Engineering Teams

Before you pledge:

• Triage inventory into usable, repairable, or unsuitable.
• Confirm IFU availability and accessory compatibility.
• Ensure export compliance and serial documentation.

Packaging & documentation:

• GS1 labels, device passports, laminated quick-start guides, spare kits.

On receipt:

• Remote or on-site commissioning with joint sign-off.
• Assign a technical contact with agreed response times.

Ongoing:

• Collect downtime and usage data.
• Adjust next shipments based on lessons learned.

Governance That Builds Trust in Donations

This isn’t just “doing good”—it’s governance. Frame the programme in NHS language: interoperability, traceability, vigilance, and measurable outcomes. Success metrics could include:

• % of devices commissioned within 30 days
• 90-day uptime rates
• % with IFUs logged
• Time-to-first-use

Publishing results builds trust and improves future deployments.

Conclusion: Engineering Equity Through Standards

My Bridge International’s platform highlights a truth clinical engineers already know: equity is engineered. When donations are interoperable, traceable, and cyber-safe, they scale care instead of exporting problems.

Bring the NHS’s standards mindset to global partnerships, and surplus can become sustained service.

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