Second Proof of Concept Update, Mark Mestrum, ZMC.

Serums is reaching one of its major milestones at the end of 2020, namely the second pilot of its proof of concept. It has not always been easy because of the major roadblocks Covid-19 has caused for the project. While the team was working from home, in 9 different countries, to develop a system that could be tested at the different hospital sites, the pandemic has made it much more difficult than last year to reach our users and test the system on our target population. Concurrently, it has also been a challenge to reach medical professionals for their input.

Despite the complications of the pandemic, it has also emphasized the value Serums brings in a time when physical hospital visits have become difficult. This ‘new normal’ requires new solutions and technologies like Serums will enable health systems to function effectively under much changed circumstances. This has not gone unnoticed by medical professionals and is beginning to become apparent to study participants.

Following a successful second pilot, this phase of the Serums project is reaching conclusion. The pandemic obliges us to execute our pilot remotely and this has had a large effect on the preparation and execution of system testing by participants, but these issues are not insurmountable and have yielded some promising results.