Early this spring, QuesGen Systems, Inc. Founder & CEO, Mike Jarrett faced a unique challenge. He had been approached by OneWorld Health to gather and analyze large amounts of data quickly from developing nations. Given the nature of communications in countries like India, QuesGen chose to deploy OneWorld Health’s research outreach through mobile technology.

One of OneWorld Health, a non-profit pharmaceutical company funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, core strengths is assessing the safety and effectiveness of investigational medicines to cure infectious diseases. In order to test the effectiveness of these medicines, research study coordinators must conduct research among hundreds of participants.

Traditional methods include paper questionnaires or surveys sent via text. However, due to the complex nature of the questionnaire, Quesgen honed in on text-to-voice technology known as Interactive Voice Response (IVR). “Cell phones are ubiquitous, making it easier for participants to press buttons on their cell phone than to try to answer a survey online,” says Jarrett. Essentially, participants can answer prompts about dosage amount (25 for 25 grams) or last date tested (0728 for July 28).

The data is aggregated within hours in one place where OneWorld Health study coordinators from around the globe can review and alter the IVR question prompts as needed. Additionally, reporting on a real-time basis is key for scenarios like an outbreak. Study coordinators will be able to track the number of positive cases in one area in order to react swiftly with treatment or other protective measures.

“The nice thing is the clean interface on both ends,” Jarret reports. CallFire developers were able to design the User Interface in under two weeks, speeding up the launch date for deployment worldwide.

QuesGen will deploy the IVR platform with OneWorld Health with hopes of using the medical research to make large strides in the infectious diseases realm. If executed successfully, QuesGen could charge ahead with a domestic rollout of the platform to aid those affected with conditions like diabetes, tracking insulin dosage and blood sugar levels on a daily basis.
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