Blood report and Mentzer Index calculation
Data and Process flow of HemoConnect

🩸 HemoConnect: Connecting Lives Through Every Drop

🚀 Inspiration

Thalassemia is a life-threatening blood disorder that requires regular transfusions and continuous monitoring. After hearing the struggles of a local patient who missed a transfusion due to a delay in locating a compatible blood unit, we realized how fragmented and slow the support system is for these patients.

We were inspired to create HemoConnect—a unified platform that leverages real-time technology, AI, and community to support thalassemia patients with everything they need: from blood availability and logistics to health monitoring and human connection.

🩺 What it does

HemoConnect is a full-stack AI-powered health-tech platform specifically designed for thalassemia patients. It offers:

Real-time location-based blood bank tracking using e-Raktkosh API
User registration with personalized health profiling
Patient risk categorization based on transfusion history
Zomato/Ola-style blood ordering and delivery tracking system
AI-powered blood report analyzer (Mentzer Index, MCV, RBC count, etc.)
Emergency alerts with nearby hospitals & services auto-suggested
Community forum for blood requests and donor engagement
Directory of specialized hospitals, NGOs, doctors, and test centres

🛠️ How we built it

The platform was developed using a combination of modern web and AI technologies:

Frontend: Next.js 14, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Framer Motion for sleek animations
Backend: Node.js, Express, MongoDB Atlas for data storage and APIs
AI Module: Python-based OCR and image analysis for blood report insights (e.g., Mentzer Index: ( \text{MCV} / \text{RBC count} ))
APIs Integrated: e-Raktkosh, Google Maps, Cloudinary (for image upload), JWT Auth
Delivery Partner App: React Native with Firebase for push notifications and real-time delivery updates
Design: A fast, empathetic UI using themes of red, white, and health-oriented iconography

🧱 Challenges we ran into

Accurate location fetching and integration with the e-Raktkosh API took time due to inconsistent data formatting.
OCR accuracy on blood reports varied depending on image quality—handling low-light or noisy scans was tricky.
Categorizing patient risk required careful logic based on transfusion history and medical best practices.
Designing a dual-platform system (patients and delivery agents) with real-time updates was technically demanding.
Ensuring security and patient data privacy (HIPAA-style compliance) while maintaining usability.

🏆 Accomplishments that we're proud of

Successfully created an end-to-end blood delivery workflow similar to Ola/Zomato.
Implemented an AI analyzer that calculates and interprets Mentzer’s Index from an uploaded report image.
Created a seamless experience across patients, donors, and delivery partners.
Built a directory that truly matters: connecting NGOs, test centers, hospitals, and doctors in one place.

📚 What we learned

How to integrate real-world APIs (like e-Raktkosh) and handle real-time geolocation data.
The complexity behind building an AI-based report analyzer using OCR and custom logic.
Importance of designing with empathy—especially for health tech platforms.
How to architect and scale a platform that serves multiple roles: patients, delivery partners, and doctors.

🔮 What's next for HemoConnect

Mobile App Launch for iOS & Android
Live donor matching and notification system via SMS/Push
Teleconsultation integration with verified hematologists
Multilingual support for broader accessibility
Partnerships with NGOs and hospitals for real-world deployments
AI-enhanced health dashboards with predictive alerts for next transfusion needs