Empowering Frontline Health Workers: 19Labs’ Ultrasound Training Partnership in Guyana

Transforming rural healthcare takes more than innovation; it takes ongoing collaboration and iteration. For years, 19Labs has worked alongside Guyana’s Ministry of Health to build a sustainable telemedicine network reaching the country’s most remote communities. Now, together, they are taking the next step: using real-world data and on-the-ground insights to refine deployments, increase the use of critical healthcare tools, and ensure resources are utilized efficiently — strengthening the framework for sustainable, scalable healthcare delivery.

Redwood City, California - November 26, 2025

After introducing portable ultrasound devices to remote communities in Guyana’s hinterland, data from the Ministry of Health’s GALE-powered Rural Information System highlighted an important insight: while the technology had tremendous life-saving potential, many of these tools were being underutilized.

Some of these communities are up to five days by boat from the nearest hospital and rely on local health posts staffed primarily by community health workers (CHWs) or midwives who care for entire villages, including high-risk pregnancies. These health workers are the link between their communities and the rest of the health system: caring and capable, but often unfamiliar with new technologies.

Our mission in solving rural healthcare reflects a shared commitment to equipping and empowering frontline workers with proactive screening tools to identify and manage complications early and prevent unnecessary trips to distant hospitals.

At 19Labs, we are not a healthcare provider, but we are more than a technology company. Our work is grounded in building long-term relationships with partner governments and communities. That means we don’t simply deliver equipment and walk away. We stay engaged, focusing on continuous training, education, and support to ensure that health workers feel confident and empowered with their new tools and skills.

Designing the Course with Partners

To address underutilization, we collaborated with EchoNous and the Ministry of Health of Guyana to design a two-month training course. The course focused on communities with existing ultrasound devices, a high concentration of pregnant mothers, and motivated health workers eager to learn.

The curriculum combined community meetings, theory classes, quizzes, and hands-on assignments to build comfort with the probe and reinforce core obstetric skills — the most common application in these settings.

A Practical Approach to POCUS

The POCUS (Point-of-Care Ultrasound) device is a simple yet powerful tool. It doesn’t replace a full ultrasound machine, but it helps answer focused clinical questions like “Is the pregnancy viable?” or “How far along is it?”

Health workers practiced standardized movements and measurements, captured images to share with physicians, and participated in live GALE telemedicine sessions with specialists in Georgetown who analyzed the ultrasound in real-time.

In these sessions, the health workers served as the hands and the heart, while remote doctors provided the diagnostic insight.

Through GALE’s telemedicine connections, each scan and consultation also contributed valuable data to the Ministry’s Rural Information System, helping guide future training priorities.

The Training Experience

The course blended theory and practice. The training was conducted collaboratively: EchoNous, a GALE ultrasound provider partner, led the overview of obstetric imaging, while 19Labs’ team member Rene Atkinson and Dr. Bernard McDavid of the Guyana Ministry of Health guided the practical exams. The participants met weekly via Zoom to study, practice, and troubleshoot. They often had local pregnant mothers join the sessions to include real patients in the process.

The program culminated in a community outreach day, during which participants prepared educational speeches and posters to inform their communities about the availability of ultrasound services.

All participants successfully completed the course and received a certificate.

“I want to say a big thank you to the telemedicine team for giving me the opportunity to do the ultrasound training,” says Nurse Monica Samuels of Karawab Health Post in Region 2. “With your patience and support, I finally completed my first successful ultrasound exam.”

Impact and Future Applications

Within a month, these communities conducted over 50 ultrasound interconsultations — up from an average of 15 per month before the training — representing a 200% increase in usage and confidence.

One of these cases even led to the timely diagnosis of acute appendicitis, enabling early referral and appropriate management and exemplifying the life-saving potential of accessible ultrasound services.

This training program highlights the value of customizable, adaptable training models. While this initiative was implemented in Guyana, the approach is transferable to other regions, allowing 19Labs to support partners in addressing local healthcare needs using GALE not only as a telemedicine platform but also as a powerful educational connection tool.

At 19Labs, we believe technology achieves its greatest impact when paired with ongoing, empowering partnerships. By working hand-in-hand with deployment and device partners, as well as local communities, we ensure that health workers are confident, capable, and ready to serve their communities effectively.

About 19Labs

19Labs is revolutionizing rural healthcare with telemedicine, real-time data systems, and medical delivery drones. Inspired by Florence Nightingale’s legacy, 19Labs ensures that no community is beyond the reach of quality care. The GALE platform integrates telehealth, diagnostics, and remote patient monitoring, while the GALE | Rural Information System (RIS) empowers providers with real-time insights and command-center coordination. GALE | Force medical delivery drones solve rural delivery with two-way transportation of life-saving supplies to even the most remote areas. In partnership with governments, healthcare leaders, and innovators like Zoom, Amwell, EchoNous, and others, 19Labs is shaping a future where healthcare knows no boundaries. www.19Labs.com