Digital Health’s monthly roundup of contracts and go lives

Digital Health’s monthly roundup of contracts and go lives brings you news of the establishment of one of the UK’s largest health and social care records powered by InterSystems’ HealthShare and Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital selecting Epro to implement a clinically focused digital platform.

Certific and PocDoc partner for remote monitoring pilots

The end of September saw Certific team up with healthtech start-up PocDoc to launch a number of remote monitoring pilot schemes for cardiovascular disease which will be carried out in conjunction with the NHS.

The combination of PocDoc’s technology, which allows smartphone users to carry out at-home blood tests with accuracy, and Certific’s certified remote medical diagnostics technology, will see patients across the UK able to confidently monitor for cardiovascular disease through a number of indicators.

The trials will initially run in the UK in conjunction with the NHS and if successful, the scheme will be expanded to Europe and other international countries.

Babylon and Bupa extend partnership for digital health services

In the first week of October, we saw the news that Babylon and Bupa have announced they are extending their existing partnership agreement for a further three years, meaning the digital health company will extend the services it provides.

The two companies have been partnered since 2015, when Babylon’s digital services were incorporated into the Bupa offering via an app for its customers.

The app included products designed to help users better understand their health symptoms, access up-to-date information and learn more about their current and future health risks.

With this extended partnership, all 2.3million UK Bupa customers will have access to Babylon’s Symptom Checker, My Health and a 24/7 virtual consultation service.

West Midlands Integrated Care System collaborates with InterSystems

One of the UK’s largest health and social care records is to be established in the West Midlands using InterSystems’ HealthShare. The initiative will see nearly 400 health and social care providers from the West Midlands area join forces to support the delivery of integrated care in the region.

Organisations involved include Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System (ICS), Coventry and Warwickshire ICS and Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICS as well as hospital trusts, mental health and community trusts, local authorities, an ambulance trust, hospices and 365 GP surgeries.

Through the integrated record, West Midlands health and social care professionals will have access to joined-up information, including records from medications, safeguarding information, and allergies. The information will be available to them, wherever patients present in any of the three ICSs.

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital implements digital platform from Epro

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has selected healthcare informatics provider Epro to implement a clinically focused digital platform.

The solution includes technology that will speech-enable clinical applications, a mobile platform and clinical documentation. It also supports end-to-end outpatient management, inpatient flow, and integration with existing technology solutions.

It is hoped the platform will help to boost the hospital’s efficiency by improving inpatient and outpatient flow and supporting administration processes for the hospital.

Oxford Health NHS FT goes live with ePMA solution

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust has implemented Better Meds’ electronic prescribing and medication administration solution (ePMA).

Implementation started across 26 wards in September 2022 following a successful trial in the summer and the solution should be fully rolled out by March 2023. Already, Oxford Health has streamlined its pharmacy processes, improving access to data and delivering time-saving benefits.

Oxford Health was one of the global digital exemplars and has adopted a best-of-breed approach to digital transformation. Implementing the ePMA solution is a step forward in its ambition to achieve a HIMSS digital maturity level 7 score.

The Better Meds ePMA is built on an openEHR platform that supports integration between the existing PAS and future systems. It delivers a seamless link to the pharmacy stock control system at Oxford Health.

Norfolk and Norwich uses digital solutions for personalised follow-ups

As October progressed, there was news from Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. They have implemented digital solutions which will help the trust deliver personalised follow-up pathways.

Digital technology from Infinity Health and DrDoctor is supporting patients to request follow-up appointments when needed and enabling clinicians to deliver safe follow-up care.

By allowing patients to make appointments when they need one, rather than automatically scheduling them at fixed intervals in their care, the trust can free up clinical time for patients who need the care the most and reduce unnecessary appointments.

Launched as part of the NHS Elective Recovery Programme, the outpatient transformation section is part of an NHS England pilot which aims to meet national targets of moving 5% of patients onto a Patient Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU) pathway by 2023.