Digital Health Coffee Time Briefing ☕

Your morning summary of digital health news, information and events to know about if you want to be “in the know”.

👇 News

🙅‍♀️ A review by researchers at the University College London and Birmingham Children’s Hospital has identified a lack of evidence for continuous glucose monitors to be used by people without diabetes. Health tech companies have pioneered the trend of using the tech to measure blood sugar levels in otherwise healthy people, but according to the research, published in Diabetic Medicine on 26 June, their use could be fuelling health anxieties and, potentially, eating disorders.

📈 Hospital Services Limited (HSL) has teamed with Mourne Scan Clinic in Northern Ireland to provide AI-powered medical imaging technologies, including DXA and X-ray systems. The technology, which was implemented in Q1 of 2024,  is intended to help identify and assess the risk of osteoporosis, thereby enabling early intervention to prevent fractures.

👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 A report published in the journal Nature Medicine on 2 July, has assessed the impact of whole genome sequencing for children with cancer in current NHS practice. Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street Hospital and the University of Cambridge, found that whole genome sequencing can improve the management of care and provide “more benefits than all current tests combined”.

🔋 Samsung is to collaborate with the University of Georgia, to develop its energy score feature for the latest issue of its Galaxy Watch. The energy score is calculated from activity levels, sleep quality, sleeping heart rate which can be tracked through the wearable device. According to a  press release published on 27 June, the function will support “innovative digital health experiences”.

✔️ University of Edinburgh’s Venture Builder Incubator has supported the development of a non-invasive, at-home testing device for human papillomavirus (HPV), as an alternative to a smear test. The Papcup device screens for HPV strains in regular menstrual blood. According to a press release, the company is taking pre-orders to help demonstrate demand for the device to potential investors and the NHS.

📖 What we’re reading

Following the NHS 2024/25 Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance, published by NHSE on 27 March, Building Better Healthcare asked experts for their opinion about the digital maturity objectives that were included.

Experts – including Carmelo Insalaco, CEO of Rapid Health, Nick Wilson, CEO of System C, Krishna Thakur, CEO of Capri Healthcare, Paul McGinness, CEO, Lenus Health and Rachael Fox, Executive VP, EMEA, Altera Digital Health – noted that although NHSE had identified technology as a key enabler there were still potential pitfalls.

Resources being coordinated in end-to-end pathways; the need for people, processes and cultural change to help drive digital maturity; and more investment were all highlighted.

❓ Did you know?

SOTI has launched a new study of frontline healthcare workers, revealing that nearly half (47%) of the respondents in the UK are already using AI, with many more (48%) considering implementing it into patient care. Globally, 98% of organisations have considered incorporating AI into patient care.

The study, published on 27 June, found that the main concern for healthcare workers in the UK was data security (33%), which rose from the second biggest concern in last year’s survey.

🚨 Upcoming events 

11 July, virtual event – SomX Healthtech Communications: Fundraising essentials