Spark TSL acquires Sentean Group, driving digital transformation

WiFi and communications provider Spark TSL is acquiring the Dutch company Sentean Group, and will bring its Fusion Bedside platform for clinical and patient apps to the UK healthcare market.

The acquisition means that Spark TSL can offer NHS trusts a unique platform to accelerate the adoption of innovation, as well as deliver quantifiable improvements in operational efficiency and patient education and engagement.

Hospitals will also be able to use the fast, scalable connectivity solution to advance their digital maturity.

For Sentean, it means it can access additional resources and Spark TSL’s WiFi capabilities, allowing it to scale in the Dutch market, where it is already working with around 40% of hospitals.

Spark TSL chief executive Matt O’Donovan said: “The Sentean Fusion Bedside product comes with an incredible range of integrations that enable the delivery of state-of-the-art apps for clinicians and patients.

“Years of development have gone into creating an extremely robust and scalable platform for digital transformation; whether that’s putting treatment plans into the hands of patients or revolutionising meal ordering and nurse-call systems.

“By putting Fusion Bedside together with our Spark Connect WiFi platform and our Spark Media entertainment package, we will create a true bedside and bring your own device solution – and it’s going to be a game-changer for healthcare in the UK and the Netherlands.”

Since the 2021 acquisition of Hospedia, Spark TSL has been developing its new business model, designed to accelerate hospital productivity. It is focusing on a move away from the patient-pays model and encouraging trusts to make communication and entertainment services free at the point of delivery.

The recent acquisition of Sentean will allow Spark TSL to push forwards with these developments. It intends to create a digital platform allowing hospitals to rapidly deploy a complete suite of communication and entertainment services, alongside apps that can save staff time.

Willem-Jan te Riele, managing director of Sentean Group, said: “We have developed this fantastic and very scalable technology. But the Netherlands is a relatively small market, in which it takes time to grow. While the UK is a little bit behind when it comes to the digital transition.

“With this acquisition, we have the opportunity to grow by bringing Fusion to the UK, using the fantastic Spark TSL network, while offering some of Spark TSL’s technology to the Netherlands. We have some exciting times ahead of us.”

O’Donovan added: “This is going to touch so many aspects of the digital transformation of a trust. This positions us well to bring service transformation, efficiency improvements, cost savings, and a new level of patient engagement to hospitals through this technology.