Top news stories covered by HTN this week include the publication of Wales’ new digital strategy, the launch of a new national digital midwife role and the celebration of digital stars at the Our Health Heroes awards.
But there’s been even more going on across the health tech sector – from exciting industry developments to NHS fundraising achievements. Find out what else made our news in brief weekly round-up, below.
A fundraising appeal launched by nurses at the Grimsby and Scunthorpe hospitals has raised £200,000 for two HD laparoscopic camera systems.
The money was raised across two years for the Health Tree Foundation’s Rear into Gear appeal. The funds have enabled Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLaG) to purchase state-of-the-art cameras for keyhole surgical procedures. The equipment will enhance consultants’ abilities to perform more complex surgeries, including for those with conditions like bowel cancer.
Other benefits for patients will potentially include quicker post-op recovery times and a reduction in scarring, as the equipment allows for less invasive procedures. Improved picture definition may also lead to shorter stays in theatre and more patients being operated on, with the trust estimating that more than 1,000 patients will benefit from the new equipment over the next five years.
Liverpool Women’s Hospital receives robotic help
Liverpool Women’s NHS Trust has received a new robot to help with complex gynaecology surgery.
The Da Vinci X Robot provides robotically assisted surgery, with 3D vision technology giving clinicians better images of their surgical procedures.
It’s hoped the new robot will provide more accurate imaging to help treat endometriosis, shorten the length of operating times and lower the risk of complications for patients.
NHS Digital publishes new overview of adult care stats
A new report has been published, using NHS Digital’s adult social care statistics to show trends over time.
The publication, entitled ‘Adult Social Care Statistics in England: An Overview’, collates data from a range of sources and highlights common themes with stats covering a time period of 2015 to the present.
Data in the report includes areas such as local authority requests for support, adults receiving social care support and local authority expenditure on adult social care, as well as user experiences and outcomes.
Three healthcare companies to share £140,000 in funding
The Health Innovation Manchester Momentum Fund has awarded three healthcare companies a share of £140,000, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fund has been established to support the adoption and spread of needs-led, evidence-based innovations into healthcare, with the focus of this year’s funding call on ‘the remote management of post-acute COVID-19 and/or chronically ill patients at home’.
Businesses could apply for up to £50,000 in funding to accelerate their digital products or services and successful innovations included a digital platform for monitoring complex wounds, an app to support adolescents in managing type1 diabetes, and a speech recognition system.
WoundPad, a partnership between MDSAS Ltd and the University of Manchester, was awarded £42,000 for its remote management platform that can help with the treatment and tracking of complex wounds within a community setting.
The second winner, Nudg, is an app platform developed alongside the Manchester T1 Diabetic Team to deliver positive behaviour change using AI and personalised lessons. It’s aimed at helping adolescents manage their condition and received £48,098 from the fund.
The third recipient was Voiceitt’s speech recognition technology, which was awarded £50,000. The mobile app is designed to recognise and translate non-standard speech patterns, interpret a user’s unique speech sounds and produce voice commands through artificial intelligence and algorithms. By reducing the need for proximity during conversation with a caregiver, it could be used to limit potential COVID-19 exposure.
New AI-based mental health platform on the way
NiceDay Nederland and emteq labs are collaborating to create a digital mental healthcare platform called E-PTSD.
As part of an AI-based project called PSYCH-AID, the companies will focus on developing a psychological trauma care platform and improving support for those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The platform will connect patients and therapists in real-time using digital monitoring, smart AI-based analytics and PTSD management tools such as adaptive EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) via virtual reality.
E-PTSD will also incorporate emteqPRO, an integrated biofeedback platform, that uses proprietary sensor technology to measure emotions through facial gestures and biometric responses, with the aim to personalise treatment and make it as effective as possible.
Benenden goes live with Compucare 8
Benenden Health, a not-for-profit health insurance agency, has gone live with Compucare 8 – a hospital management system from software company, Streets Heaver.
The platform will provide users at Benenden with an interoperability solution, giving staff access to information they need for their role from one central database.
Medxnote launches new Microsoft Teams app
Medxnote has launched its new Microsoft Teams app, called MedxPlanner. The app enables hospitals to integrate their clinical tasks with Microsoft solutions such as Teams and Planner and aims to make management of tasks more collaborative.
Tasks that are created in a hospital’s Electronic Medical Record (EMR) or the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) can now be routed to the appropriate clinical team’s tasks via Planner. The tech also integrates with Microsoft Shifts, so that on-call clinicians can be notified of new developments.
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