North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust has launched PatientAide, an online tool to provide patients access to their health documents, and connect personal tech and data from smartwatches.
The app and online web tool provides patients with the ability to view letters, correspondence and test results, complete questionnaires before or after an appointment, and support clinical teams share media files such as documents, YouTube videos or websites.
Patients can also connect personal devices, such as a Fitbit or Garmin, to track their health activities. As well, patients can view a calendar function to view their appointments and request to cancel them using the app.
Liz Mellor, chief strategy officer at Combined Healthcare, commented: “PatientAide aims to help communication between the clinicians and their patients. By putting essential information and tools directly into the hands of patients, this innovative platform is expected to create positive changes in how people manage their health. As PatientAide becomes available, patients who use it can look forward to a more connected, informed, and personalised healthcare experience.”
The trust has also recently announced the introduction of a tool to “break down online accessibility barriers” by introducing web accessibility software, Recite Me, onto its website.
The trust noted that: “With Recite Me now active on its website, Combined Healthcare is able to offer an on-demand accessibility solution to meet a range of needs and become more digitally inclusive. The software ensures that the website is user-friendly for individuals with disabilities, learning difficulties, visual impairments or people who speak other languages.”
The tool introduces a screen reader, the ability to change the size of text, margins and use a ruler, customise colours and styles, as well as translation options.
In recent news from the trust in December it launched its first ‘Go Green Go Digital’ sustainability awareness week, which highlighted the ongoing partnership between the trust’s digital transformation team and sustainability working group.
For HTN Now, we welcomed Vicky Boswell, associate director of performance, and Tom Jones, head of business intelligence, for a live webinar focused on accessing mental health data for quality care and ICS analysis, with a focus on how North Staffordshire Combined Health are using data to get an accurate understanding of the pattern of care activity.
