A webinar with John Kosobucki, CEO and founder of OX.DH, focused on how modern technology in fertility clinics is transforming care. He shared insights into how their flagship product, OX. assisted reproduction (OX.ar), came about, how it is being rolled out and how it is used in practice.
John emphasised the distinct advantages of OX.ar as being fully cloud-native, contrasting it with legacy systems that have merely transitioned to the cloud without fully embracing its capabilities.
He noted: “By fully leveraging cloud technology, OX.ar ensures inherent security and integrates seamlessly with Microsoft’s comprehensive security model. This is crucial for connecting multiple clinics and securely sharing patient records with precise control.”
In his presentation, John outlined OX.ar’s five core principles, which are pivotal to its design and functionality:
- Enhancing patient experience and clinical outcomes
- Alleviating the workload on healthcare staff
- Empowering individuals with direct access to information and services
- Guaranteeing secure access to patient information
- Leveraging digital technology to boost health and care productivity
He also stressed the importance of continuous, small improvements in daily operations, which collectively lead to significant enhancements across the clinic.
John went on to share insights from initial research interviews, which led to categorising the platform’s functionalities into three main areas:
- Patient onboarding and assessment
- Scheduling and conducting initial consultations to develop personalised treatment plans
- Ongoing monitoring, outcomes tracking, and regulatory reporting
This structured approach underscores OX.ar’s commitment to streamlining healthcare processes, ensuring both efficiency and security throughout the patient’s journey.
The patient journey
The assisted reproduction journey involves a diverse group of participants, including patients, partners, donors, and others. OX.ar simplifies this intricate pathway with a secure and robust data model that effectively orchestrates every facet of treatment. This includes patient engagement, scheduling appointments, digital consent for HFEA and clinic-specific forms, as well as seamless integration with both internal and external laboratories. It also encompasses referral management and grants access to a dedicated patient portal.
From a security standpoint, OX.ar ensures ease of access and administration by allowing authentication via existing Microsoft Active Directory User IDs. Moreover, it has been implemented on the NHS national tenant, enabling the use of NHS net user IDs. This approach streamlines the management of security protocols and information access, utilising familiar and trusted capabilities.
“Our solution not only addresses a specific challenge but is also versatile enough to be customised for various needs,” stated John.
Designed with digital transformation at its core, OX.ar revolutionises the complete experience for both patients and clinicians. It enhances patient interactions, simplifies the scheduling of appointments, and expedites the processing of test results, among numerous other features.
Origins of the solution
John delved into the origins of OX.DH, showcasing its strong connections with prestigious entities like the University of Oxford and its status as a Microsoft partner. He also mentioned its inclusion in the NHS Tech Innovation Framework, which is instrumental in introducing new technology to primary healthcare. These collaborations highlight OX.DH’s dedication to innovation and enhancing efficiency. John emphasised the unique value proposition of OX.DH: “We don’t just offer software; we provide a SaaS service that enables our clients to focus more on patient care rather than struggling with outdated technology.”
He further explained OX.DH’s role within the broader IVF ecosystem, facilitating easy access to information for both clinicians and patients. Through case studies, John showcased how the technology streamlines processes by consolidating information into a single platform and automating workflows, thus reducing the reliance on cumbersome manual systems.
A significant focus was placed on the foundational research behind OX.DH’s development. John shared insights into comprehensive studies of the fertility ecosystem, including interviews to understand the dynamics within and outside clinics. This research informed the core functionalities of OX.DH, aimed at improving patient experiences, clinical outcomes, and healthcare productivity through digital solutions. He also highlighted the active engagement from GPs, referral sources, pharmaceutical suppliers like Stork and Fertility2U, laboratories such as TDL and internal labs, and regulatory bodies, all of which play a crucial role in the ecosystem.
John praised Microsoft’s cloud innovations, especially within the NHS’s vast Microsoft environment in the UK. He clarified the use of the graph APIs and dataverse as critical components for storing and managing data. This allows for the configuration and customisation of clinical scheduling and patient information management, enhancing the utility of tools like Outlook for clinical purposes. John’s discussion underscored OX.DH’s integration with Microsoft’s cloud services for a more efficient and secure data management system.
Clinical operations
John elaborated on the operational capabilities of OX.ar within clinical settings, leveraging OX.DH’s APIs with the broader ecosystem. He explained the patient’s journey from initial engagement to comprehensive care management.
Initially, potential patients might explore a clinic’s website for fertility support information. OX.ar allows them to register, enabling the provision of targeted digital marketing materials. Similar to creating an account on familiar platforms like banking or travel websites, interested individuals can easily register, inputting basic information.
Upon registration, an automated process commences to verify the patient’s identity, followed by a review by clinic staff who may request further details. This step activates additional workflows, including the distribution of digital documents and access to a patient portal for medical history submission. This process triggers tailored healthcare queries based on the patient’s input.
John highlighted specific functionalities, such as the digital distribution, signing, and storage of necessary HFEA forms in a patient-specific SharePoint library. The system automates reminders for patients to schedule initial consultations, which can be done in-person or via video. It also facilitates external communications for tests and prescriptions, ensuring a comprehensive view of each patient’s journey.
Central to OX.ar’s utility is a robust invoice and finance module for generating invoices and processing payments seamlessly within the platform. Integration within the Microsoft ecosystem means that all communications, including emails and SMS, are directly linked to the patient or partner’s record. This ensures a centralised record of interactions accessible to all relevant clinic staff.
OX.ar further enhances clinic operations by enabling the organisation and analysis of test results, document exchange with patients, and the assessment of various data points, thereby streamlining patient management and care delivery processes.
Concluding thoughts
To wrap up, John walked the audience through OX.ar’s operational benefits in clinics, highlighting the patient journey from initial inquiry to treatment completion.
The presentation illuminated the transformative power of OX.ar in the fertility clinic landscape, with detailed insights into the platform’s development, capabilities, and impact offering a compelling vision for the future of fertility clinic management. John underscored the platform’s capability to automate as much of that as possible, including the management of financial transactions and communications.
For more information, John encouraged attendees to explore the OX.DH website.
We’d like to thank John for taking the time to share more information with us about the OX.ar platform.
