Let’s take a look at some of the latest news on digital and data to have caught our eye over the last few weeks.
Medical imaging tech boosts diagnosis in Sandwell and West Birmingham
The Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, part of Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, has introduced three new scanning machines which combine two types of scans in one, allowing clinicians to see “both the body’s internal structure and how its organs are functioning in remarkable detail”.
The systems by Siemens, are said to boost precision in diagnostics, helping with the accurate localisation of abnormal tissue, and in the detection of lesions for oncology, cardiology, and neurology.
Joseph O’Brien, consultant physicist and head of nuclear medicine at Sandwell and West Birmingham, spoke of the trust’s excitement at launching the new technology, adding that patients can now expect “quicker, more accurate diagnoses for serious conditions, reduced radiation exposure during medical scans, a more comfortable scanning experience, and faster turnaround of test results”.
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital announces expansion of AI teledermatology service trustwide
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital has announced the expansion of its AI teledermatology service trustwide, sharing that since the launch of its initial pilot in 2022, the service has “assessed over 10,000 patients and has since become standard practice”.
The DERM solution utilises AI to assess images taken of moles and lesions, and is trained to classify the most common cancerous, pre-cancerous, and benign types of skin lesions. According to the trust, it has been shown to perform at “a level similar to that of face-to-face Dermatologist assessments”, with a 97 percent sensitivity for skin cancer.
The use of autonomous AI to identify and discharge patients with benign skin lesions “without validation by a dermatologist”, has also released more than 35 percent of dermatologist appointments for urgent cases, the trust shares.
vCreate video service supports patients with epilepsy in Cambridge
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has shared how introducing the vCreate video service has supported parents to upload videos of potential seizures, which can be viewed remotely by consultants, allowing collaboration amongst doctors from different trusts. Parents are also able to grant permission for their video to be used for teaching purposes.
Dr Andy Michell, consultant in clinical neurophysiology, said: “If you had a patient in Ipswich or in Peterborough, their local teams could review the footage for their local patients. But if it requires a second opinion, it can easily be shared within the secure cloud.”
The trust hopes the service will help reduce the economic burden on families having to travel to hospital, enable local teams to treat patients within their community, and reduce geographic inequality when it comes to treatment.
Royal Free offers virtual tour of art collection to patients and the public
The Royal Free Charity, the charity partner of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, has launched a virtual tour, showcasing its “extensive” art collection for patients and members of the public “from the comfort of their home or hospital bed”.
New “more precise” radiotherapy machine reduces treatment times in Lancashire
A new “more precise” radiotherapy machine has been shown to reduce the time for patients by 17.6 percent at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals’ Rosemere Cancer Centre.
According to Jayne Fletcher, treatment delivery team leader at the centre, the Elekta Harmony linear accelerator represents a “significant upgrade” to the hospital’s oncology department, selected for its “precision and versatility”, and its “fast-track” feature designed to “reduce set up time and reduce overall time slots”.
Jayne shared that since introducing the new machine, the centre has been able to “reduce patient time slots by four minutes” thanks in part to its “better access” for those with mobility issues, and touchscreen controls which “help the team complete a quicker patient setup”.
Interactive artwork for children with additional needs at King’s College Hospital
Children in the paediatric department of King’s College Hospital are being encouraged to explore a new Enchanted Forest interactive artwork installation, designed to offer sensory stimulation and “uplifting and joyful experiences” for those with additional needs.
Created by Sony Design, the interactive screen-based experience allows children to explore the landscape, reflecting their movements on screen as a light “which causes plants and flowers to grow across the forest floor”. Noises such as birdsong and rustling leaves add to the immersive nature of the experience.
£700,000 investment in robotic rehabilitation suite for Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals has received a £700,000 investment from the Fred and Ann Green Legacy and DBTH Charity to improve stroke rehabilitation services, helping to support the introduction of a Tyromotion Robotic Rehabilitation Suite to aid mobility, limb functionality, and cognitive recovery.
The Fesia Grasp glove, a “functional electrical stimulation tool that enhances hand motor recovery through high-tech electrodes linked to a tablet for precise and rapid therapy”, is one of the devices on offer, along with a robotic gait trainer, a balance trainer, and a horizontal tablet featuring gamified therapy.
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust performs “fully bespoke shoulder replacement surgery” with 3D printed implant
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust has successfully performed a “fully bespoke shoulder replacement surgery” using a 3D printed implant designed in collaboration with Swiss surgical innovation and implant company Medacta, and “precisely tailored to the patient’s unique anatomy”.
With the process taking only six weeks from sourcing and manufacturing the implant to completing the surgery, the trust celebrates what it refers to as “a significant milestone for patient care and innovation”. It also shares “anticipated” improved outcomes as a result of minimised bone removal and a reduced operating time, with trauma lead and consultant upper limb and orthopaedic surgeon Nik Bakti adding that the procedure “was the best option for the patient”.
