British Heart Foundation has awarded nearly £230k to University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, for their Appitrator app, supporting “personalised medication recommendations”.
According to the trust, the funding will help to further develop an algorithm they have created, which records “key patient data” such as blood pressure, heart rate, weight, and potential side effects and then uses that information to generate personalised medication recommendations. The trust notes that the ultimate aim of this project is to turn their algorithm into a “user-friendly smartphone app” which will allow patients to “manage their symptoms and receive better personalised care”.
The Appitrator project began after several focus group discussions with patients and nurses found that one of the main challenges faced by both parties was the frustration felt over the “lengthy process of medication optimisation and limited communication about side effects of the treatment”. As such, the digital tool is being developed to help clinicians make more “informed medication decisions” and “improve the consistency of care” for their patients.
Three other projects also received the same award from BHF, including Alder Hey Hospital’s Little Hearts at Home platform for improving monitoring for babies born with severe congenital heart defects in the UK; testing of the HEart faiLure carer support programme at the School of Nursing & Midwifery at Queens University Belfast; and the testing of a virtual ward for treating patients with acute atrial fibrillation at the University of Leicester.
Consultant cardiologist and team lead at UHCW, Dr Michael Kuehl, said: “We have developed an algorithm that records data from patients which can be used to suggest a medication treatment decision and dosage. This would give healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurses, GPs, pharmacists and advanced care practitioners, more confidence in their use of the medication. We will use the BHF funding to test the safety and accuracy of the algorithm and then translate it into the app. I hope we will be able to launch Apptitrator within two years and see how it does in the real world as part of a research trial.”
Developing digital healthcare apps: the wider trend
The Health Service Executive Health App recently launched in Ireland, offering patients a “digital front door” to health services. or functionalities are said to be introduced to the app over the course of 2025, with plans for patients to gain access to public hospital and screening appointment information, to check referrals and waiting time information, and to receive self-care information and support such as smoking cessation or chronic disease management.
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust awarded a contract to the MyRenalCare app, a digital solution designed to support patients with kidney disease. The £250k contract was procured to offer patients a way to “take control of their condition” while also allowing clinicians to provide guidance via virtual consultations.
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust recently won a bid to fund the rollout of the Careology cancer app, which will be to provide 24/7 support to cancer patients within the trust. The app is said to help keep patients connected with the relevant healthcare teams and to support patients to self-manage aspects of their own care and treatment.
