Vascular pods from Telehealth Solutions

Telehealth Solutions has developed a series of ‘pods’ or touch-screen devices that it says can be used to support the national vascular checks programme.

The government announced last year that it would begin rolling-out free vascular screening for 40-74 year-olds in April 2009. Primary Care Trusts have been told to develop their own informatics solutions to support the programme.

Telehealth Solutions says its PharmacyPod can be used to gather vital signs as part of a pharmacist’s analysis, while its SurgeryPod is a management tool for those already diagnosed with a vascular disease.

The company also offers a CarePod, which allows checks to be carried out in the community and uploaded to practice management systems.

John Dyson, chief executive of Telehealth Solutions, said: “Our approach is to make everything as simple and as easy as possible. Our pods deliver a wide range of health information not only directly to the people managing patients’ care but also to patients themselves.

“People want to be able to take part in the screening not only at their practice but in pharmacies and supermarket chemists, where clinicians can be on hand to take them through the screening process.”

GP magazine Pulse claimed last week that the first pilot of the vascular checks scheme had sent GP workloads soaring. It said practices in Bolton had been expected to screen an average of nearly 2,000 patients each since it started nine months ago.

However, other GPs have complained that pharmacists are ‘winning’ much of the screening business. Dyson continued: “The solutions we provide will aim to reduce workload as the screening process only takes around 20 minutes and clinicians can be on hand to help if needed.”

Related articles: Local IT solutions for vascular checks

Link: NHS Vascular Checks Programme