Industry news in brief

This Digital Health News industry roundup covers a new app for young patients waiting for surgery at King’s College Hospital, funding news for Inflow and the extension of the partnership between Net Health and Kno2

Health tech start-up shortlisted for two CIBSE awards

Angel Guard, a medical biotechnology company, has been shortlisted in two categories in the Building Performance Awards, hosted by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).

The company’s remote water monitoring system, Clarence, has been named for the Best Digital Innovation category and Product or Innovation of the Year – Wellbeing.

The system uses AI technology and is equipped with the world’s first sensor that is capable of monitoring biofilm, temperature and flow in water systems at the same time. The solution can improve compliance while also saving time and money.

It’s capable of speeding up report compilation with improved data collection standards and 2/7 surveillance of water systems.

Angel Guard’s managing director, Jonathan Waggott, said: “Our mission is to improve people’s health and safety in buildings through our cutting-edge medical biotechnology products, and we couldn’t have asked for a much better way to start off 2023 than this.”

The finalists of the Building Performance Awards were selected through an expert panel of industry judges. Winners are set to be announced on Wednesday 1 March 2023.

King’s College Hospitals rolls out Little Journey app

Young patients preparing to have surgery at King’s College Hospitals’ Denmark Hill site, can now access an app to help them overcome their nerves.

The Little Journey app enables children and their parents or carers to take a virtual tour of the hospital site to help them prepare for forthcoming surgery. Children can meet doctor and nurse characters, see some of the equipment which will be used to care for them and understand more about what to expect on the day of their procedure.

The app can be used in 2D on a smartphone or paired with a virtual reality headset for a 3D experience. There are two versions available: one for younger children and the other for those aged eight and over.

Dr Asme Sheikh, consultant paediatric anaesthetist at King’s College Hospital, said: “We are really excited to be able to roll out this brilliant app. It will take children and their parents on a virtual journey through our ward and theatres, explain what will happen, and talk about how they may feel.

“The app has been piloted in several NHS hospitals so far, with great feedback from children and their carers. Coming into hospital can be overwhelming and we hope this app will help to make it a less frightening and more positive experience.”

ADHD app raises $11m Series A round
Science-based app Inflow has raised a $11m Series A round and will put the funding towards product development and expanding its team.

The app uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) based support to help users better manage their ADHD.

The app uses CBT-based coping strategies and supports users to develop self-regulation techniques that can be embedded within their everyday routines.

The app was built by a team of leading clinicians and coaches, with a large portion of the team being neurodiverse themselves. It aims to tackle the issues of long waiting time, difficult bureaucratic procedures and prohibitive costs, offering a cost-effective and accessible approach to managing the condition.

Dr George Sachs, co-founder of Inflow, said: “To ensure the usability and feasibility of the Inflow app, since launching, we have preliminary results through open study testing that members have experienced a decrease in ADHD symptoms and impairment by following Inflow’s approach. It’s encouraging and edifying to see how providing these techniques to those with ADHD, directly and easily through our app, is making a difference to their lives.”

The round was led by Octopus ventures with participation from Hoxton Ventures and Route66 Ventures. It brings the total amount raised to date by Inflow to $14m.

Net Health expands partnership with Kno2

Net Health, provider of specialty electronic health record (EHR) systems and Kno2, a healthcare communication provider, have extended an agreement to help outpatient therapy clinics efficiently exchange patient information and improve communication using an integrated solution.

The partnership will bring the opportunity to further use the Kno2 Communication API with Net Health’s portfolio of EHR offerings in the future. This will help streamline workflow for healthcare organisations and improve communications.

Josh Pickus, Net Health CEO, said: “When we provide effective and efficient communication, we relieve the burden on clinics by not adding to their workload while improving their interaction with their referring providers.

“Embedding Kno2’s cloud faxing and direct secure messaging capabilities into Net Health Therapy for Clinics is a game changer for our clients, and we look forward to furthering our relationship with them.”

Jon Elwell, Kno2’s CEO, added: “Our goal is to bring rapid, cost-effective data sharing and interoperability solutions to as many providers as possible. This partnership with Net Health allows us to reach our goals for improving quality and outcomes while we create more efficiencies.”

Deciphex boosts digital pathology and AI services

Pathology software and services company Deciphex has secured an additional €3.9m funding to advance its digital pathology and AI services.

The latest funding, led by Seroba Life Sciences, brings the total figure of the company’s full Series B round to €14.4m.

The company is experiencing a tenfold increase in demand quarterly and the funding will be used to grow capacity, expand the team, improve services and expand to new markets.

The company uses digital pathology and AI technology to accelerate pathology diagnostics, boost productivity and to improve patient outcomes.

Deciphex offers a range of services for clinical and research pathology, including the Patholytix 3.0 platform for research pathology. The platform means that research pathologists can review and score non-clinical studies on a single platform, giving faster pathology reviews with a lower risk of error.

Donal O’Shea, CEO of Deciphex, said: “This additional investment will allow us to continue to grow and innovate, solidifying our position as a leader in the field of pathology. We are committed to helping pathologists deliver the best possible care to patients through the use of cutting-edge technology.”