Digital Health Coffee Time Briefing ☕

Your morning summary of digital health news, information and events to know about if you want to be “in the know”. 

???? Farewell to Digital Health Industry news in brief  

After 96 editions, we bid a fond farewell to the fortnightly Digital Health Industry news in briefs. A popular read every other Friday morning, the roundup has now been retired, with the new daily Digital Health Coffee Time Briefing now encompassing all the latest industry news in brief. 

???? News   

???? Injectpower, a developer of ultra-miniature rechargeable batteries for medical devices, has announced it has closed a round of €6.5 million from private and commercial investors that include the IDEC Group, business angels from French Silicon Valley as well as Bpifrance and banking partners. The company, founded in 2020 based on 20 years of technology development at government research center CEA and more than 40 patents, aims to catalyze the energy storage market for medical implants. The microbattery solutions are designed to accelerate the emergence of a new class of autonomous medical devices that will provide greater therapeutic efficiency, better treatment outcomes, and improved quality of patient life.  

????‍️ People living with type 2 diabetes can access a subscription-based, nurse-led remote monitoring service that combines digital innovation, physical consultations and virtual one-to-one support to help them manage their condition more effectively. Spire Healthcare has partnered with Inhealthcare, a leading provider of remote monitoring technology, to launch Spire Diabetes Care and provide subscribers with ongoing one-to-one care, advice and encouragement from a specialist nurse. It is believed to be the first comprehensive service of its kind in the UK. Spire Diabetes Care is being piloted at the London Doctors Clinic in London and is initially available to 500 patients. 

???? State-of-the-art manikins are the centre piece of a new simulation suite at Basildon Hospital that will help improve patient care, by helping doctors better train for a range of medical situations. The five hi-tech dummies in the suite come in a range of ages and shapes, including a premature baby, an infant, a pregnant adult, and a male adult, all with the ability to realistically mimic breathing, blinking, produce heartbeats, even talk and scream, giving life-like responses to different medical procedures which can be picked up by vital signs monitors. 

???? A joint chief executive has been appointed to lead two neighbouring acute trusts following threats of regulatory action from NHS England. Stacey Hunter has been appointed chief executive of North Tees and Hartlepool Foundation Trust and South Tees Hospitals Foundation Trust. Hunter, currently CEO of Salisbury Foundation Trust, will start her new role in early 2024. 

???? Welsh company Afon Technology has secured a prestigious award in its home country for developing a diabetes device of global significance. It has been awarded a Wales STEM Award for the creation of the world’s first non-invasive wearable blood glucose sensor. The pain-free continuous blood glucose sensor is set to make life easier for people with diabetes by removing the need for needles when monitoring blood sugar levels. The accolade was presented to the Monmouthshire-based tech firm last Friday during the 2023 Wales STEM Awards ceremony in Cardiff. 

❓ Did you know that? 

In its first ‘State of Heath Tech’ annual report for 2023, Bessemer Venture Partners has highlighted that the health tech sector’s recent public market performance has been underwhelming, and its venture capital funding is projected to fall 65% from its $29 billion peak in 2021 to about $10 billion in 2023. 

???? What we’re reading 

The Recursive has delved into the unique challenges and opportunities presented by underrepresented health tech areas, exploring why they remain overlooked and what potential they hold for the future, with insights from regional tech investors. 

???? This week’s events 

20 October, Digital Health Networks – EPR Implementations: Lessons Learned … Don’t do it! But, if you have to, know this …