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”. 

???? News   

???? AI could be around twice as accurate as a biopsy at grading the aggressiveness of some sarcomas, according to new research from The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and The Institute of Cancer Research, London. Results from the study, which have been published in The Lancet Oncology, suggest that a new AI algorithm could help tailor the treatment of some sarcoma patients more accurately and effectively than a biopsy, an invasive procedure which is currently standard practice. The research also suggests that the technology could help clinicians diagnose subtypes of the rare disease, speeding up diagnosis as a result. Researchers believe the technique could be eventually applied to other cancer types too, potentially benefitting thousands of patients every year. 

???? The Maple Centre at Milton Keynes University Hospital has celebrated its first birthday after helping to see and treat more than 20,000 patients over the course of the last 12 months. The centre offers Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) services and alleviates pressures for the hospital by streamlining patient flow through the healthcare system.

???? People seeking help to improve their mental wellbeing will be able to access extra support from the NHS via a doctor-approved self-help app with valuable information about key local services. East Warrington Primary Care Network has partnered with My Possible Self to launch a fully customised version of the award-winning mental health and wellness app for patients in the East Warrington locality. My Possible Self helps people manage anxiety, tackle depression, ease stress and improve sleep by providing clinically certified interactive tools and coping strategies based on cognitive behavioural therapy. 

✅ MyStaff app has been developed and tested with the NHS by Diligram over the last two years to provide quick and accurate access to documents. A critical tool to support frontline governance, MyStaff app uses AI to improve how documents are efficiently managed and distributed by the trust to provide quick and easy access for NHS staff on the front line. MyStaff app ensures staff are aware of new documents or changes to procedures pertinent to their job role or hospital-wide policy updates and confirms whether the reader has accessed relevant documents, improving governance and saving time and money. University Hospitals Bristol and Weston (UHBW) has now launched the app, becoming the second major NHS trust with the MyStaff app platform.

???? President Biden ordered the nation’s leading health agencies on Monday to develop a plan for regulating AI tools already widely in use within hospitals, insurance companies, and other health-related businesses. The order directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a safety program to receive reports of AI-related harms and unsafe practices — and take actions to remedy them. The directive was part of a broader order issued by the White House to create standards for the use of AI across the government. 

❓ Did you know that? 

Sophos has release its annual State of Ransomware in Healthcare report, which summarises the impact of ransomware on the healthcare sector globally. The report found that, among healthcare organisations surveyed, cybercriminals successfully encrypted data in nearly 75% of ransomware attacks – the highest rate of encryption in the past three years, and an increase from the 61% last year.   

???? What we’re reading 

PASS have launched its new social care leadership report, Leaders of Tomorrow: research to inform the future of leadership in care – this research led report aims to provide deeper insights and actionable recommendations to support and give direction to aspiring leaders in social care. 

???? This week’s events 

1-2 November, Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes – Global AI Safety Summit 

3 November, NatWest Conference Centre, London – AI in Healthcare Transformation Forum