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 

????‍⚕️Owkin and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has announced a new five-year research partnership to use AI to accelerate the screening and diagnosis of a range of diseases, starting with colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer type worldwide, with almost 2 million cases of colorectal cancer diagnosed each year. Early detection significantly increases the chances of successful treatment. AI powered diagnostics have the potential to accelerate the screening process, playing a crucial role in facilitating earlier intervention which often leads to better patient outcomes. The first research project in this collaboration aims to evaluate the performance of Owkin’s MSIntuit CRC solution in the United Kingdom across UHB’s cohort of 830 patients with primary colorectal adenocarcinoma. 

????The UK teledermatology platform, Consultant Connect, has partnered with the Burma Skincare Initiative to revolutionise healthcare for people with severe skin conditions in Myanmar. The teledermatology platform is improving healthcare outcomes for those in remote communities by enabling communication between UK dermatology specialists and clinicians in Myanmar. Using Consultant Connect’s technology, clinicians can share images and messages with dermatology experts in the UK to discuss cases. This improved communication leads to faster diagnosis and more effective treatment plans for patients in the most underserved areas. Many people in Myanmar struggle with access to healthcare and in these cases quick access to specialist advice could be the difference between life and death.  Access to the service has also been made available for charities working in the country, including Medical Action Myanmar and The Leprosy Mission Myanmar. 

????‍????‍????‍????Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership has made significant progress since the launch of a fuel poverty programme, which uses population health technology to identify and support people facing fuel poverty. The first project – ‘St Helens Warm Homes for Lungs’- was rolled out in February 2023. Since then, more than 1300 individuals at risk of developing serious health issues due to fuel poverty have been identified using Cheshire and Merseyside’s population health platform – provided by Graphnet Health. The focus so far has been on patients with severe COPD residing in deprived areas, and who are at high risk of a hospital admission due to cold and damp living conditions. 

????GenesisCare – the UK’s leading private cancer care provider, has signed a new four-year agreement with Bupa, the UK’s leading healthcare insurance provider.  The confirmed partnership renewal, which runs until August 2027, will see both organisations working to expand the provision of both radiotherapy and systemic therapy services for Bupa’s UK health insurance customers. The new contract term, which reflects the strong working relationship between GenesisCare and Bupa, will prioritise a number of initiatives including the further development and expansion of Bupa’s Cancer Specialist Centres network. 

????In an era marked by a rising demand for care services and a dwindling supply of care professionals, Develco Products, a leading technology provider in the Internet of Things (IoT) industry, is harnessing the power of technology to transform home care. The company’s bespoke wireless platform is engineered to equip care providers with the tools they need to streamline their services, enhancing both efficiency and efficacy. Develco Products offers a white label platform that serves as the backbone for other companies’ care solutions. While not a full solution in itself, the platform brings value to the care sector as it simplifies the process of solution development.   

❓ Did you know that 

Data from ambulance trusts have revealed paramedics are dealing with an average of 2,799 calls for falls related injuries a day, with the number of patients requiring transfer to hospital growing 28% between 2020 and 2022, according to Access Health Support and Care. With an average cost of £228 for an ambulance to attend and treat a person, it means an estimated £689,000 a day is spent helping people with falls related injuries, which can range from a simple tumble to a complex fracture. This is broken down to £205,000 a day attending and treating people on scene, and a further £484,0002 a day for those who paramedics consider need to attend A&E.

???? What we’re reading 

Compared with virtual-only DTC telemedicine companies, telemedicine integrated within primary care was associated with lower rates of antibiotic receipt and follow-up care, according to a recent study in the JAMA Network. Supporting use of telemedicine integrated within pediatric primary care may be one strategy to reduce antibiotic receipt through telemedicine visits. 

???? Upcoming events 

22 March, online – The role of the independent sector in healthcare delivery 

25 March, online – Next steps for clinical research in the UK