Digital Health Coffee Time Briefing ☕
- 27 June 2024
Your morning summary of digital health news, information and events to know about if you want to be “in the know”.
???? News
???? The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP), which measures the delivery of stroke care, has postponed introducing a revised SSNAP dataset until 1 October 2024. Originally due on 1 July, the delay has been blamed on “significant delays with the development of the new web tool by a third party developer”, according to an email seen by Digital Health News. The dataset is being updated to reflect updated clinical standards.
⭐ The British Standards Institution (BSI) has announced on 18 June that it has issued its 1500th certificate for medical devices regulation. According to the BSI it is the first notified body to reach this milestone, which it says underscores its commitment to ensuring medical devices are safe to use for clinicians and patients.
???? Canon Medical Systems Europe is collaborating with Aptvision, in a move that will see Aptvision RIS added to Canon’s imaging solutions. In an announcement on 18 June, Canon says the partnership will mean “healthcare providers will benefit from enhanced workflow efficiencies and improved patient care”.
???? UK-based MedTech company Behold.ai was awarded the Prix Galien International award for best digital health solution on 20 June. Behold.ai provides artificial intelligence to radiology departments through its regulated red dot CT and X-ray medical diagnosis platform.
???? Men’s health MedTech firm Ohh-Med has launched its VerticaPlus medical device for erectile dysfunction to the UK. The condition affects more than half the men in the country, according to figures from Click2Pharmacy published in January 2024. In a press release, Ohh-Med said that the medical device uses radiofrequency to treat the condition, in combination with an app which serves as a personal coach to optimise results.
???? What we’re reading
The Health Foundation published its paper ‘How can the next government improve hospital waits in England?’ on 25 June 2024.
It explores what has happened to NHS waiting times for both elective and emergency care, and looks at what it will take for a new government to ensure people get care more quickly whilst building a more resilient health service.
On an average day in May 2024, 4,680 patients in England spent over 12 hours waiting in A&E departments including over 1,372 who needed to be admitted to a hospital bed.
Meanwhile, the waiting list for elective care remained at a near-record high of 7.6 million in April 2024, including over 302,000 waits of more than a year. This is estimated to represent 6.3 million individual patients waiting for appointments, tests or treatment, the report says.
❓ Did you know?
A study from Epson, published on 19 June, has revealed that poor technology is costing UK frontline healthcare workers an estimated four million working days a year.
According to the survey, healthcare workers reported losing an average of 47 minutes a week to slow or non-functioning printers – adding up to 3,980,955 workdays annually.
???? This week’s events
27-28 June, Heathrow, London – Healthcare Partnership Network
