PocDoc announces new feature on digital heart check service

PocDoc has announced that a new feature being launched on its home testing kit for cardiovascular disease (CVD) will allow patients to see test results on their NHS patient record.

Using the PocDoc at-home kit, patients can undertake point-of-care diagnostic test for CVD, and receive a full cholesterol panel test and data including their heart age, their 10-year risk of a heart attack or stroke, and their BMI in the PocDoc app.

Patients are also provided with access to follow-up treatment options where necessary.

In a press release, Professor Julia Newton, medical director at the Academic Health Science Network for North East & North Cumbria, said: “CVD is a silent killer. With PocDoc, we are raising awareness and increasing uptake of potentially life-saving health checks.

“New screening initiatives like PocDoc, done outside of GP surgeries, without appointments, are really attractive to underserved communities and delivering at scale requires a new pathway with new technology to power it.”

PocDoc is available to buy from pharmacies, or is available free on the NHS to people who qualify for a test. The NHS criteria is for people aged 40 to 74-years-old who are not currently on statins or blood pressure medication.

Once the integration work is complete, patients’ test results will be reflected in their NHS patient records after being uploaded to the app.

Steve Roest, chief executive at PocDoc said: “We believe we can help to relieve some of the pressure on the NHS through early detection of chronic diseases, while making important services more accessible to people across the country.

“Excitingly, this is just the beginning. We expect patients to be able to book their health check directly through our app soon,” Roest said.

He added that PocDoc has “further tests for metabolic, kidney and whole body health in the pipeline” and is looking to launch in new international markets towards the end of 2024.

In February 2024, Pharmacy2U announced plans to offer PocDoc’s Healthy Heart Check to its 10,000 repeat prescription patients.

CVD costs the health service £7.4 billion a year and the wider economy £15.8 billion, according to a report from The King’s Fund, published in November 2022.

This story was amended at 11.32am on 13 June 2024 from an earlier version which said that PocDoc would be integrated with the NHS App.