This week we kicked off our ‘Health Tech New Year’s Resolution’ series. Health tech influencers and experts, across the country have provided us with their predictions on the changing landscape of health tech. See insights from Hotwire’s Health Tech team, NostaLab’s President John Nosta and Dr Thomas Hübner, founder of Preventicus.
Method to predict breast cancer risk created involving online calculator
Scientist and researchers in the UK announced they have created a method to predict the likelihood of women suffering breast cancer. This is calculated by combining various pieces of information; the required information includes family history and genetics, along with age at menopause, weight, alcohol consumption and the use of hormone replacement therapy. With these various pieces of information, researchers are able to construct an online calculator for GPs to use in the practice. The study was commissioned by Cancer Research UK, with findings published in the journal Genetics in Medicine. The lead author of the study, Professor Antonis Antoniou said: “This is the first time that anyone has combined so many elements into one breast cancer prediction tool. It could be a game changer for breast cancer because now we can identify large numbers of women with different levels of risk – not just women who are at high risk.”
Automated prompt system paves way for better neonatal care at GOSH
The introduction of new technology has been integral in improving neonatal care at Great Ormond Street NHS trust (GOSH), one of UK’s largest children’s hospitals. The staff at GOSH have reduced the number of babies who miss out on routine testing and streamlined specialist services for those who need them most. The technology also enables clinicians to access vital information on infants at the touch of a finger.
The Trust’s existing Patient Information Management System (PiMS) now engages with a Microsoft SQL Server to send automated alerts to nurses on the ward when a baby becomes eligible for testing. Since the introduction of this new prompt system the number of babies referred for bloodspot testing in the required time frame has increased from 93% to 98%. The Trust has also started to focus on the delivery of a real-time patient report, using an electronic patient information system that is easily accessible for clinicians.
Maternity app which shares patient records proves to be a success
This week, BadgerNet Maternity Notes App announced the creation of a maternity app that can share electronic records between patients and clinicians. The app is already proving successful during its trial at Gateshead Health NHS Trust, where women are being given access to their maternity records.
The app can be used on either smartphones, tablets or PCs. It was launched back in June 2018 and has since seen an increase of 78% in users. The app falls under the NHS Long-Term Plan to digitise in order to make improvements to its services. Community midwife and digital project lead, Corrinne Blackburn, says, “Going digital has brought lots of advantages such as reducing the need for duplication and carrying bulky maternity notes and cut the initial booking appointment time by up to 10 minutes with the pre-portal booking functionality, which frees up valuable time.”
This week the UK government, alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, announced a £30 million partnership to promote new technology and innovation to enable people to live longer, healthier lives. Research will be conducted to understand the critical regenerative processes in human health, paving the way to create new tools, technologies and therapies to treat the patients.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock commented: “As global leaders, the UK and Japan must work closely together to tackle key emerging issues in healthcare, like the challenges of an ageing population and how we can harness the power of technology to revolutionise care.” To help create these technologies, British and Japanese businesses will collaborate to develop new assisted living products.
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) and Microsoft Corp have announced a partnership. The two companies have joined forces to develop new health care delivery models, technology and retail innovations to advance and improve the future of health care. The current systems in place for health care are a complex web of public and private organisations, providers, payers, pharmaceutical companies and other players. There is a mutual desire across these various systems for a fully integrated system, thus creating more convenient health care for the people.
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft had this to say, “Together with Walgreens Boots Alliance, we aim to deliver on this promise by putting people at the centre of their health and wellness, combining the power of the Azure cloud and AI technology and Microsoft 365 with Walgreens Boots Alliance’s deep expertise and commitment to helping communities around the world lead healthier and happier lives.”
Interesting reads for the weekend:
- A radical prescription
- The ultrasound scan you can do yourself
- Healthcare Artificial Intelligence Puts On A Human Face
- 3D-printed scaffold helps treat severed spinal cords in rats
- The invisible warning signs that predict your future health
- Amazon Reportedly Exploring At-Home Health Testing
- Fitbit, NIH launch digital health tech initiative supporting precision medicine study
- Why your smartwatch and wearable devices are the next big privacy nightmare