Thanks to “an unrestricted educational grant from NHS 3millionlives and Robert Bosch” the consultancy 2020health has produced a wide-ranging and freely available 90-page report comparing the US’s Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the UK’s NHS’s experience in introducing and using various forms of technology. I nearly missed flagging up this item for Telehealth and Telecare Aware readers because the 2020health press release about it only mentioned the desire to help NHS to become ‘paperless’! However, when a trusted reader drew my attention to it I took a second look and found that more than half the report concerns home telehealth, telemedicine and mobile health. From a UK perspective, the round-up of what the VHA has done on telehealth was useful and contains strong pointers to what the NHS needs to do to start adopting telehealth into its care pathways. Unfortunately, after reading the NHS section I came away with the impression that despite the small scale successes, really large scale adoption will remain something to which we will only ever aspire as long as the NHS remains so fragmented (and the Government’s Ministerial ‘leadership’ maintains its toxic reputation with the people who need to commission and implement telehealth – to be clear, that’s my interpretation, not the report’s). Read it yourself and tell us in the comments if you draw different conclusions. Making Connections: A transatlantic exchange to support the adoption of digital health between the US VHA and England’s NHS.
Bosch does something about a UK society under-prepared for ageing
On a day when ‘their lordships’ wake up to the lack of preparation for ageing that is rampant in the UK (BBC report) it is good to see Bosch doing something to raise awareness amongst children. This year’s Bosch Technology Horizons Award is a challenge to secondary school children to develop a video to explain how technology will help an ageing population. Peter Fouquet, President of Bosch in the UK said: “Bosch is committed to developing technologies that improve the quality of people’s lives and an ageing population is not only a big issue for the UK, but many countries around the world.” Entrants are invited to respond to the question: ‘In the future, how will technology help an ageing population?’ and they can upload their videos to YouTube and then onto the Bosch Technology Horizons Award app on the Bosch UK Facebook page. There will be a prize for the most popular video by votes received on Facebook and the top 20 most popular entries will be submitted to Bosch’s judging panel, which will award prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. The closing date for entries is 26th June 2013 and the winners will be announced on the Bosch UK Facebook page on 15th July 2013.
CDDFT ‘Health Call’ digital healthcare service launched (UK)
Another launch at the NHS Innovation Expo and simultaneously in Durham: County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT), in partnership with InHealthcare Ltd, are launching the new CDDFT Health Call digital healthcare service.
CDDFT have designed and developed their own digital healthcare pathways using the InHealthcare N3-based platform that is interoperable with existing patient systems. As InHealthcare is a healthcare service company rather than a hub or medical device manufacturer, pathways can potentially use any telehealth hub or medical device and data from remote monitoring devices can be shared with clinicians through existing clinical systems. In the press release, Jane Haywood from CDDFT says: “We, like many other NHS organisations, carried out pilots on telehealth, using multiple hubs to evaluate benefits. We quickly realised that we needed to be more flexible but more importantly we needed standardisation across the whole health economy…simply put, we can pick and choose the right devices to deliver the right outcomes.”
Tweets from NHS Innovations Expo (UK)
Thanks to Mike Clark for the Storify pages of tweets from the Expo, 13 March. Here’s the page for 14th March.
O2: First Help at Hand, now Health at Home (UK)
Two major launches for O2 in two weeks… First Help at Hand and now, at the Healthcare Innovations Expo, Health at Home – no wonder there were no ‘health’ mentions at the earlier launch. According to the press release, Health at Home’s secure platform allows health care professionals to “monitor patients’ readings, set bespoke symptom surveys, provide educational materials and communicate with them directly. Patients are provided with a tablet computer connected to the mobile network and pre-loaded with the Health at Home software as well as relevant smart monitoring devices including pulse oximeters, weight scales and blood pressure monitors.” Data is uploaded to O2’s servers where it is accessible to the professionals and to the patients “to learn more about their condition and how to manage it”. The charge is per patient per month with no upfront cost. Press release (PDF). Health at Home website.
O2 being what it is, we assume that the in-tablet software is CE marked (as it sounds like it would be counted as a medical device) and that O2 has all patent issues covered with the likes of Bosch. It would be nice to have those points confirmed.
Adopting Simple Telehealth (Flo) SMS reminders in general practice (UK)
Unlike its Pulse rival, GP Online is taking a more constructive approach to the matter of telecare, as evidenced by a (so far) two part series by Professor Ruth Chambers about how to use the Simple Telehealth (Florence, or Flo) SMS reminder system as part of a GP practice’s clinical pathway:
Adopting remote monitoring via telehealth in your CCG’s practices – part 1: hypertension
Adopting remote monitoring via telehealth in your CCG’s practices – part 2: inhaler reminders
How can we maximise the benefits of telehealth for patients across the UK?
Ileana Welte, Head of Bosch Healthcare in the UK, helps to re-frame the ‘Does telehealth work?’ question for readers of The Guardian, helped by a pertinent comment by George Margelis (General Manager, Australia, at Care Innovations) about the Whole Systems Demonstrator (WSD) approach. Still time for more comments on How can we maximise the benefits of telehealth for patients across the UK?
Are the benefits of telehealth a myth? (BBC item, UK)
BBC News (business section) has just published a classically balanced look at telehealth in the UK, with a passing mention of the O2 Help at Hand launch. It’s a pity the article does not have a commenting system as the conclusion may be debatable. Are the benefits of telehealth a myth? Heads-up thanks to John Guyatt via LinkedIn.
On a positive telehealth note, the Public Service website has published a brief item based on recent experience in Leicester, although the title sounds rather backwards! Cold weather keeps telehealth patients out of hospital.
The ongoing cost of the NYY telehealth project exposed (UK)
At the end of this month NHS North Yorkshire and York (NYY) – a Primary Care Trust (PCT) – and the Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority (YHSHA) that oversees it, will be no more. They will be replaced by four Care Commissioning Groups (CCGs).
NYY and YHSHA together spent £3.2million capital money on Tunstall telehealth equipment in 2010, with the PCT paying ongoing support fees and depreciation costs. The procurement was intended to provide 2,000 devices for a project to deliver telehealth to people in the area. It was a pre-cursor of the 3millionlives (3ML) campaign but the local GPs had to be persuaded to participate without the benefit of knowing the Whole System Demonstrator (WSD) results.
The NYY project has had the aspect of a slow motion car crash for everyone apart from (more…)
Timeline: the WSD evidence so far, as set out by Pulse (UK)
Given that GPs are so heavily reliant on technology these days – for medical records, for communications, for finding patients’ homes when undertaking visits, etc. it is somewhat surprising that the medical profession is represented as being so hostile to telehealth monitoring by one of their major publications, Pulse. One would assume from the benefits the doctors get from technology that their stance would be to encourage their patients and the patients’ carers to benefit from the technology now available. Perhaps its a doctor-patient power thing. Or perhaps they are insensitive to the disruption caused to the people who have struggled along to the waiting room for something that could be dealt with by phone, SMS or email. Or perhaps it is a symptom of the profession’s current displeasure with all things Government-endorsed. Whatever the reason, Pulse has now published an index of its articles on the subject of the Whole System Demonstrator (WSD) programme – Timeline: the evidence so far on telehealth, telecare and telemedicine. UPDATE: Friday 8 March – This article now seems to be accessible only if you register on the site.
Just Checking – now for the direct-to-public market (UK)
Somewhat overshadowed this week by the high profile O2 launch, but highly complementary to it, was the launch of Just Checking’s (JC) new version for the general public. For many people concerned about relatives living with dementia the JC system of in-home sensors and text or email alerts triggered by various events or non-events will have great appeal.
Until now, JC systems have been primarily sold to services for assessment purposes. The new version is designed for easy self-installation and online management by carers and can be set up to trigger an alert under the following conditions:
- Exit property: if an exterior door is used and no activity is detected in the property.
- Not up and about: if there is no sign of life by a specified time in the morning.
- Visitor late: with carers expected at certain times an alert can be sent if the front door is not opened as expected.
- Door left open: if a door is left open for longer than a specified time. This will send an alert if the door has not been shut securely.
It does not have an alarm button and it does not track the person when outside – but there are other systems which can do that.
Product launch information. Information about the Your Voice campaign for carers launched alongside the product launch.
Follow the ‘Read more…’ link to see a video from 2010 showing ease of Just Checking self-installation. (more…)
O2’s mobile care – in a shop near you (UK)
It is just over five years since Paul Gee, then CEO of the Telecare Services Association (TSA), flagged up to members in a prescient article that the time would come when it would be possible to buy a mobile telecare device in a supermarket [Telecare Soapbox: Tesco Telecare]. The question he posed was ‘How far away?’ Now we know. It took five years, but it arrives today. The telecare suppliers of the time did not respond to the wake-up call and they have now been overtaken by O2, the mobile arm of Telefónica in the UK. At the press conference in London yesterday O2 announced the next stage in the development of its Help at Hand service and several points struck this editor as particularly interesting: (more…)
Royal Marine veteran can access telemedicine help from home at touch of a button (UK)
A local news item from the Bradford Telegraph and Argus shows just how publicity can be a two-edged sword – or should that be Marines’ dagger? On the ‘up’ side is the first paragraph: “Airedale General Hospital’s telehealth hub is helping its 1,000th patient – a 101-year-old former Royal Marine.” However, it then reveals that he does not really need it: “‘I haven’t used the telemedicine kit yet as I haven’t had much wrong with me apart from a chesty cough – I like to keep myself fit,’ said Mr Joyner”. Hmm… Royal Marine veteran can access telemedicine help from home at touch of a button.
Satellites to bring more telehealth to the bush (Australia)
Two long-term and fast broadband satellites to be launched in 2015 will enable people living in Australia’s rural and remote areas to access more video-based health services according to NBN Co’s CEO Mike Quigley. Details in Pulse+IT item: Satellites to bring more telehealth to the bush.
Doro launches mobile telecare phone (EU)
Doro has revealed its latest handset – the Doro Secure 681.” According to an item in Mobile Magazine, the phone will launch in the second quarter of this year and is “aimed at people who currently rely on the support of a fixed-line telecare services, allowing them greater mobility outside the home.” The 681 is said to be the first mobile phone to feature an embedded ‘class one’ telecare radio receiver that is compatible with Doro’s wearable wrist, neck and fall sensors. Alerts can be sent to monitoring services via the internet or SMS. To this editor, if the photo in the above item is to be believed, the clamshell design and screen/keyboard layout is going to be too complicated for many people in the target market. It also looks like big-boy Doro has been learning a few lessons about the need to check and report battery charge levels automatically from UK small-guy Carephone. However Doro will have the advantage of being part of Bosch’s offering to the public. It will be interesting to see which gets traction with the public first, the Doro/Bosch combination or O2’s Health at Hand.
London Telecare MarketPlace Event (UK)
21 March 2013, Walthamstow, London
The London Telecare Group has again organised one of its popular, free-to-attend MarketPlace Events at which most of the UK’s telecare and telehealth suppliers set out their stalls and visitors can look over the latest gear and prod and poke the reps in the hope of getting an unhyped view of their wares. See the flyer (PDF) for details. Although it is not necessary to book, please let LTG Chair Doug Miles know that you plan to attend.
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