This month’s Digital Health News mobile and app news in brief includes a Manchester based company’s app to help children navigate hospitals, a technology to assist with handovers and a digital health company receiving a NICE endorsement.
Banishing handover fears to Infinity
Infinity Health, a health tech start up, have launched an app called Infinity which is designed to help health professionals on their shift handover. The app allows staff to manage their caseloads and tasks by putting them all in one place, and sending through updates in real time.
Infinity co-founder Adam Benton said the app provides a patient centric view with the most up-to-date clinical information.
“The whole team can prioritise and act on what needs to be done for their patients without delay”.
Optimism about innovation
A recent Epson survey found that 67% of medical professionals believe big data will significantly improve diagnosis and treatment success. It also revealed that more than consider 3D printing a revolutionary force. Specially, 64% have faith that 3D printing of organs and cells will speed up medical processes.
On the hot topic of wearables, a technology that has been actively backed by NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens, 70% of those 7,000 asked believed remote monitoring would improve patient care.
A Patient’s Virtual Guide
A Manchester based company, Corporation Pop, has been awarded further funding to develop an app that helps guide children around the healthcare system. Using an avatar, augmented reality, gamification and artificial intelligence, the app allows a child patient to see where they will be going when they enter the hospital.
Peter-Marc Fortune, associate clinical head at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and the company’s clinical consultant said: “I have yet to show this pilot app to anyone, of any age, who has not positively engaged with it, suggesting that, this technology has the potential to greatly improve the healthcare experience for people of all ages across the NHS (and beyond)”.
The project has been in development for almost two years, and has received funding from the Nominet Trust and TITCH, an NHS technology network dedicated to the development of technology solutions to help improve children’s healthcare.
NICE endorsement for Healios
Healios, a digital healthcare company, has received an endorsement from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for its approach to treat anxiety disorders in children and young people with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Carolyn Gavin, head of operations and specialist family services at South Staffordshire and Shropshire NHS Foundation Trust said it is positive news for Healios and the families using the service.
“By partnering with Healios to support our existing mental health care provision, we are transforming how services are provided for children and young people, including their family, in a way which is more convenient and fits around their needs and lifestyle”, Gavin said.
Healios also runs a 18-month scheme in Lincolnshire that allows the patient, clinicians and other family members to engage in family intervention via video link, regardless of geographical location.