A new online GP provider has entered the UK market after launching a partnership with NHS practices.
Founded in Sweden in 2015, LIVI allows patients to access online consultations via their GP practice and has delivered over half a million consultations across Europe.
The service, which goes by the name KRY in Sweden, is now setting its sights on the UK by partnering with GP practices in North West Surrey and the North West of England.
Once signed up with LIVI, patients can speak to GPs who can provide medical advice, prescriptions, fit notes and referrals.
Patients can book an appointment at times that suit them, including during evenings, weekends and on bank holidays.
This can be done through their GP practice without having to re-register with a new one, which isn’t the case with fellow online consultation provider, GP at Hand.
LIVI’s UK managing director, Luke Buhl-Nielsen, told Digital Health News that he believed the company’s “track record” and “credibility” in Europe would attract GPS to LIVI as they have proved the technology works.
Buhl-Nielsen also said he hoped LIVI would help not just help with GP practice workloads, but help relieve pressures on A&E departments as well.
This was echoed by Dr Caroline Baker, CEO of NICS GP Federation in North West Surrey, where LIVI has been launched.
She said: “GPs in NW Surrey, just like GPs all around the country, are struggling with an increased work load from a growing and ageing population, tight budgets and a workforce crisis.
“The GP federation for NW Surrey (NICS), is running extended access clinics to help relieve this pressure. As part of this we are partnering with LIVI to offer our patients a high quality video GP service that is a true collaboration between NICS and 40 practices in the area.
“LIVI offers a fast, safe and effective alternative for our NHS patients, which will benefit many patients of all ages, whilst helping to support and relieve pressure on our local GP practices.”
LIVI is also launching a paid for, on-demand service via an app.
Johannes Schildt, CEO and co-founder of LIVI, said: “We are pleased to be partnering with the national health service to make this a reality in a way that preserves NHS finances, supports under-pressure GPs, and delivers excellent care for every patient.”
9 November 2018 @ 08:27
No mention of whether LIVI is delivering a purely transactional service – booking appointments with a living HCP, whether online or face to face, or whether – like Babylon Health – it starts with a Chatbot offering screening/diagnosis.
Babylon Health is offering services in Rwanda based on a UK database – i.e. no tropical diseases: is there a difference between disease patterns in Sweden and the UK?
I’m also interested in the GP Federation involved: to benefit from an industrial size practice – where, inevitably, the individual patient is likely to see a different GP at each consultation – very good and accessible records are surely essential.
*Has the Federation – or the 40 practices involved with LIVI managed to achieve this*?
And if so – as this is difficult – *how*?
6 November 2018 @ 12:26
How many more of these services do we actually need? How many of them are actually going to survive? How many actually do something innovative beyond give me a prescription?
It’s rumoured that some of the existing providers are struggling financially (Push Doctor, Doctor Care Anyway, Dr Doctor, Dr Who, Dr Now, DocOck).
BABYLON for the WIN. Mazzers.