Practices encouraged to use new 03 numbers
GP practices are to be encouraged to adopt a new 03 telephone number or use a local geographic number for patients to contact them on. Former health minister Lord Warner, who retired at the end of last month, wrote to primary care trust chief executives in December about the use of non-geographical 084 numbers by […]
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i-Contact aims to combat missed appointments
A new web-based communications engine called i-Contact has been developed to help GPs combat the problem of missed appointments. The i-Contact system, from communications specialists Data SMS, is a two-way communications tool allowing surgeries to text patients or leave voicemail messages on their mobiles reminding them of their appointments. It also allows patients to leave […]
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Rewiring Long Term Care
As major work starts on ‘demonstrators’ for e-enabled long term care, Colin Jervis analyses the challenge.
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Ealing PCT uses text message technology
Ealing Primary Care Trust has launched a mobile phone text message appointment reminder service for 130,000 patients attending 22 of its surgeries. The technology behind the service is being provided using the Patient Care Messaging (PCM) application supplied by mobile healthcare applications specialist iPlato. The company already provides a range of text appointment reminder services […]
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New GPS telecare bracelet to go on sale
Canadian mobile technology specialists Medical Intelligence Technologies Inc. has signed a letter of intent with British telecare specialists Tunstall for UK distribution of its GPS-enabled Columba telecare bracelet. The Columba (right) is a watch size bracelet combining a hands-free portable telephone, an intelligent alert system and a global positioning system (GPS). When necessary, it transmits the […]
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Flashing ‘orb’ to help medication adherence
A US software development company is conducting research to see if using a "flashing orb" on a pill box could improve medication adherence among patients. Partners Healthcare Telemedicine Group (PHTG) has appointed software developers Claricode Inc to test whether using a coloured flashing light on a Smart Pillbox, connected to a mobile phone network, would […]
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Hospital mobile phone blanket bans criticised
Both the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Parliament’s Health Select Committee have said that there are no technical reasons why mobile phones should be banned outright from hospitals. The MHRA, the government agency responsible for medical safety, issued a release after continuing enquiries from the public, patients and staff about the status of […]
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Public awareness low on e-health services
A picture of low public awareness of electronic health services emerges from a new survey of users with NHS Direct, the 24 hour online and telephone advice service, proving to be the exception to the rule. The ntl:Telewest Digital NHS 2006 Study found that, while 72% of respondents had heard of NHS Direct, recognition rates […]
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City and Hackney PCT chooses iPlato
City and Hackney Teaching Primary Care Trust (tPCT) has launched a mobile phone text appointment reminder service for patients attending its screened services. The technology behind the service is being provided using the Patient Care Messaging application supplied by mobile healthcare applications specialist iPlato. The company already provides a range of text appointment reminder services […]
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Texting reduces treatment times for STIs
A six-month study into the effect of text messaging in an STI clinic has revealed that sending notifications by SMS significantly reduces time to treatment and staff workload. Patients who were tested for Chlamydia at the John Hunter clinic at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in central London were notified by SMS of their results […]
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