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Showing results for tags 'Innovation'.
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News Article
Applications are now open for DigitalHealth.London’s Accelerator programme
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
DigitalHealth.London is helping health and care professionals turn the idea of digital innovation into tangible improvements in experience and outcomes for patients. Our work is instrumental in giving health and care stakeholders across London insight into the best digital health interventions and tools on the market. DigitalHealth.London is a collaborative programme delivered by MedCity, and London’s three Academic Health Science Networks – UCLPartners, Imperial College Health Partners, and the Health Innovation Network. Closing date: Midnight, Sunday 5 July 2020 Read more -
News Article
Guy's and St Thomas' launch "3D printing farm"
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Guy's and St Thomas' has received its first delivery of face shields created in a specially developed "3D printing farm", in collaboration with 3D printing companies and enthusiasts. The face shields will be worn by frontline medical staff tending to patients during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Several 3D printing manufacturers have been brought together at Guy's and St Thomas' supply chain hub in Dartford, with over 200 printers working 24 hours a day to make the face shields. This 3D printing farm can produce roughly 1,500 face shields a day. The face shields are paired with a visor, assembled by a team of volunteers made up of 3D printing enthusiasts, as well as students and staff from King's College London and Brunel University. Read full story Source: Guy's and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, 21 April 2020 -
News Article
Increasing physical health check coverage for those with serious mental illness
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
City and Hackney Clinical Commissioning Group might have the fifth highest prevalence of serious mental illness in England, but last year it achieved the highest physical health check coverage in the country. This was down to a collaborative approach by the CCG, local trust, GPs, heath informatics, a voluntary sector exercise and diet specialist organisation, and service users themselves. This alliance model for primary care SMI physical health was named mental health innovation of the year at the HSJ awards. Find out more Source: HSJ, 20 March 2020 -
News Article
Online triage tools to be ‘rapidly procured’ to manage COVID-19 pressures
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The procurement of digital tools to support online primary care services during the coronavirus outbreak are to be fast-tracked for providers who don’t have the resources. In a letter sent to primary care providers and commissioners, GP surgeries were told to move to a triage-first model of care as soon as possible as the NHS bolsters its response to COVID-19. The letter, sent by medical director for primary care, Nikita Kanani, and director of primary care strategy and NHS contracts, Ed Waller, states practices and commissioners should promote online consultation services where they are in place or “rapidly procure” them. “Rapid procurement for those practices that do not currently have an online consultation solution will be supported through a national bundled procurement,” wrote in the letter. Read full story Source: Digital Health, 30 March 2020 -
News Article
Coronavirus: Mercedes F1 to make breathing aid
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A breathing aid that can help keep coronavirus patients out of intensive care has been created in under a week. University College London engineers worked with clinicians at UCLH and Mercedes Formula One to build the device, which delivers oxygen to the lungs without needing a ventilator. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices are already used in hospitals but are in short supply. China and Italy used them to help Covid-19 patients. Forty of the new devices have been delivered to ULCH and to three other London hospitals. If trials go well, up to 1,000 of the CPAP machines can be produced per day by Mercedes-AMG-HPP, beginning in a week's time. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has already given its approval for their use. Read full story Source: BBC News, 30 March 2020 -
News ArticleUniversity Hospitals has partnered with medical technology company Masimo to pilot a telehealth solution, Masimo SafetyNet, that is designed to help clinicians care for patients remotely with a finger sensor and phone app. The demand for remote monitoring and patient engagement in different settings has "significantly increased" during the COVID-19 pandemic. To help prepare for a surge in COVID-19 patients and protect other patients and providers, the tool allows University Hospitals and other hospitals to expand patient monitoring to the home or other locations (for instance, a skilled nursing facility or an under-utilised med-surg floor) that are temporarily set up to address increased demand. Guidelines from the World Health Organization suggest monitoring the oxygen saturation, respiration rate and temperature of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients. Adapting this existing technology aims to offer a secure remote solution. Read full story Source: Crain's Cleveland Business, 23 March 2020
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News Article
Coronavirus: The new inventions inspired by a pandemic
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A new ventilator, a virus-killing snood and a hands-free door pull are just some of the innovations coming out of Wales to tackle coronavirus. Since the outbreak, doctors, scientists and designers have been working on ideas to stop the virus spreading. The ventilator has already successfully treated a Covid-19 patient and has been backed by the Welsh Government. Mass production of the snood-type mask is under way while a 3D design of the handle has been widely circulated. Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price, who was part of the impetus to get the ventilator into mass production, said the innovations put Wales "on the front foot" in the battle against the pandemic. "It shows that Wales, as a small nation, can get things done quickly as we face the biggest challenge of our generation," he said. Read full story Source: BBC News, 24 March 2020 -
News Article
NHS COVID-19 live impact assessment tool launched
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Draper & Dash, a leading predictive patient flow provider, has launched a COVID-19 live hospital planning and demand impact assessment tool. The company said it has been working around the clock to deliver its vital tool to support impact assessment. It allows trusts to view and analyse national Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data, alongside a number of live data sources on COVID-19 cases by the minute, as they emerge across the globe. The system models the impact of increased volume and complexity at a local and system level, providing visibility of ICU, theatres, and overall bed impact, and connects this live information to each trust’s clinical workforce. The tool shows immediate impacts on beds and staff under a range of selected scenarios. Read full story Source: Health Tech Newspaper, 18 March 2020 -
News Article
Health Foundation to explore impact of data analytics and technology
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The Health Foundation will begin exploring the impact of data analytics and technology on health and care in the UK. The independent charity has launched its Data Analytics for Better Health strategy, which aims to tackle real-world problems that affect people’s health and develop a greater understanding of the role that technology and data plays in daily life. The strategy sets out how the Health Foundation aims to help policymakers, practitioners and the wider public get to grip with “seismic changes” taking place in the health sector. Dr Adam Steventon, Director of Data Analytics at the Health Foundation, said: “Data is being used to drive innovation in ways that can revolutionise health care, including early disease detection, easier access to care services and encouraging health promoting behaviours. But such technological advances also carry the risk of harm to patients. As a nation we need to advance our understanding of these fast-moving changes. This new programme of work will help us to do that, enabling us to explore how analytics and data-driven technology can create better heath and care for people across the UK.” Read full story Source: Digital Health, 6 February 2020 -
News Article
Better tech: not a ‘nice to have’ but vital to have for the NHS
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
In a keynote speech at the Healthtech Alliance on Tuesday, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, stressed how important adopting technology in healthcare is and why he believes that it is vital for the NHS to move into the digital era. “Today I want to set out the future for technology in the NHS and why the techno-pessimists are wrong. Because for any organisation to be the best it possibly can be, rejecting the best possible technology is a mistake.” Listing examples from endless paperwork to old systems resulting in wasted blood samples, Hancock highlights why in order to retain staff and see a thriving healthcare, embracing technology must be a priority. He also announced a £140m Artificial Intelligence (AI) competition to speed up testing and delivery of potential NHS tools. The competition will cover all stages of the product cycle, to proof of concept to real-world testing to initial adoption in the NHS. Examples of AI use currently being trialled were set out in the speech, including using AI to read mammograms, predict and prevent the risk of missed appointments and AI-assisted pathways for same-day chest X-ray triage. Tackling the issue of scalability, Hancock said, “Too many good ideas in the NHS never make it past the pilot stage. We need a culture that rewards and incentivises adoption as well as invention.” Read full speech -
News Article
From stargazing to mole-gazing
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Astrophysics and dermatology are colliding through a new research project led by the University of Southampton – with potentially lifesaving consequences. The project, dubbed MoleGazer, will take algorithms used for detecting exploding stars in astronomical imaging data and develop them to be used to spot changes in skin moles and, therefore, detect skin cancer. MoleGazer, led by Professor Mark Sullivan, Head of the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University, and Postdoctoral Researcher Mathew Smith, has been awarded a Proof of Concept Grant from the European Research Council (ERC). It is the first time the University has won such a grant. Currently, patients at high risk of developing skin cancer are photographed at regular intervals and a consultant visually compares images to detect changes. MoleGazer could automate this process, potentially leading to earlier diagnoses and improved survival rates. “It’s a really exciting project that came along from nowhere,” added Professor Sullivan. “It also highlights the importance of blue sky science – curiosity-driven scientific research will always have a fundamentally important role to play.” Read full story Source: University of Southampton, 10 January 2020 -
News ArticleAs part of the HTN Health Tech Trends Series, Health Tech Newspaper has researched a variety of health tech projects making a difference across health and care. Read full story Source: Health Tech Newspaper, 5 December
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News ArticleMedAware, a developer of AI-based patient safety solutions, has announced the publication of a study by The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, validating both the significant clinical impact and anticipated ROI of MedAware's machine learning-enabled clinical decision support platform designed to prevent medication-related errors and risks. The study analysed MedAware's clinical relevance and accuracy and estimated the platform's direct cost savings for adverse events potentially prevented in Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's Hospitals' outpatient clinics. If the system had been operational, the estimated direct cost savings of the avoidable adverse events would have been more than $1.3 million when extrapolating the study's findings to the full patient population. Dr David Bates, study co-author, Professor at Harvard Medical School, and Director of the Center for Patient Safety Research & Practice at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said: "Because it is not rule-based, MedAware represents a paradigm shift in medication-related risk mitigation and an innovative approach to improving patient safety." Read full story Source: CISION PR Newswire, 16 December 2019
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News Article
Royal Derby Hospital: Disposable sterile hijabs introduced
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A hospital trust believes it is the first in the UK to introduce disposable sterile headscarves for staff to use in operating theatres. Junior doctor Farah Roslan, who is Muslim, had the idea during her training at the Royal Derby Hospital. She said it came following infection concerns related to her hijab that she had been wearing throughout the day. It is hoped the items can be introduced nationally but NHS England said it would be up to individual trusts. Ms Roslan looked to Malaysia, the country of her birth, for ideas before creating a design and testing fabrics. "I'm really happy and looking forward to seeing if we can endorse this nationally," she said. Consultant surgeon Gill Tierney, who mentored Ms Roslan, said the trust was the first to introduce the headscarves in the UK. "We know it's a quiet, silent, issue around theatres around the country and I don't think it has been formally addressed," she said. Read full story Source: BBC News, 19 December 2019 -
News Article
Royal Cornwall Hospital deploys AI tool for secure surgical videos
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Royal Cornwall Hospital has deployed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that allows clinicians to view case videos safely and securely. Touch Surgery Enterprise enables automatic processing and viewing of surgical videos for clinicians and their teams without compromising sensitive patient data. These videos can be accessed via mobile app or web shortly after the operation to encourage self-reflection, peer review and improve preoperative preparation. James Clark, consultant upper gastrointestinal and bariatric surgeon at the trust, said: “Having seamless access to my surgical videos has had an immense impact on my practice both in terms of promoting patient safety and for educating the next generation of surgeons." Read full story Source: Digital Health, 28 November 2019 -
News Article
Breast cancer: Patient creates app to help with treatment
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A mobile app designed by a patient is helping people with breast cancer prepare for the start of radiotherapy. The treatment requires them to raise their arm above their head, but patients often find that difficult or painful after breast surgery. Exercises are important but Karen Bonham said leaflets giving details did not help her enough. So she helped create the app to offer exercise videos and medics say it is helping more women be ready on time. Staff at Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff say they have noticed fewer patients needing urgent referral for physiotherapy ahead of the treatment since the "Breast Axilla Postoperative Support app", or BAPS App, was launched in February. Kate Baker, clinical lead physiotherapist at Velindre, who helped devise the app, said: "Previously, we've always handed out information on exercises in a leaflet, that patients would be given by a physiotherapist and taken home. But often these pieces of paper get lost and they're not followed through. "What we wanted to do was provide exercises, physical activity advice and further information in an app format, which would allow individuals to have it with them at all times." Donna Egbeare, breast surgeon at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, who was also involved in developing the bilingual app, said the impact of being able to start radiotherapy on schedule was significant. Read full story Source: BBC News, 27 November 2019 -
Content ArticleThis Health Foundation long read explores how the NHS in England can better use routine health data to help address current challenges, including winter pressures, the ongoing coronavirus response and the growing elective care backlog. It examines the longstanding barriers to widespread use of data and data science, consider what actions might help to overcome these, and explore whether the data strategy for health and social care will deliver the change needed.
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Content ArticleAlthough leaders might say they value inquisitive minds, in reality most stifle curiosity, fearing it will increase risk and inefficiency. Harvard Business School’s Francesca Gino elaborates on the benefits of and common barriers to curiosity in the workplace and offers five strategies for bolstering it.
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Content ArticleWearable devices are a modern marvel. They teach users exactly how many calories you can burn by running up a flight of stairs, record sleep patterns down to the minute a neighbour’s safety light wakes you up, monitor your heart rate and alert you if anything gets out of whack, and even control your music during a workout. And that’s not even touching on the medical wearables that patients use to manage chronic conditions. We’re living in a time when so much information is available on our wrists or in our palms, and these devices are improving the lives and health of users all over the world. And yet, they’re not perfect. Software Advice surveyed over 450 US patients who currently use medically-prescribed wearable devices to better understand their experiences.
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Content ArticleDigital health innovations are often seen as 'ready made' solutions to challenges facing health and care systems but despite their potential, implementing these technologies can be complex. This Nuffield Trust summary highlights ten lessons for those working to integrate technology into health and social care services. The findings are based on a large-scale evaluation of digital technologies being implemented in health and social care in East London.
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Content ArticleDuring the Covid-19 pandemic, mental health services had to quickly innovate to ensure that some of the most vulnerable people in society could continue to access mental health support, while protecting service users and staff from the virus. The NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network and the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL) have worked together to produce these case studies which capture ten innovations from different countries. Key themes in the case studies include: The advantages of digital platforms in improving access The importance of supporting the wellbeing of staff Using data and evaluation to drive improvements and make the financial case for innovations The benefits of co-producing services with service users and staff Lessons about how the availability of innovations is communicated
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Content ArticleTwo years ago, a patient safety incident at North Bristol Trust led to the introduction of Swarm – a step change in how the trust responds to safety incidents. Swarm is a form of safety incident huddle that takes place as close as possible in time and place to the incident, allows blame-free investigation and leads to prompt action. This article describes how Swarm works, its advantages over root cause analysis, and how it is being embedded in the safety culture of North Bristol Trust.
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Content Article
Hannah Hylton is a highly specialised respiratory physiotherapist at Barts Health NHS Trust. During the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, she was part of the team that designed the Trust’s after-Covid services, including the Living With Covid Recovery app. In this interview, Hannah explains how the app works and how it is being used by Trusts around the UK to support over 1,500 patients living with Long Covid. -
Content ArticleUptake of open-source automated insulin delivery systems is increasing globally and there is growing real-world, user-driven evidence around the safety and effectiveness of these systems. This article in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology seeks to provide, from an international perspective: a review of the current evidence a description of the technologies discussion of the ethical and legal considerations a healthcare consensus supporting the implementation of open-source systems in clinical settings, with detailed clinical guidance. The authors make recommendations for key stakeholders involved in diabetes technologies, including developers, regulators, and industry.
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Content ArticleThis is the second part of webinar three in a series designed to help the NHS respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, hosted by the Faculty of Clinical Informatics. It is hosted by Sebastian Alexander, Founding Fellow of the FCI, NHS Digital, Safety, SME Apps Programme, and features presentations on the work of the National Pathology Xchange and The National Pathology Programme.
