NEW DEMENTIA UNITED APP  

Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership's dementia programme, Dementia United, has created a new app for people living with dementia.

The app also aims to make the region the best place to live if you have dementia, or are caring for someone with the condition.

Working in partnership with marketing agency, Social Sense, they have developed the Greater Moments app, which went live in early October and aims to help improve quality of life.

The new app will not only focus on the symptoms of dementia, but will capture positive aspects for example, friendships and achievements, alongside feelings and concerns throughout the day.

PATIENT MONITORING TECH IN LIVERPOOL

Mental health and community health trust, Mersey Care NHS FT launched a pilot of the ‘COVID Oximetry@Home’ service in April and began accepting referrals from primary care last month. A new initaitive will now see them begin doing the same for patients who have presented to A&E departments.

The initiative, in partnership with digital health company Docobo and part of Mersey Care’s Telehealth Service, is expected to monitor up to 500 Liverpool patients a day either through an app on a smart phone or tablet, or via Careportals.

“The great thing about this is that it enables patients either with COVID-19 or those suspected of having it, to be cared for in the community rather than adding to the pressure on hospital beds,” said Joe Rafferty, Mersey Care’s chief executive

“It allows the nurse, carer or patient to record vital signs such as blood oxygen levels that can help identify silent hypoxia at home and any signs of deterioration in their condition so we can get appropriate medical care to them.”

HEALTHWARE GROUP ACQUIRES MAKE HELSINKI

Healthcare agency, consultancy and digital health group, Healthware, has announced the acquisition of Finland-based digital service development and creative agency, Make Helsinki.

Healthware plans to use the move to strengthen its geographical coverage with the creation of a hub dedicated to the Nordics and Baltics region.

The deal combines Healthware’s digital health capabilities with Make Helsinki’s additional expertise in virtual reality, customer experience, design and recruitment for clinical trials.

The acquisition additionally builds on the successful prior collaboration between the two organisations, including full-service agency offerings, digital transformation, technology and corporate venturing. In addition, Make Helsinki brings knowledge of the Finnish technology playground and Nordic market.

EU FACIAL RECOGNITION OPPORTUNITIES

Facial recognition has already been rolled-out successfully in the health industry, with face analysis being used to track patience use of medication more accurately.

Although there are many opportunities for health startups in this area, in Europe, facial recognition is not regulated, it is covered by the GDPR as a means of collecting and processing personal biometric data.

To address these challenges, the EU Commission in its white paper on AI, issued in February this year, has proposed a new regulatory framework on high risk AI.

In addition to this, they have also proposed a prior conformity assessment, including testing and certification of AI facial recognition high risk systems to ensure that they abide by EU standards and requirements.

The Commission is currently investigating whether additional safeguards are needed, as European startups continue to lead innovations in this area.

RESHAPING HEALTHCARE IN THE UAE

The National COVID-19 Crisis Recovery Management and Governance Committee in the UAE is investigating how AI, 5G and other technologies can not only help in the management of the virus but also help a range of sectors recover after the pandemic has subsided.

Amongst their research, they have also noted the significant ways COVID-19 has propelled forward technology and value-based care to transform treatment models in the UAE forever.

Technologies such as AI, IoT, data analytics and teleconsultations are increasingly paving the way for diagnosis, treatment and remote monitoring of patients in the region.

Amongst the hospitals that have been quick to successfully adopt these technologies, is the UAE’s largest healthcare network, Abu Dhabi Healthcare Services (SEHA), which has been working with Cerner to develop EMRs that contexualise data to treat a range of conditions.

NEW INTEGRATED CARE RECORD FOR KENT AND MEDWAY

A new health and social care shared record system is being launched in Kent and Medway which will deliver benefits for the region’s care professionals and its 1.8 million citizens.

Commissioned by a collaboration comprising the NHS Kent and Medway CCG, Kent County Council and Medway Council, the Kent and Medway Care Record (KMCR) will bring together a view of each patient’s records from multiple source systems, making it more efficient for health and social care professionals to process.  

KMCR will contain automated, regular data feeds from four acute hospital trusts, three community services providers, two community based mental health services providers, 225 GP practices and 85 branch sites, and around 466 social care teams based in local authorities.