A telehealth scheme developed in Blackpool has reduced hospital admissions among chronically ill patients by 75%.

NHS Blackpool and the monitoring centre Blackpool Vitaline have used telehealth home monitoring solutions from Tunstall Healthcare to help patients with COPD or heart disease live independently at home.

The 12-month pilot scheme led to a 75% reduction in hospital admissions, an 85% reduction in GP visits and a 43% reduction in home visits by community matrons to these patients.

The scheme used Tunstall’s equipment to remotely monitor the vital signs of 13 patients under the case management of community matrons.

A survey found that 10 of the patients felt they had gained a better understanding of their medical condition and were contributing to its management, while 9 felt their quality of life had improved.

Margaret Seddon, Vitaline Manager, said: “We are keen to expand the service so that many more people can benefit from it. We are exploring the use of telehealth in obesity management and workplace health monitoring for employees who regularly need to visit their GP to check their blood pressure and other vital signs. We are very excited about the future potential of telehealth and the benefits it can bring to patients and the health service.”

Blackpool Vitaline is a 24-hour monitoring centre that offers a range of services to help people live independently at home. It combines a triage facility using telehealth data, a rapid equipment installation service and experience of supporting patients at home with assistive technology.

The pilot has seen Blackpool Vitaline and NHS Blackpool working together to use telehealth services as part of integrated case management. There are plans to expand the service in order to support early hospital discharge and prevent readmissions.

A new software technology for fitting hearing instruments will improve the efficiency and patient experience of NHS audiology appointments.

Siemens Hearing Instruments has launched AutoFit, its new fitting technology package for NHS customers in the UK. Featured in the latest upgrade of Siemens’ audiology fitting software, AutoFit enables an accurate fitting solution for patients and a more streamlined workflow for audiologists, freeing up scheduling time.

AutoFit automatically and quickly adjusts the frequency response of a hearing instrument in order to achieve an exact match to prescriptive gain targets obtained from the patient through audiology tests.

“AutoFit offers an accurate and efficient fitting solution for patients and will improve workflow during the fitting process in NHS audiology departments by releasing up to ten minutes from a patient’s assessment journey,” said Matt Norgate, NHS Product Manager at Siemens Hearing Instruments. “Audiologists can use the time saved to see another patient, or spend more quality time talking to patients through the fitting process and answering any queries.”

AutoFit works within Siemens’ FirstFit solution, and requires no additional training for audiologists. The software features a user-friendly graphical interface with a measurement bar and a progress indicator (see illustration).

Based in Crawley, West Sussex, Siemens Hearing Instruments Ltd provides a comprehensive range of digital hearing instruments and software, patient management systems and audiology equipment to the NHS and retailers. It is the UK operation of Siemens Audiologische Technik, based in Erlangen, Germany.

AutoFit technology

The appointment of a new Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive at Health Enterprise East (HEE) sees the region’s NHS Innovation Hub moving into top gear.

Dr Peter Blenkinsop, former Chief Executive of HEE, has been promoted to Deputy Chairman. Dr Anne Blackwood succeeds Peter as HEE’s Chief Executive.

Peter has joined the new Innovation Professional Leadership Group, established to support the Department of Health in achieving better diffusion of innovation throughout the NHS.

Peter worked in the brewing and malting industries before becoming Director of Business Development for Silsoe Research Institute in 1997. He was being appointed Chief Executive of HEE when it formed in 2004.

Professor Alan Barrell, HEE Chairman, said: “Dr Blenkinsop’s appointment as Deputy Chairman comes at a time when innovation in the NHS is higher than ever on the agenda. Peter’s expertise in building external relationships places him in an ideal position to take on this important role.”

Dr Anne Blackwood joined HEE in 2005 as Innovation Manager. She was then promoted to Head of Innovation and, in February 2009, Chief Operating Officer. Her previous roles included working at Cambridge Enterprise on the commercialisation of technologies from the biological and chemical sciences.

Alan Barrell said: “I am delighted to announce Dr Blackwood’s appointment as Chief Executive. There are many challenges, including the drive for continued excellence and harnessing innovation to address our current healthcare priorities. Anne’s considerable experience and her commitment to innovation mean that she is ideally placed to be our new Chief Executive.”

HEE provides a broad range of professional IP management services to the region’s NHS Trusts. It also provides services to industry, including access to NHS expertise, advice on clinical evaluation of new medical technologies and market research to support adoption.

Dr Peter Blenkinsop                 Dr Anne Blackwood

Meeting international needs for infection control solutions and cost-effective manufacturing tools has helped five businesses to win the Medical and Healthcare Business Awards 2010, organised by medtech industry specialist MedilinkWM.

The Awards highlight the success of companies in the West Midlands Medical Technologies Cluster, supported by Advantage West Midlands.

• Newtech Ortho was acclaimed as Best New Start-Up. In its first year of trading, the firm is already supplying more than 170 NHS and private hospitals in the UK with implant systems.

• MediFilm UK, which has worked with Derby Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to develop an antimicrobial worktop guide to the Aseptic Non Touch Technique for clinical staff, won the Award for Partnership with the NHS.

• The Award for Innovation went to ITCM for its high-speed machine for packaging strip-based medical products. This flexible and efficient solution reduces the cost, time, noise and energy use of the packaging process.

• Dermal Technology Laboratory Ltd, provider of a non-animal method for measuring dermal absorption, received the award for Outstanding Growth. The company’s turnover has increased fourfold in its two years, while its staff numbers have increased by 50% in the last year.

• Kimal PLC, which supplies devices for diagnostic and interventional cardiology, radiology, renal disease and oncology, earned the Export Achievement award by increasing export sales by more than 25% and gaining certifications in China, Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia, Hong Kong, Canada and Germany.

Tony Davis, CEO of MedilinkWM, commented: “West Midlands companies have seen the real commercial benefits of trading within the Medical Technologies market in the last year. These awards are dedicated to businesses that have achieved exceptional research, innovation, business success, entrepreneurial flair and growth in the sector.”

Kimal and MediFilm are shortlisted in their respective categories for the national MedilinkUK Awards. The national winners will be announced in March.

Dermal Technology Laboratory Ltd

A chemotherapy management system based on a therapy-specific electronic patient record (EPR) has been rolled out across a network of UK hospitals.

The Thames Valley Cancer Network has implemented ARIA for Medical Oncology from Varian Medical Systems over the past year.

Varian’s system allows patient information to be shared between hospitals within the network, removes the need for paperwork, and gives the patient access to their own treatment record.

“The ARIA system has been extremely well received by clinical teams and patients alike. It gives us all the functionality we require,” said Dr. Claire Blesing, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Churchill Hospital, Oxford.

ARIA can be used to manage all the clinical, administrative and financial activities of an oncology department. The oncology-specific EPR is the core of the system, allowing individual care pathways to be designed.

The system facilitates patient involvement: the patient can be shown a record of the ongoing effects of chemotherapy together with their prescription, and given a record book to help them manage their treatment.

Susan Wright, 66, a cancer patient at Great Western Hospital in Swindon, said that with the new system “I have constantly felt part of the process rather than simply being told what to do. We go through my medical record together and it enables me to become more involved in managing my disease.”

ARIA also allows all steps in the treatment to be signed off electronically, saving time and reducing the risk of errors.

Thames Valley Cancer Network has offered to share its regimen library and network-written user guides with other ARIA users in the UK.

Steve Laws, Varian’s European Software Sales Manager, said: “We are honoured that this pioneering cancer network felt that ARIA met its needs for a fast, flexible and paperless record-keeping system.”

Permanent recruitment brands IHS and SSC have gained the financial backing of joint venture partners McGinley Group Ltd.

McGinley Group has purchased SSC and IHS through its associate company Resourcing Services (UK) Ltd.

The acquisition will enable IHS and SSC to enhance their market position, particularly in their growing contract services and vacancy management activities.

The businesses will operate from offices in London and Manchester and continue to provide recruitment and outsourcing services to the healthcare, pharmaceutical, medical and laboratory sectors. McGinley’s will work alongside the IHS-SSC recruitment teams to provide clients with all existing and future requirements.

“Over the last few years the recession brought many serious challenges to our business,” said Seamus McGinley, Chairman of McGinley Group Ltd. “However, we have been successful in managing our way through these difficult times. We envisage that our partnership with IHS-SSC will assist us in strengthening our foothold in healthcare and pharmaceutical markets.”

In its nine years, IHS has become established in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries as one of the UK’s leading providers of sales, marketing, medical, and management staff at all levels, including permanent recruitment services, contract services, assessment centre design and management, campaign management and interim supply.

SSC is the UK’s largest and longest-established ‘employment agency’ dedicated to the recruitment of sales and executive staff within the healthcare, medical devices, medical equipment and laboratory sectors.

McGinley Group Ltd employs over 150 staff and deploys some 2,000 personnel throughout the UK and Europe.

A new website educates visitors about the world’s only CE and FDA-approved total artificial heart.

SynCardia Systems, Inc., manufacturer of the CardioWest Total Artificial Heart, has launched its new website at www.syncardia.com.

The Total Artificial Heart is used as a bridge to transplant in cardiac patients at risk of imminent death from biventricular failure. More than 800 devices have been implanted, accounting for more than 180 patient years.

Visitors to SynCardia’s new website will find: clinical data documenting the successful use of the Total Artificial Heart as a bridge to transplant; patient stories and personal photos; and videos including news broadcasts, a National Geographic multimedia feature, patient interviews and educational animations.

SynCardia has applied for CE approval of a new discharge driver to power the Total Artificial Heart outside the hospital, enabling stable patients to wait for a donor heart at home.

The photo below shows Andrzej Bielak, who was successfully bridged to transplant by 544 days with the Total Artificial Heart.

Andrzej Bielak with SynCardia Total Artificial Heart

A new Integrated Care Centre has been developed by NHS Oldham in partnership with healthcare IT provider Computacenter.

The care centre will integrate the commissioning of healthcare services across primary, secondary and community care, including pharmacy and optician services.

The centre’s IT infrastructure, designed and implemented by Computacenter, is expected to give clinicians easier access to medical applications and information, helping to optimise the use of resources.

Computacenter has also configured and installed 350 new desktops, and implemented a power and availability management solution that will enable NHS Oldham to reduce its energy costs.

Paul Lyons, Associate Director of Finance – Head of Information Management and Technology at NHS Oldham, said: “The Oldham Integrated Care Centre will bring together a range of frontline medical services in a purpose-built facility and feature the latest technologies to improve productivity and patient care.

“By making better use of information computer technology, we can maximise the time clinicians spend with patients, which will help improve patient outcomes and reduce waste, making the services operate more effectively.”

Chris Price, Public Sector Director at Computacenter, said: “Cutting costs and spending more time with patients are ongoing challenges for primary care trusts, and it is important that these already stretched NHS services are given the right level of support and guidance on how IT can be used to meet these needs.

“The new Oldham Integrated Care Centre has been set up with technology at the core to drive efficient working practices, which in turn enables healthcare workers to dedicate more resource to serving the community.”

Computacenter is a leading provider of IT infrastructure services, with offices in the UK and other European countries.

Leeds-based medical device company Surgical Innovations (SI) has signed a deal with a major US group purchasing organisation.

The three-year deal was made through the company’s US master distributor, Surgical Innovations US Inc.

The agreement will enable SI to access the unnamed GPO’s 2,200 member hospitals with its resposable (partly reusable) LogiRange brand for laparoscopic surgery.

LogiRange combines reusable handles with disposable scissor blades and graspers, combining quality and cost-effectiveness.

GPOs (such as Novation) help to reduce healthcare costs by negotiating high-volume purchases of medical equipment with suppliers.

Graham Bowland, SI’s Managing Director, said: “This agreement with one of the US’s leading GPOs strengthens SI’s strategy of developing the LogiRange brand through our collaboration with SI USA.

“The 2,200 member hospitals represent a considerable proportion of all US hospitals; therefore the agreement provides us with significant access to the US laparoscopic instrumentation market, which is estimated to be worth $150m per annum.”

Animated films that take patients through their operations and post-operative care in advance of surgery are now available to hospitals in the UK and beyond.

Two short films have been developed by Health Enterprise East (HEE), the regional NHS Innovation Hub, with input from doctors at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust in Harlow, Essex.

The animations show patients what will happen during and after their forthcoming operation. They represent a significant initiative in patient-centred media resources.

The films so far available are Total Knee Replacement and Total Hip Replacement. Films on Laparoscopic Hernia Repair, Gall Bladder Removal and Endovascular Aneurysm Surgery are in preparation for release, and films on other surgical procedures and treatments are planned.

Darren Leech, Executive Director of Delivery at the Trust, said: “Research shows that patients who receive high-quality pre-operative information have reduced anxiety and therefore make a swifter recovery. These animations illustrate to patients the possible implications of their surgery, so they come in prepared. We hope that informing patients in this way will lead to an earlier discharge from hospital.”

HEE and The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust have negotiated a licence agreement with Indian-based production company ComartOne, who will sell the films to other hospitals and return a percentage of the revenue to the Trust.

Health Enterprise East Limited (HEE) is the NHS Innovation Hub in the East of England, providing intellectual property management services to the NHS Trusts in the region. For the medtech industry, HEE facilitates access to NHS clinical, scientific and technical expertise and provides advice on clinical evaluation of new medical devices and market research to support the adoption of new technologies.

Total Knee Replacement