EMEA News

Medicspot has announced a partnership with Asda to offer in-store GP video-consultations in the latest expansion of digital primary care services.

The smart device, a prototype by Fab Lab Bahrain, reportedly uses UV-C light that kills or inactivates a range of microorganisms by disrupting their DNA or RNA.

Local authorities are to be given access to postcode-level data on people testing positive for coronavirus in their areas. 

The value of involving clinicians in digital tool development and the power of data sharing were major themes of a HIMSS Digital Dialogue webinar, held in collaboration with Philips, where European healthcare leaders shared their pandemic experiences.

The response by the New Zealand government to the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the crisis there under control. HIMSS Insights spoke to Shayne Hunter, deputy director general of data & digital at the New Zealand Ministry of Health, about their strategy.

Five of Sheffield’s labour MPs have written to the prime minister, Boris Johnson, and health secretary, Matt Hancock, to seek support for the building of the Child Health Technology (CCHT) on the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.   The centre already has the backing of large international companies including Philips, Cannon Medical, IBM Watson Health, Sheffield Children’s Hospital and South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System. WHY IT MATTERS Once developed, the aim is to create a clinical research space that will be integral to bringing long-term and sustainable change to children’s health and wellbeing. The proposed 51,300-square-feet space will also enable a partnership with the current research programmes undertaken at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, such as Technology Innovation Transforming Child Health and Young People MedTech Cooperative. The new centre will deliver other wider health benefits and opportunities for the economy of the Sheffield City region, including the acceleration and adoption of health tech products and creating high value job opportunities.   THE LARGER CONTEXT The letter by the MPs comes as Johnson recently announced his "New Deal" plan of infrastructure investment to "build the UK back to health," in which he pledged £1.5 billion to go toward the building and maintenance of hospitals. ON THE RECORD The letter highlights that the CCHT would create an “environment where the NHS, academia and the private sector collaborate in innovations that can be commercialised and a critical mass of health and wellbeing research and innovation.” It also states that at a capital cost of £24 million, the new centre would “deliver excellent value for money and major benefits for the wider health of the economy of Sheffield City Region.”

The project aims to optimise cost management, doctor performance, inventory management, and the hiring of top talent, amongst others.

When Paul Roseworn flew out on holiday to Ireland and the UK in February to watch the Six Nations Rugby, he didn’t realise he would be caught up in a global pandemic.

Leader in AI-powered cancer diagnostics, Ibex Medical Analytics and provider of digital pathology services in the NHS, LDPath, have announced the UK’s first rollout of clinical grade AI application for cancer detection in pathology. This platform will support pathologists in enhancing diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. WHY IT MATTERS Over the years, a global increase in cancer cases has coincided with a decline in the number of pathologists around the world. Traditional pathology involves manual processes that have remained the same for years. These processes involve slides to be analysed by pathologists using microscopes, and reporting is often carried out on pieces of paper. The limited availability of pathologists has required couriers to transport glass slides containing tissue samples between different locations to access expert opinions.  LDPath, which provides histopathological imaging and reporting services to 24 NHS trusts throughout the UK, will use its position as a digitally enabled provider within the NHS to integrate Ibex’s Galen Prostate platform into its digital pathology workflow. With the CE-marked platform from Ibex, prostate biopsies at LDPath will be reviewed by an AI algorithm concomitant with the pathologist’s diagnosis. THE LARGER CONTEXT In recent times, it has been highlighted that the shortage of pathologists in the UK has led to delays in cancer diagnosis, which can take up to six weeks. Together with increased demand, this is exerting pressure on pathology departments while also raising concerns about diagnostic accuracy. In addition, such supply and demand issues contribute to critical issues for NHS diagnostics, including breached National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cancer guidelines and an increased dependency on expensive temporary solutions. ON THE RECORD Sanj Lallie, director of operations at LDPath said: “This is a significant step in realising the benefits of AI tools within the UK as we continue to redefine traditional workflows across our NHS network. Our NHS clients will benefit from this additional quality assurance measure as well as new service offerings, including singular AI screening of all prostate biopsies within a 24 hour period and UKAS internal audits.” Joseph Mossel, Ibex Medical Analytics CEO and co-founder said: “We are excited to collaborate with LDPath to bring a paradigm shift for pathology in the UK, and around the world, increasing efficiency and improving accuracy of cancer diagnostics.” “Cancer cases continue to rise, and with the pathology practice experiencing a worldwide shortage, AI-based technologies can drive new workflows for pathology that will be critical for improving cancer care practices for patients, pathologists, labs and entire healthcare systems.”