Apps & Software News

UK mHealth Pilot Program Reportedly Saves Lives, Will Be Expanded

The north Manchester program used an mHealth platform to enable selected patients to test their blood at home - and may have helped care providers stave off a handful of potential strokes.

Source: ThinkStock

By Eric Wicklund

- An mHealth pilot program in the UK’s north Manchester region is being expanded after it was found to have prevented at least five potential strokes and cut some 3,000 doctor’s office visits over a 15-month time period.

The program equips patients receiving treatment for long-term heart conditions with a digital health device that allows them to test their blood and send the results to care providers via mHealth app, online web portal or a phone call. Those care providers then send back dosage information and the date for the next test.

The program, designed for patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism or with a mechanical heart valve who are prescribed the anticoagulant drug warfarin, was tested on some 200 patients between May 2017 and October 2018. It’s now being expanded to any eligible patient in Manchester.

It’s the latest example of connected health programs on both sides of the Atlantic that improve clinical outcomes and reduce costly medical interventions by allowing patients to monitor themselves at home and communicate with their care providers when and where needed.

The UK program allows care providers to analyze the blood test results in near-real time and moderate care management accordingly, rather than waiting for the patient to come into the office or clinic on a regular basis. It also allows the provider to act quickly in the event that a test points to a serious health concern, as happened in a handful of instances.

“The most effective form of anticoagulation is self-management, much more than novel anticoagulants on average,” Peter Elton, MD, clinical director of the Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Cumbria Strategy Clinical Network, told Digital Health Age. “It is thought this is because of an improvement in TTR percentage. So any higher percentage leads to a greater reduction in blood-clotting events.”

“Our technology allows people with long-term heart conditions to stay on top of their health without the hassle of inconvenient and time-consuming hospital or clinic appointments,” added Bryn Sage, chief executive at Inhealthcare, which developed the mHealth platform. “This is exactly the sort of service that can reduce pressure on busy NHS clinics and allow staff to spend more time with patients who need care the most.”

Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
©2012-2024 TechTarget, Inc. Xtelligent Healthcare Media is a division of TechTarget. All rights reserved. HealthITAnalytics.com is published by Xtelligent Healthcare Media a division of TechTarget.