Heartbeat: Event showcases how innovation improves patient care

February 25, 2019

Technology was the main feature at this year’s annual healthcare science innovations event aimed at clinical and non-clinical colleagues from across our workplace.

Melvina Barsby, Advanced Cardiac Physiologist kicked proceedings off with an app which helps to monitor cardiac rhythm management . The tool would be installed on patients’ smartphone devices allowing for constant cardiac management using low energy Bluetooth technology.

Melvina believes the cardiac rhythm tool would be beneficial for the Trust. She said: “This app will be fantastic for us as it would mean that we could check our patient’s readings at ease. It also gives patients back control thus improving patient care. In addition, it will allow us to be more effective in our jobs as it reduces the number of phone calls regarding small queries from patients as they would have easy access to all the information they need through the app.”

This presentation was then followed by a look at an exciting new piece of hardware – video head impulse goggles designed for testing inner-ear balance function. The goggles use a high speed camera and dual axis gyroscopes to track the patient’s eye movements.

Claire Lingard, Principal Clinical Scientist in audiology, led the demonstration for the goggles and said: “The video head impulse goggles offer more robust data, greater test sensitivity and can ensure a range of frequencies are tested.”

“The advantages of the goggles for our Trust are that we would have more reliable and faster diagnoses, save appointment time in assessment clinics and patients could be quickly progressed into rehabilitation clinics.”

To conclude the event Gregory James, Senior Clinical Scientist in nuclear medicine spoke about the team’s gastric emptying studies. They have been looking into the normal rates for food to empty from the stomach, and are trying to set up standard simple meal recipes for other departments in the UK to use. The rate that food empties from the stomach changes depending on the food eaten, and this will allow hospitals to compare test results more easily.

Jilly Croasdale, Associate Director, Healthcare Science organised the event and said: “I think the 2019 healthcare science innovations day event was a huge success as it allowed an array of clinical colleagues show how science, technology and innovation is being used within our organisation to improve patient care.”