Backing the healthtech that changes lives
A groundbreaking approach to monitoring heart failure patients remotely has reduced unnecessary hospital admissions by 58%, improving patient experience and saving the NHS thousands of pounds.
What started as a research study in 1 hospital, before growing to a clinical trial across 3 hospitals, is now national guidance recommended by NICE.
"1 in 4 people will develop heart failure during their lifetime, so having robust systems to detect problems and prevent avoidable hospital admissions is essential.
This technology has radically changed how we monitor and manage patients with heart failure. By using remote monitoring data from pacemakers and defibrillators, we can now intervene early and deliver care precisely when patients need it, based on their clinical health data."
Janet, an 80 year old who has heart failure, feels reassured knowing that her device is constantly monitoring her heart.
"I now feel confident that I can visit my family in Ireland and still be well, as I know my condition is constantly being monitored by my doctors.”
Context
The issues faced
NICE recommends people living with heart failure should be monitored and assessed by their clinician at regular intervals, ideally every 6 months, and are advised to contact their medical team, or seek help, if their symptoms worsen.
By then, it is often too late. Many patients do not recognise the early warning signs, or by the time they do, their condition has deteriorated to the point where emergency hospital admission is unavoidable. This can mean patients spending longer in hospital with poorer outcomes.
Implementation
A smarter way to monitor heart health
Many heart failure patients have small devices implanted in their chests, such as specialised pacemakers and defibrillators, that constantly monitor their heart's activity as well as other health data.
These devices can detect early, subtle changes in the body that signal deterioration, such as rising fluid levels in the chest, heart rhythm irregularities, or reduced physical activity. Most importantly, the device can spot these warning signs up to 30 days before a patient would typically notice worsening symptoms or need to be admitted to hospital.
Building on this capability, specialists at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust developed TriageHF Plus, a clinical pathway designed to translate early warning signals, detected by implanted devices, into clinical action. Rather than letting alerts remain unnoticed or acted upon too late, TriageHF Plus ensures that patients identified as high-risk receive prompt, specialist review and timely treatment.
How TriageHF Plus works:
- The system automatically flags patients identified as high-risk and alerts the specialist heart failure team.
- A specialist nurse then phones the patient to carry out a thorough assessment over the phone.
Excerpt from the official page. The original is authoritative. Continue reading at UK NICE ↗