Digital Health bits | April 8th 2020
The 90 Second Online Coronavirus Assessment
An Irish digital health start-up has created COVIDMedBot, an online personalised risk assessment and guideline tool for use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVIDMedBot can be found at the website https://covidmedbot.com/ asks a series of simple questions then assesses your risk of contracting Covid-19 and your risk, should you get it, of experiencing symptoms that could land you in emergency care.
Free to use, the COVIDMedBot works in 90 seconds in line with the HSE recommendations and leveraging advice from the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
#Coronavirus #COVID-19 #DigitalHealth
Read more: https://www.nova.ie/the-90-second-online-coronavirus-assessment-177163/
How Hospitals Are Using AI to Battle Covid-19
Several governments and hospital systems around the world have leveraged AI-powered sensors to support triage in sophisticated ways. Chinese technology company Baidu developed a no-contact infrared sensor system to quickly single out individuals with a fever, even in crowds. Beijing’s Qinghe railway station is equipped with this system to identify potentially contagious individuals, replacing a cumbersome manual screening process. Similarly, Florida’s Tampa General Hospital deployed an AI system in collaboration with Care.ai at its entrances to intercept individuals with potential Covid-19 symptoms from visiting patients. Through cameras positioned at entrances, the technology conducts a facial thermal scan and picks up on other symptoms, including sweat and discoloration, to ward off visitors with fever.
Beyond screening, AI is being used to monitor Covid-19 symptoms, provide decision support for CT scans, and automate hospital operations.
#Coronavirus #COVID-19 #AI #DigitalHealth
Read more: https://hbr.org/2020/04/how-hospitals-are-using-ai-to-battle-covid-19
Here to stay: Digital health in times of COVID-19 – a German deep dive
If the #COVID-19 pandemic would have hit Germany only 1,5 years ago, the situation would have been worse. Since 2018, the German Minister of Health, Jens Spahn, has pushed forward an unprecedented amount of legislative actions to digitalize the – for very long purely analog – German healthcare system. The comparatively reduced threat to the German healthcare system but also to the overall health of the population can also be explained by looking at the various digital health solutions already in place today.
Social distancing in healthcare = telemedicine
In the current crisis, social distancing is key in order to reduce the otherwise exponential infection rate. As late as December 2019, the German parliament passed the DVG (digital care act). Enacted ‘just-in-time’ for Corona, the DVG expands video consultations to all physicians/medical disciplines. Facing COVID-19, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (Kassen?rztliche Bundesvereinigung, KBV) was quick to lift limitations and barriers: much less limitations in terms of the amount of video consultation for physicians, more possibilities for video consultations for psychotherapists, the possibility to issue a certificate for sick leave without personal contact etc.
#DigitalHealth #Telemedicine
Read more: https://hih-2025.de/here-to-stay-digital-health-in-times-of-covid-19-a-german-deep-dive/
New digital service ‘to allow every UK GP surgery to offer remote consults’
On 25th March, the UK Government launched a WhatsApp Service for people to be able to get information about the Coronavirus.
The burden on the NHS will be reduced with the help of the new and free WhatsApp service which will provide trustworthy, timely and official information about Coronavirus.
There is a lot of misinformation in the UK about the Coronavirus, and this new service will be able to prevent the spread of fake information. It will also help to keep people safe and at home, protect the NHS and help save lives.
The British public will be able to get accurate answers to the most common questions directly from government regarding the Coronavirus with the help of the GOV.UK Coronavirus Information Service which is a “chatbot” service.
Information on topics like coronavirus prevention, symptoms, infection figures, travel advice and other crucial information will be provided by this service.
Government will also be able to send messages to people have opted to use the service.
#COVID-19 #DigitalHealth
Read more: https://www.healthtechdigital.com/coronavirus-whatsapp-service-launched-by-government/
Manchester tech firm develops Coronavirus Digital Health Passport
VST Enterprises has used its VCode software to produce “V-Covid” which it says could be integrated into existing healthcare apps and used alongside Covid-19 testing kits, to work as a secure digital passport.
Founder and CEO Louis-James Davis explained that the test result could be reported back to the NHS or relevant Healthcare Trust and the digital passport would then be used on a regular basis for monitoring and reporting. The key worker could then present their smartphone with an app to confirm and authenticate their health status.
“V-COVID is a game changer in rapidly speeding up the process of getting critical care key workers and frontline staff back into the NHS and in our hospitals. As a digital healthcare passport it will also be a critically important asset in getting our other key workers in the blue light emergency services such as police, fire and ambulance services and the military returning back to operational duties quickly and effectively. At the same time this will also help to alleviate the pressure off the NHS and emergency services,” he said.
#Coronavirus #COVID-19 #DigitalHealth
NHS staff given free access to mental health apps amid Covid-19 outbreak
UK NHS staff have been granted free access to a number of mental health apps to support their health and wellbeing as they work around-the-clock to treat coronavirus patients.
The apps, which include platforms to proactively improve mental health as well as sleep improvement programmes, will be freely available until December 2020.
NHS England and NHS Improvement have worked with three providers to waive costs for healthcare workers dealing with unprecedented challenges during the Covid-19 outbreak.
They include Unmind, a platform that provides a range of tools to help with stress, sleep, connection and nutrition; Headspace, a mindfulness and meditation app aimed at reducing stress and building resilience; Big Health’s Sleepio, a clinically-evaluated sleep improvement programme, and Daylight, a cognitive behavioural technique to manage worry and anxiety.
#COVID-19 #Coronavirus #DigitalHealth #DigitalTherapeutics
Note: Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer