App helps NHS hospital reduce admissions during COVID-19 pandemic

A smartphone app for reporting symptoms is helping the NHS in Dudley reduce the amount of unnecessary hospital admissions during the Coronavirus pandemic. 

The patient app, developed by Norwegian medical software company Dignio, has been commissioned by the NHS Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group and is being used to monitor COVID-19 patients with existing clinical conditions, who could deteriorate. Connecting with Bluetooth enabled medical devices, patients can be monitored remotely. 

Patients with smartphones download the app and can be connected to devices including, a thermometer and oximeter, meaning that those with mild Coronavirus symptoms can be checked regularly. Data including pulse, temperature and oxygen levels is displayed on the smartphone. It can also be viewed by medical professionals working remotely.

Patients also report their symptoms through a questionnaire, which together with the vital signs provide a good overview of their condition.

Until now patients, who were self-isolating, would receive a call from a clinician to find out how they were feeling. Instead, the app effectively creates a ‘virtual ward’ with patient readings recorded automatically and alerts sent to healthcare staff at the first sign of any deterioration. The solution can help to triage patients and prioritise those who need it the most.

Dr Jonathan Darby, clinical lead, Dudley at CCG said: “We’ve been using the MyDignio solution as a pilot in monitoring Category-2 COVID patients at home. We have found the software easy to use as well as enormously reassuring for patients.”

Originally developed in Norway, the app has been widely used across the country for monitoring long-term health conditions. 

Ewa Truchanowicz, managing director of MyDignio said: “This technology has already been used by Mastercall Healthcare, which provides out of hours care in the Greater Manchester area. It has been helping to reduce hospital admissions by monitoring those with long-term health conditions at home. We are now looking to facilitate a wider adoption of our solution elsewhere in the UK and abroad.” 

NHS Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group is planning to expand the solution to care homes across area. 

Dr Darby added: “It has opened the eyes of both clinicians and patients to the benefits and advantages of remote monitoring.”

The system also allows a larger number of patients to be monitored by fewer healthcare professionals with patients in their own home rather than having to visit health centres.