Smart with your heart shortlisted for three HSJ awards
A University Hospitals of North Midlands project aimed at reducing the number of people with chronic long term heart failure from being readmitted to hospital has been shortlisted for three prestigious Health Service Journal Awards.
Working in partnership with Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and three digital companies, the project Smart with your Heart was nominated in categories for Acute Sector Innovation, Digitising Patient Services Initiative and the Driving Efficiency through Technology Awards.
The Trust’s Heart Failure team has recruited patients to use digital services to help them understand and manage their own condition with confidence at home and help avoid a visit to A&E or readmission to hospital.
Dr Dargo Satchi, Project Lead and Cardiology Consultant, said: "We are thrilled to have been shortlisted in not just one category but three categories of the Health Service Journal Awards.”
He added: “Approximately seven out of 10 people leaving hospital with heart failure are re-admitted within 12 months.
"Sometimes this is because of a gradual deterioration in health and being unsure of what action to take. It may also be due to a lack of knowledge concerning options available for help or support.
"We are pleased that the pilot project has demonstrated that by providing help and help support using the latest technology available to us can help reduce both hospital and A&E readmissions.
"Patients also reported they were more confident in managing their own health at home."
Digital service such as Florence enable patients to respond to text messages asking how they are feeling compared to their last text message (same, better or worse) and these responses are recorded by a telehealth co-ordinator.
By doing this, patients are closely monitored and are able to more smoothly access care in the community, should they need it, before they become acutely unwell, reducing the need to return to hospital.
Recap provides an online personal library, filled with information from the individual patient’s heart failure nurse and consultant to help them improve their own self-care.
The third digital service refers patients to trusted third sector or voluntary sector organisations to help provide social, emotional and psychological support.
The Smart with you Heart team will now be asked to present to the judging panel in the new year ahead of the awards ceremony in March 2021.