Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will be the first provider in the UK to partner with TytoCare, an all-in-one modular device and telehealth platform for remote medical examinations.

The Trust will carry out a three-month pilot of the TytoCare handheld module examination device to enable remote examinations and diagnoses of a cohort of young patients, with acute and worsening chronic conditions.

In early 2020, the pilot will be evaluated to assess its benefits to the cohort, and its potential for expansion to other patient groups.

The TytoCare device enables clinical grade physical exams of the heart, lungs, skin, ears, throat and abdomen, and measures body temperature and heart rate, to enable remote diagnosis of acute care situations.

During a virtual consultation, clinical visual and audio data is captured by the TytoCare device and transferred either online or offline to a clinician, allowing care providers to deliver a full, guided examination and consultation in real time. Clinicians can also use the device to link to local pharmacies and order prescriptions.

The project will be spearheaded by the Trust’s Ambulatory Care Experience (ACE) team, which brings care to children up to 16-years-old in their homes, preventing unnecessary admissions to hospitals.

WHY IT MATTERS

Bradford is recognised as the UK’s youngest city, with almost a quarter of its 528,000 population aged under 16. Its diverse population also experiences a higher-than-average rate of respiratory illness and infections, which require frequent monitoring and clinical interventions.

THE LARGER CONTEXT

Having secured FDA clearance in 2016, the TytoCare device is being used by health systems, telehealth companies, large private practices and employers across the United States and Israel. In 2019 it attained CE Mark approval for use in Europe.

Last year, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, announced the opening of an AI-powered command centre at the Bradford Royal Infirmary through a partnership with GE Healthcare. The centre is the first of its kind in Europe, providing real-time access to an overview of the 800-bed hospital to help inform decisions on how to manage patient care.

ON THE RECORD

Dedi Gilad, CEO and co-founder of Tyto Care, said: “We are proud to partner with Bradford Teaching Hospitals to implement our telehealth solution and make an impact on a community that will benefit enormously from remote care.

“Tyto was created with children and families in mind to deliver convenient and accessible medical care without compromising quality, all from the comfort of home.”

Cindy Fedell, the Trust’s chief digital and information officer, said: “This ‘digital-first’ approach to care, where we put health in the hands and homes of patients, is a lynchpin of the NHS’s long-term telehealth plan.

“It also marks a milestone in our journey of digital innovation, which is already gathering pace thanks to other ground-breaking projects now in place in Bradford.”