Cardiocity Ltd Public Funding

High blood pressure is defined as a systolic blood pressure (SBP) above 140 mmHg and/or a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) above 90 mmHg. In most countries, up to 30% of adults suffer from high blood pressure and a further 50% to 60% would be in better health if they reduced their blood pressure, by increasing physical activity, maintaining an ideal body weight and eating more fruits and vegetables. In people aged up to 50 years, both DBP and SBP are associated with cardiovascular risk; above this age, SBP is a far more important predictor. Blood pressure usually rises with age, except where salt intake is low, physical activity high, and obesity largely absent. Home Blood Pressure Monitoring (HBPM) is being increasingly used in many health systems worldwide and is well accepted by patients. A recent survey undertaken in the UK found that around 30% of patients with hypertension monitor their own blood pressure at home. In other countries, this figure stands at over 70%. To realise the full value of HBPM, however, it is important that HBPM is carried out in a way that is consistent with the current evidence base and therefore in line with the British Hypertensive Society's protocols. BESTOW is a digital health technology project that connects a cohort of patients in the community via smartphone technology with Stowhealth, the local Polyclinic in Stowmarket, with the aim of automating the home monitoring of suspected Hypertension patients. Data is collected by the patient from a free issued Blood Pressure monitor that links to a smartphone. An app on the smartphone provides reminders to use the device and stores and forwards the BP data to the Polyclinic and into the Electronic Health record. The key area for the BESTOW project is to provide a management of the data in the cloud before insertion into the Electronic Patient Record such that the data is trended and automatically reviewed prior to being inserted into the record. Working with the Polyclinic triage staff who monitor the state of the remote hypertension management patients, we aim to provide the ultimate optimisation of Blood Pressure management for both patient and practice alike. This is digital health data optimisation for increased patient empowerment and successful patient/clinician partnerships.

The prevelance of the disease Atrial Fibrillation runs at about 1.6% of the UK population. Atrial Fibrillation is one of the key causes of one of the most serious forms of Stroke. Find the people with Atrial Fibrillation and place them on the right medication known as a NOAC (New Oral AntiCoagulant) and the amount of Stroke is significantly reduced. Whilst a proportion of sufferers of AF have been identified already current estimates from Public Health England place the number of unidentified cases of people suffering from Atrial Fibrillation around the 500,000 mark. Technology exists that allows the screening of cardiac performance to determine cardiac arrhythmia and Atrial Fibrillation very simply and easily with a screening taking around 30 seconds to perform. The main problem is that the usage of this equipment to find people with Atrial Fibrillation requires a clinically trained person to operate the equipment. In GP surgeries there is not the time, the motivation, or the staff available to perform such screening sessions. The KASC-P project proposes using a new kiosk technology to allow patients to screen themselves and to enable the results to be sent straight to the GP allowing them to receive a confirmed case of AF in a manner that supports their workload rather than increase it.

"SALTC is a socio-technological research activity concerned with reversing the concept of Long Term Care, and using Reverse Assumption Thinking, looking from the other end, that of the final stages of the condition backwards. By using an immersive experience, the individual is illustrated the typical emotional and financial impacts of these conditions, coupled with the effect on relatives, loved ones etc. as well as the financial impact of providing support for individuals planning for the later stages of their lives. This project seeks to quantify the most common Long Term Conditions and looks to qualify different deterioration stages for each condition, adding them into a "protocol of acceptance". Once this protocol is defined, the project aims to make it available on the internet for interested parties to shape the protocol with their personal experience, thus allowing the public to inform the project of where the "flash points" of personal acceptance are, with regards the need for external help, when looking at specific conditions. Challenging the status quo with regards to both policy and practice, the project looks to find a protocol that might be used by a person to add detail and acceptance thresholds to their understanding of the effects that long term condition may have on them. In such a manner, it might be possible to ascertain the boundaries and trigger points to when people suffering from a Long Term Condition, may require assistance, or may no longer consider that the quality of life is worth continuing with. The final aspect of this research project looks at the socio-economic impact for the UK, using the established protocol's findings to draw a line in the sand regarding suffering and what the public deems acceptable in the context of lone living, and when they need support. It looks to see how support in this context can be planned for in advance and if Living Will's may be augmented by the fidelity that such an immersive experience brings."