A partnership between Doccla and Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust (NGH) will see the trial of remote smart patient monitoring, which is hoped to deliver a new safe and effective form of patient care. Doccla will provide connected medical wearables to patients at home, creating virtual wards, and NGH clinicians will be able to remotely monitor patients’ vital signs. Initially, the trial will involve 40 patients, some of whom are recovering Covid patients whilst others will be those with chronic illnesses. 

All clinical responsibility will remain with NGH, with Doccla providing a service that makes it possible to monitor patients remotely. Every day each patient’s device will send automated readings of routine measurements (e.g. pulse and oxygen levels) via Doccla to NGH clinicians who will review and take any necessary action. The service does not replace the standard NHS advice and patients are encouraged to call 111 if they are concerned, or 999 in an emergency as normal.

It is hoped that the trial will increase the capacity to look after patients. With rapid implementation and minimal effort required by Trusts, Doccla can quickly reduce the cost and workload pressures on the NHS, and ease anxiety in patients during the Covid pandemic.

Chris Pallot, Director of Strategy and Partnerships at NGH, said:“We are using Doccla’s solution to add capacity and improve clinical support, while enabling certain patients to stay at home who otherwise may have been admitted. This is one of the approaches that the hospital has taken to address the Covid-19 outbreak.”

A recent survey of the first 40 patients and the clinical team at NGH shows very strong support for the trial. Such support gives hope that the trial may be implemented nationwide, thus lowering concerns over capacity within hospitals, and the reduction of hospital visits, helping hospitals to cope more effectively during the pandemic.