Technology
problematic bottlenecks. CRF is undoubtedly going to be one of the
strongest data points when it comes to predictive analytics and should be more frequently assessed in both primary and secondary care. Initial results from Seismofit indicate this technology could deliver very impactful results and be the start of a broader push towards using technology in more interesting ways to deliver insight-led data to those providing care. But as with any effective intervention, it isn’t just the specific benefits it provides for a particular specialty, but the potential it has to improve the whole care pathway. For example, virtual wards can assist with pre-admission triaging and help clinicians understand if their condition has deteriorated prior to admission, while remote monitoring technology can strengthen monitoring post-discharge to ensure patients are receiving appropriate aftercare that accelerates recovery. Gaining an understanding of a patient’s general health and fitness levels prior to surgery can also enable an analysis of which incidents can be avoided or mitigated before theatre. How much data could we give clinicians about the health and fitness of a patient pre-op, instead of just information about their condition? Decisions made about how to operate on an athlete will no doubt be different from a frail, elderly person with several existing conditions. Understanding and being able to remotely view a patient’s current status will help with resource planning, which will aid theatre and ward optimisation and assist with workforce planning. Equipment innovation is important, but so
too is digital technology. Some of the most powerful technological tools will help reduce admissions and improve rehabilitation, rather trying to fix issues within a hospital. It is only by improving the whole patient journey that we can help reduce the negative impacts within acute care. Embracing the grandly named ‘digital transformation’ will require greater digital upskilling through training, but also the development of best practice guidelines and protocols for how to integrate specific technological applications into existing care pathways. Evolution, not revolution, will be key to ensuring technology serves clinicians rather than hindering them. Giving them data to draw on, not forms to fill in should be the objective of those working in digital health. If we can keep people healthier and fitter for longer, they are less likely to be admitted in the first place. If we can give clinicians a more detailed assessment of an individual’s general health picture, they will make more personalised decisions about their treatment.
If we can monitor rehabilitation more closely and make early, targeted interventions we can support recovery and prevent complications. In my own line of work, I see the impact VO2 max assessment can have on preventative healthcare and I am confident the digital innovations being developed today, across the world, will make their own important impact and help our clinicians to do their best work. CSJ
References 1. BMA, NHS backlog data analysis, 13 June 2024.
www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/ nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/nhs- backlog-data-analysis
2. Managing NHS backlogs and waiting times in England, House of Commons Committee report.
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ cm5803/cmselect/cmpubacc/729/
report.html
3. Laukkanen J, et al, An Updated Meta-analysis of 37 Cohort Studies Involving 2,258,029 Participants, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 11 May 2022.
www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/ S0025-6196(22)00133-1/abstract
4. The Guardian, Getting fitter can reduce prostate cancer risk by 35%, study finds, 30 Jan 2024.
www.theguardian.com/society/2024/ jan/30/getting-fitter-can-reduce-prostate- cancer-risk-by-35-study-finds
5. Kokkinos P, et al, Changes in Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Survival in Patients With or Without Cardiovascular Disease, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Volume 81, Issue 12, 28 March 2023, Pages 1137-1147
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/ S0735109723002012
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6. Ross, R, et al, Importance of Assessing Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Clinical Practice: A Case for Fitness as a Clinical Vital Sign: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association, Circulation, 21 November 2016.
hwww.ahajournals.org/ doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000461
7. Kodama S, Saito K, Tanaka S, et al. Cardiorespiratory Fitness as a Quantitative Predictor of All-Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Events in Healthy Men and Women: A Meta-analysis. JAMA. 2009;301(19):2024–2035. doi:10.1001/ jama.2009.681
8. Schmidt S, et al, A chest-mounted accelerometer for estimation of cardiorespiratory fitness, Cardiovascular Digital Health Jnl, Aug 2022. www.
cvdigitalhealthjournal.com/article/S2666- 6936(22)00099-8/fulltext
About the author
Prof Peter Søgaard is the Chief Medical Officer at VentriJect and Clinical Professor in Cardiology at Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark. He has interests in myocardial mechanics, remote monitoring cardiac imaging, implantable devices, heart failure, seismocardiography and high speed ultrasound, and is the author or coauthor of over 250 articles in international peer reviewed journals. Peter is one of the co-founders of VentriJect and leads on clinical engagement.
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