Spirit Digital today announces that CCGs across the UK whose Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation services were suspended during COVID-19 will be able to restart these services supported by its digital, remote monitoring platform, CliniTouch Vie. As the government aims to substantially increase referral rates, CliniTouch Vie will enable clinical teams to remotely monitor patients’ progress with minimal impact on clinical caseloads and offer patients essential education and guidance within a home care setting.
Patients with heart failure and certain lung conditions, such as COPD, asthma and bronchiectasis, or lung problems due to other conditions, may be referred to undergo Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, which is a supervised programme that includes breathing techniques, health education and exercise training. With respiratory disease in the spotlight, NHS England and NHS Improvement aims to increase the number of patients who would benefit from this treatment, by increasing referral rates to Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation from 13% to 60% by 2023. To support this expansion, the updated GP Contract includes a new Quality Outcome Framework incentive to encourage these referrals, as well as the availability of targeted funding to support expansion of services.
The CliniTouch Vie Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation programme aims to help patients breathe easier, educate them on their condition, monitor their exercise and improve overall quality of life. Evidence has revealed that Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation can support better patient self-management, with 90% of patients who complete the programme having higher activity and exercise levels, and reporting an improved quality of life. Additionally, clinical studies have found that the treatment helps to reduce the number of exacerbations, acute and emergency admissions and primary care appointments.
Simon Applebaum, Managing Director, Spirit Digital said: “With cardio and respiratory disease identified as a national clinical priority within the NHS Long Term Plan, it’s more important than ever to ensure that patients with these conditions can continue to access their treatment programmes, while also facilitating increased capacity without adversely impacting clinical teams’ workloads. As a digital platform, CliniTouch Vie enables remote access to Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and collaboration between clinicians and patients, meaning more people can benefit from the treatment from the safety of their home, while still being monitored by their healthcare practitioner.”
This article was written by Medilink EM Member, Spirit Health Group.