Software which enables computer-guided consultations is being rolled out to 150 GP practices across Greater Manchester, with the aim of supporting better adult asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) care.
The clinically-validated LungHealth solution will be introduced over a two-year period as part of the MISSION project being run by Health Innovation Manchester and biopharmaceutical group Chiesi UK and Ireland.
LungHealth incorporates embedded algorithms, based on national and international guidelines, alongside patients’ medical records, to provide computer-guided consultations for asthma and COPD annual reviews, which can be carried out remotely or face-to-face.
It also signposts available community support, such as pulmonary rehabilitation services and smoking cessation, and provides clinical prompts to upskill healthcare professionals for the future.
The MISSION project aims to evaluate whether such technology can improve the overall quality, effectiveness and consistency of reviews, to reduce the impact of asthma and COPD exacerbations on patients and the NHS.
Dr Tracey Vell, medical director at Health Innovation Manchester, said: “We hope that our collaboration with Chiesi will show significantly improved outcomes for our asthma and COPD patients in Greater Manchester, demonstrating the role technology can play in addressing health challenges.
“The software will help clinical reviews of patients for busy GP practices and ensure patients are provided with the optimal care.
“The implementation of the LungHealth software will enable more efficient reviews in line with the very latest guidance, easing the burden on primary care, with better care for patients.”
More than five million people in the UK have asthma, and 1.4 million are living with COPD, according to Asthma + Lung UK. and figures from the Department of Health and Social Care show that Greater Manchester has high asthma and COPD prevalence, with emergency hospital admissions 30% higher than the national average.
Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend that respiratory patients should receive reviews at least every 12 months, but estimates from Asthma + Lung UK suggest that only around 30% of people living with asthma, and less than 20% of people living with COPD in the UK receive even the basic levels of care.
The LungHealth technology is aimed at reducing the burden on healthcare providers by improving the efficiency of reviews, as well as supporting the NHS’s green agenda by aiming to reduce carbon-heavy hospital admissions due to asthma and COPD exacerbations.
Data collected from the collaborative working project will be presented to support NHS decision-making on long-term adoption of technology to support respiratory reviews.
Ralph Blom, general manager, at Chiesi UK and Ireland, said: “This partnership is integral to delivering better care for people with respiratory diseases, easing healthcare workloads, and meeting the unmet needs of our local communities.”
Meanwhile, in June 2024, NICE published draft guidance on digital supported self-management of COPD, which included seven technologies approved for use in the NHS under the Early Value Assessment programme: Lenus Health, Active+me REMOTE, Clinitouch, COPDhub, Luscii, and myCOPD.
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