Alder Hey Children’s NHS FT has announced that it will be using Insight’s Fast Start service, along with Microsoft’s mixed reality solutions HoloLens 2 and Dynamics 365 Remote Assist.
Insight provides remote support, troubleshooting and practical advice, to help clinicians enable the use cases they need. Alder Hey and other NHS trusts have used Insight’s Fast Start service to ensure that healthcare specialists can begin using HoloLens 2 and Remote Assist technology as soon as possible.
The Heart Centre at Alder Hey currently uses HoloLens 2 to support clinicians in acute care scenarios whilst remaining hands-free to concentrate on their tasks. It allows users to share information and their exact view in high definition without pausing their work or holding additional devices.
This has helped to reduce the number of clinicians around the bedside during ward visits and support emergency procedures by dialling in additional expertise when required.
It has also enhanced surgery by using visualisation of 3D models to aid clinicians when performing heart procedures.
The NHS trust will be able to develop applications that support medical training and other related areas such as community-based care.
THE LARGER CONTEXT
A recent study has shown that when carers receive training via immersive digital technology, including VR, it can improve understanding of infection control measures by 76% and knowledge retention of health and safety guidelines by 230%.
In 2017, Alder Hey introduced a new app that uses augmented reality to improve patient care through digital. Children were able to choose and name their own avatar which helped them understand hospital visits and reduce related stress.
ON THE RECORD
Rafael Guerrero, director of the Heart Centre and of Innovation at Alder Hey said: “While Covid-19 has acted as a catalyst, mixed reality devices like HoloLens that can support collaboration, mobility and remote learning need to be part of the technology we use to drive a healthcare revolution.
“Using HoloLens we have already demonstrated the potential of mixed reality healthcare applications to minimise the number of staff required to be in contact with patients; share expertise in the shortest possible time and from any location, and ultimately increase the quality of care. However, there are many more opportunities to integrate the technology with other systems.
“For instance, as a centre of expertise for congenital heart treatment responsible for more than 8.5 million people across Wales, North-West England and the Isle of Man, these applications would allow us to support clinicians and patients both in other hospitals and in the community, without the need for travel in either direction – helping the NHS treat patients and share expertise more efficiently to improve patient care.”
