BT’s innovative drive to digitally transform UK healthcare
Leading telecommunications entity BT aims to leverage its established presence and specialised connectivity know-how to vitalize the digital infrastructure of the UK healthcare system, and is amplifying its healthcare portfolio to meet this goal.
The corporation has spent the last two years fostering its healthcare division, instituting a clinical advisory board to guide the creation of products tailored for the NHS needs. It also initiated its Vanguard Programme, envisioned as an interactive platform that enables healthcare professionals on the frontline to test and assess technology to guarantee its compatibility with local necessities.
“Our objective is to capitalise on opportunities that complement BT’s core business of connectivity,” Neal Herman, HealthTech Director at BT’s innovation centre, Etc., shared. “Our aim revolves around connecting individuals to the appropriate care at the right moment, and every endeavour we undertake contributes towards achieving that.”
An independent unit of Etc. is testing the implementation of drone technology for medicine deliveries over BT networks, and according to Herman, drones might also be incorporated into future healthcare solutions.
Herman detailed that BT’s vision incorporates three major themes: health navigation that aids in shaping patient interactions with the healthcare system; patient flow that enables hospitals and healthcare providers to streamline patient movement within the system; and remote care.
He depicted the first category as a future where “the healthcare professional contacts you, instead of the other way around.” Health navigation is fundamentally a guiding tool that enhances digital platforms and interactive voice response (IVR) technology. Commencing at general practice, the initial point of patient access, these solutions ensure that individuals reach the suitable healthcare provider from the outset, whether it be an immediate referral to a specialist or a physiotherapy session.
Patient flow, as Herman explained, becomes effective once patients arrive at the hospital, facilitating efficient management of patient capacity by nursing staff and site managers. “It’s about offering site managers real-time data flow to track the availability of beds,” Herman noted. These solutions are presently active in northeast Essex.
The remote component of the process incorporates products that vary from wearable technology to virtual ward monitoring platforms and is currently being piloted in Warrington for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and hypertension.
Recently, BT unveiled a virtual ward initiative that will integrate smart monitoring devices and collaborations with other service providers to link artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled virtual care platforms. This will facilitate real-time health data capture and evaluation of patient conditions in care homes, community nursing, and virtual wards.
“BT excels at implementing technology on a grand scale and we possess a significant privilege to contribute,” said Professor Sultan Mahmud, BT’s Healthcare Business Director.
Having previously served as the chief innovation, integration, and research officer at Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust (RWT), Mahmud joined BT in 2021. He added, “BT is adept at bridging the translational gap. This is fundamentally about achieving technical interoperability and interoperation.” A crucial objective of interoperability, he emphasised, is to ensure that technology procurement avoids “closed systems or vendor lock-in.”
Mahmud further pointed out that the company’s strategy is reflective of its commitment to assist the NHS in addressing staffing shortages and managing waiting lists. Employed effectively, remote technology can function as a tool for staff retention and aid in easing the demand for hospital beds.
