A pioneering technology, being piloted across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, is opening up new ways for patients to give feedback on their healthcare.
PEP Health, an award-winning digital health company, has created a state-of-the-art dashboard to track patient experiences in both GP surgeries and hospitals.
The project is backed by the European Regional Development Funded EPIC programme, led by the University of Plymouth, which aims to boost digital health innovation in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
As part of the scheme, publicly available online comments for every GP practice in Cornwall have been collected from a range of social media, online forums, and NHS review sites.
This data, which doesn’t identify individual patients, is being used to understand what patients think about care and how it can be improved.
PEP Health co-founder Dr Meghan Leaver explained: “We can’t wait to really make a difference in Cornwall. It’s a really unique place – not just because of the culture and beauty – but its health system and integrated care landscape.
“By working with the GP test sites through our partnership with the University of Plymouth, we’ve been able to gather information about patients’ experiences and really understand what people think about the services they have used.
“The ultimate aim is to ensure patients are listened to and their feedback is used to help further improve patient care in the future.”
Improving patient experiencePEP Health has partnered with four GP test sites across Cornwall to develop the unique programme and learn more about how patients share their thoughts about the experiences they’ve had with their GP.
So far PEP Health has already collected well over 3,000 pieces of patient feedback and it’s hoped the results can be rolled out to the wider region and eventually to GPs across the country.
Dr Leaver said: “The next phase of the project is to trial the collection of patient feedback directly from patients themselves.
“This will be done through an online feedback survey sent to patients in a text message the day after their appointment.
“For GPs, it will deliver a number of benefits, enabling them to see where they are excelling in providing patient experience and where targeted actions can be taken to improve it where necessary.
“Of course, it isn’t all just areas for improvement and criticism, but importantly includes areas for celebration – which is a huge win for boosting the morale of frontline staff.”
Turning your idea into reality EPIC works closely with health and care users, workers, and commissioners to encourage technological developments in health and care (Image: EPIC)PEP Health was founded by Dr Leaver and Dr Alex Griffiths after the pair became frustrated by the mismatch between patient data and what inspectors found.
The firm has been supported on its exciting journey by eHealth Productivity and Innovation in Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly (EPIC), which is led by the University of Plymouth and made possible by the European Regional Development Fund.
Dr Leaver said: “Engaging with EPIC has led to a very successful outcome for us, as we’ve had such brilliant support from the team and the shared intellect helped us to solve problems we didn’t even know we had.
“Not only were we funded through the project, with the expert help of Access to Finance, but we have also made valuable connections in primary care in Cornwall and have been supported by the University of Plymouth – a collaboration that we hope continues long into the future.”
EPIC works closely with health and care users, workers, and commissioners to identify real-world needs, develop useful solutions and encourage technological developments in health and care.
Currently working with more than 50 unique companies, it offers sector-specific hands-on business support, bespoke academic collaboration, networking events, eHealth contacts and ecosystem, and grants for between £4,000 and £26,500.
Several of its earliest businesses have already moved on to national funding, or have been introduced to like-minded businesses to collaborate both here in the UK and across Europe.
So whether it be robotics or apps, wellbeing or care in the community, it seems the EPIC ideas just keep on flourishing.
Find out more?If you are a business in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly with an eHealth idea or a tech company looking to pivot into eHealth, find out how EPIC can help to grow your business. For further information, email [email protected] or see the website.
