NIA company Nervecentre launches mobile clinical photography solution

NHS Innovation Accelerator company, Nervecentre, has launched a mobile clinical photography solution for nurses and doctors in hospitals. Soon to be used by staff at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), the solution will be embedded into every part of the patient pathway.

Fully integrated directly into the patient record, the mobile software promises to be completely secure, compliant with clinical and information governance. The Nervecentre solution only allows photos to be captured within the patient record, securely storing them immediately after they have been taken. The photos are then efficiently organised and categorised in an intuitive photo library on the chosen patient’s record.

Use of clinical photography in hospitals has a variety of important uses to assist in the diagnosis and monitoring of wounds. Clinical photography also supports NICE guidelines (CG179) for assessment and management of pressure ulcers. Speciality referrals including burns plastics tissue viability will be fast-tracked and remotely accessible with the use of the digital photography care record.  An additional key benefit of clinical photography is for evidence to support patient incidents or litigation.

Caron Swinscoe, Chief Nurse Health Informatics and Head of Clinical Engagement at NUH, commented:  “With every nurse and doctor carrying a mobile device, smart-phones are set to revolutionise how clinical photography is used. With the appropriate permissions, a clinician can view photos anywhere, on a mobile device, on a large screen for a board round, and are always integrated into the patient record, forming an integral part of the patient’s care plan.”

Paul Volkaerts, CEO of Nervecentre Software, said: “Enabling clinical photography to be done by all nurses and doctors, and integrating those photos directly into the patient record has a transformational effect on patient care. Once you have real-time images incorporated in a board round, it’s hard to understand working without them.”

Nervecentre is one of 17 companies selected for the 2015/16 NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA). The NIA, now in its second year, supports some of the best healthcare innovators with evidence-based innovations to help improve health outcomes and give patients access to the latest products, services and technology at lower cost. The NIA is an NHS England initiative hosted by UCLPartners in partnership with the country’s 15 Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs). Outcomes to date include 17 Fellows with tried and tested innovations participating in the programme, generation of almost £17millon in funding, and 345 additional NHS providers and commissioners now using the NIA innovations.

For more information about Nervecentre visit www.nervecentresoftware.com