Three digital health companies join forces to enable GP video sharing

Three digital healthcare companies have joined forces to allow GPs to easily share health information with patients following an online consultation.

Cognitant Group, eConsult Health and HCI have co-developed an easy way for patients to receive accredited healthcare videos from their GPs.

The service aims to improve how patients receive post-consultation information. Up to 27 million patients will have access to GP-approved videos covering a wide variety of health topics such as maternity, diabetes, contraception, COPD and asthma.

The collaboration will enable GPs using eConsult – about 3,200 surgeries – to search and prescribe a range of health and care videos and other information by condition or symptom in the search bar of Healthinote.

HCI’s extensive health and care video library contains more than 600 easy to understand videos. A GP will simply select their video of choice and then send it via email to their patient.

Dr Murray Ellender, NHS GP and chief executive of eConsult Health, said: “Creating a connected, easily accessible healthcare system is key to ensuring patients receive the best care possible.

“At eConsult Health, we believe that collaborating with best in breed partners can help achieve this goal, which is why we’re delighted to have worked with HCI and Cognitant Group on the integration of the health and care video library into the eConsult platform.”

Richard Wyatt-Haines, drector of HCI, added: “This partnership arms GPs with clinically assured resources and enables accessible health information to be delivered and prescribed to patients at the appropriate point of the care journey to empower them with the information required to self-manage.

“This collaboration reflects our desire to work with companies that share our vision and commitment to enhance a patient’s digital experience, improve their confidence in self-management and ultimately remove unnecessary face to face appointments and pressure on the health system.”

A recent NHSX survey, conducted in conjunction with the national health and care video library, found 67.7% of patients said that the videos they watched saved them the need for further contact with a healthcare professional.

eConsult Health’s research found that more than 70% of requests are closed without the need for a face-to-face appointment, resulting in a reduction of unnecessary surgery visits and saving GPs time.

Dr Tim Ringrose, chief executive of Cognitant Group, developers of Healthinote, said: “We are helping GPs share approved, easy to understand and accessible content with their patients.  With so much information in the public domain, patients and carers need to be able to access approved, relevant and clear information and content which can be trusted.

“We are delighted that this collaboration will further our collective mission to drive better patient care, understanding and health outcomes.”