World famous Essex heart centre up for national award
February is National Heart Month and a team that has helped improve the lives of over 340 patients has been shortlisted for a Global Cardiovascular Award.
The team at the world-renowned Essex Cardiothoracic Centre (CTC), part of Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, measure hundreds of patients’ heart rhythms remotely through an app and help them avoid regular visits to hospital for monitoring.
Shortlisted in the Digital Innovation category, the app – called Fibricheck - helps with early detection of irregular heart rhythms in patients, meaning they can get help and expert advice much sooner.
Using light, Fibricheck measures blood flow in the patient's finger, accurately tracking variations in heart rate to identify potential complications. The recorded data is shared with hospital staff, allowing them to offer guidance or propose medication changes, all from the comfort of the person’s home.
Sharon Toora, Lead Arrhythmia Nurse Specialist at the Trust, said: “We are incredibly proud of the nomination which reflects our organisation's commitment to digital innovation. It recognises the outstanding work undertaken by the Arrhythmia team in transforming and improving healthcare delivery for arrhythmia patients in Essex.”
Winners will be announced in March.