Guest digital health blog: Ian Thompson, my mhealth

Foreword by Katie Cheeseman, digital programme manager:
 Despite the holiday season having been upon us, we continue to have some very exciting work going on across the Wessex region including the implementation of myCOPD, an exciting online self management tool mentioned by Simon Stevens in his keynote speech to the annual NHS Confederation Conference in June 2016. To provide more information about myCOPD, I have invited Ian Thompson, Strategic Director from my mhealth Ltd to be our guest author for the latest edition of our digital health blog.

Guest blog: Ian Thompson, my mhealth
myCOPD is an online self-management programme that enables patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to take control of their symptoms seven days-a-week by simply connecting to the internet via their desktop computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone. myCOPD not only provides patients with a variety of functions that go above and beyond existing care provision it also reduces the local variations in COPD care delivery.

Within myCOPD sits a full six-week pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programme created by respiratory physiotherapists. The programme has been developed to significantly increase the reach of PR programmes across the COPD population, by enabling delivery in the patients own home, at a time that suits them. For the first time, PR can be delivered online as either a standalone, or blended programme.

Research has highlighted that approximately 90% of patients with COPD are unable to use their prescribed inhalers correctly, despite the proven benefits. In addition, 90% of health care professionals are unable to teach their patients to use their inhalers correctly! Bearing these statistics in mind, we have been able to demonstrate that resources available on the myCOPD platform have been able to correct 98% of patient’s inhaler technique errors with absolutely no clinical intervention while 95% of patient’s improved their CAT score, which measures the impact their COPD has on their life.

The past year here at my mhealth has flown-by with a lot of success and learning along the way.

We have completed two large, randomised control trials which have further demonstrated the positive impact myCOPD can have on patients; we have been selected to participate in the prestigious NHS Innovation Accelerator programme (NIA); and we have engaged with over 40 CCGs across England to support their implementation of myCOPD making it available to their COPD patient population.

myCOPD provides an opportunity to change the way that healthcare is delivered by enabling COPD patients to manage their own health. Over the last decade technology has revolutionized the way (for example,) we manage our money, go shopping and interact with service providers. In the NHS however, traditional methods of healthcare delivery have witnessed very little change, despite the huge benefits that the use of technology offers.

Bringing technology to patients allows the NHS to scale services, reduce inequalities and ensure that the very best health education and care can be delivered, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information and some videos on how myCOPD can be used please see the website https://mymhealth.com/