- The NHS has begun rolling out a new at-home heart monitor, the Philips ePatch, designed to detect heart rhythm problems such as atrial fibrillation, tachycardia, and heart blocks.
- This innovative device is a small, self-adhesive patch that patients can apply themselves at home after receiving it by post, eliminating the need for hospital visits for fitting and removal.
- After being worn for several days, the monitor is posted back, and its collected data is analysed by an AI tool called Cardiologs, which generates reports for medical assessment.
- Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust is the first to implement the ePatch, which is expected to double productivity levels for diagnosing heart rhythm issues and can identify up to 2.5 times more clinically relevant problems than traditional Holter monitors.
- The new system offers greater convenience for patients and staff, reduces turnaround times for results, and helps address the current shortage of trained physiologists.
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