Inhealthcare teams up with MSKassist to combat problems related to obesity and aging

Inhealthcare has joined forces with MSKassist, a new app to help doctors and physiotherapists combat the growing problems associated with obesity, physical inactivity and an ageing UK population.

chief executive Bryn Sage

Musculoskeletal conditions affecting bones, joints, muscles and the spine cost the NHS an estimated £5 billion and result in more than 100 million appointments every year in England.

MSKnote, a Sussex-based company, has developed a new digital service to help educate patients about the importance of self-managing their long-term complaints.

Designed by experts with extensive experience in treating MSK conditions, the service helps doctors to provide patients with the information that was discussed in their appointment through a personalized print-out and dedicated mobile app.

The information, presented in engaging text and video format, helps patients to remember their personal treatment plans and follow them more effectively.

Research has revealed that between 40-80 per cent of discussions with clinicians are instantly forgotten, making it much more likely that treatment plans are incorrectly implemented.

Patients can use the app to access further information, attend non-medical health services, record their progress and allow remote reviews by doctors and physiotherapists.

SBRI Healthcare, an NHS England initiative, has helped fund the MSKassist platform, app and web portal with a grant of nearly £900,000.

The service goes live this summer for patients attending GP and physiotherapy clinics in the Coastal West Sussex NHS CCG region.

Inhealthcare, the Yorkshire-based digital health specialist, is using its national healthcare platform to provide the vital link between MSKassist users and the NHS.

Cathal Malone, company director at MSKnote, said:

I know from my years of experience in treating MSK patients how debilitating these conditions can be.

Giving people the right tools to truly engage them in managing their own health will drive the digital revolution in healthcare.

We believe MSKassist will result in fewer follow-up appointments and fewer referrals to musculoskeletal services.

We aim to reduce appointment numbers by 30 per cent, which could save the UK economy £45m a year.

Bryn Sage, chief executive of Inhealthcare, said:

We are proud to be working with MSKnote to help bring relief to people suffering from bone, joint, muscle and spinal problems.

Inhealthcare has created a national healthcare platform that supports the remote monitoring of the entire UK population.

We are the infrastructure that supports digital innovation in the NHS.