my mhealth Limited

Web-based COPD self-management programme Empowering patients to manage their COPD for a lifetime

Competition 5 - Improving outcomes of patients with COPD through better long term and self-management of the disease

In England there are 15.4m (source: NHS) people with a long-term condition and an increasing number have multiple conditions. People with long term conditions use a significant proportion of health care services (50% of all GP appointments and 70% of days spent in hospital beds), and their care absorbs 70% of hospital and primary care budgets in England.

COPD is a progressive and (currently) incurable disease, but with the right diagnosis and treatment, there are many things patients can do to manage their COPD and breathe better. With the right training and support, people can live for many years with COPD and enjoy life. However, using inhalers effectively isn’t easy. One study of COPD patients revealed that many people exhibited at least two critical errors in inhaler technique.

My mHealth developed a web-based COPD self-management programme “myCOPD” which provides the necessary information, education, support and communications to give patients greater control over their disease. From perfecting inhaler technique using videos, receiving best practice advice from world experts, and a complete online pulmonary rehabilitation course, myCOPD aims to deliver world class COPD care.

Educational topics covered for COPD include articles on the anatomy of the lung, smoking cessation and exercise, breathlessness, medication and treatment, nutrition, traveling with COPD and benefits entitlement. The online portal includes more than 100 hours of educational content as well as having a clinical interface which lets healthcare professionals safely manage patients’ needs.

The education courses and the online content are readily available and have been translated into 20 languages including Polish, Chinese and Hindi. Studies have shown that once people had access to myCOPD, 98% of inhaler errors were corrected without the need for any other clinical intervention.

Using myCOPD, patients have more control over their symptoms which can reduce the number of visits to a GP or hospital and improve their condition. There is an expert patient community online where knowledge and advice are shared. In many cases the technology has transformed people’s lives. Many sufferers who were housebound have seen a big improvement in their quality of life. One patient is now able to go swimming because she has improved her inhaler technique.

“People want to manage their experiences regardless of disease. The transformation of a patient’s life can come from using myCOPD. The programme’s simple layout means a patient can assess their symptoms and make decisions on medication use to prevent respiratory crises. Information is shared with a GP who can decide whether someone needs to be seen.”

Juliet Bauer, Director of Digital Experience for NHS England

My mHealth are leaders in the development of web app mobile self-management platforms across a range of long-term conditions for patients in clinic, remotely and at population level. The company creates engaging, interactive, evidence based digital platforms for patients that can be used on almost any device. From smart phones to smart TVs, the user experiences a unique, customised, and personalised experience.

The company was awarded just over £1M by SBRI Healthcare in 2014 to develop my COPD. My mHealth has since launched further applications including myDiabetes in July 2016 and similar products for Asthma and Heart Disease.

Their leading product myCOPD, (which has been shown to correct 98% of inhaler errors) is part of NHS England’s NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA) program and the first app approved for the Innovation Technology Tariff (ITT) enabling providers to purchase the app for free for a set period. It is currently being used in more than 75 CCG areas.

“The internet is used by patients as part of their everyday lives and they are using apps to improve their lifestyle and manage their medication.”

Simon Bourne, CEO, My mHealth

myCOPD is a leading example of the growing trend towards digitally enabled patient care. Patients who self-manage effectively can experience better health while making considerably reduced demands on public health and community services.

Given the increasing pressures on the NHS’ limited financial and human resources, apps like myCOPD (and other apps within My mHealth’s product portfolio) make a significant positive impact by improving patient wellbeing, reducing healthcare costs and creating jobs within the digital economy.

The benefits estimated to date is based on the results from myCOPD implementations at 3 CCGs, covering a population of 32,000 across Scotland and the north west of England. The mean average savings were estimated as £123.33 per patient per year, which included savings due to a reduction in acute admissions for severe patients of between £200,000 and £300,000 a year per CCG. Overall, if 50,000 licenses are enabled, annual recurring savings would amount to over £6 million (*PA Consulting 2018 Report ‘A review of the benefits of the SBRI Healthcare programme’).