Innovation Pilot Summary Report – Saving Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME)

Summary
CheckUp Health (CheckUp) is a remote monitoring app that facilitates regular monitoring of health at home. Our original target market was sufferers of High Blood Pressure (HBP) and Type 2 Diabetes in the United Kingdom’s Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) population, who are at high risk if Covid-19 is contracted. Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic people are much more likely to suffer from HBP/T2D. T2D/HBP increase the risk of severe Covid-19 infection in BAME patients and increase the risk of death by 10%-50% (PHE, 2020). Access to the NHS by this patient group during the pandemic has been 20% lower.

Through a highly competitive national process, CheckUp Health obtained £43139 of UK Government support through Innovate UK’s Sustainable Innovation Fund. The financial award facilitated the design and build of the remote monitoring modules required for the CheckUp app. It also supported the collaboration of a diverse team of healthcare professionals from clinical practice, software engineering and project delivery.

During a trial between January to March 2021, through the project, only targeted 70 patients; 545 patients from different UK locations used the CheckUp app and remote monitoring equipment. BAME HBP/T2D patients successfully self-monitored their HBP/T2D symptoms, reporting digitally to their designated healthcare professional throughout the pandemic. CheckUp Health Clinician monitored the data as it came through the dashboard. If patient data uploaded was abnormal or indicated a problem, it triggered an alert action taken by CheckUp Health clinician who would contact the patient to offer support and or signpost them to their GP for intervention.

The trial indicated a number of impacts:

• Reduction in the number of GP appointments required by 60 % for BAME HBP/T2D patients that were monitored.
• An estimated saving of £90 per patient assuming the patient would need to visit GP once a month at a cost of £30 per appointment over three months.
• Reduction in the exposure of BAME HBP/T2D sufferers to the risks associated with Covid-19.

The Flame Lily has now opened the CheckUp Health FREE monitor health at home services to a wider population who may desire to remotely monitor their HBP/T2D.

Summary of finding herewith some of the benefits:

70% appreciated the simplicity of the easy-to-use devices given to them.

30% had challenges with the appreciation of technology and usage.

98% of the 70 patients surveyed said this service reduced their need to go to GP.

100% said the service was convenient and reduced exposure to COVID_19.

100% felt they could trust the service as it was delivered by a team who understood their language and needs and felt that personalized approach made a real difference.

100% felt they would want the service to continue.

98% said they would recommend it to others.

100% felt that the process used to recruit them to deliver the service was safe, personal and efficient.Some patient testimonials are found here: checkuphealth.co.uk/monitor-health-at-home-uk/

Language- (Use of the term BAME, which is frequently used to group all ethnic minorities together, is no longer helpful. Use of this term became a barrier to adoption Feedback we got from other individuals and organisations was that “It is demeaning to be categorised in relation to what we are not, rather than what we are: British Indian, British Caribbean and so on. We have updated some of our wording following the project to “Ethnic Minority and Racially Diverse group”, but this will require further work and guidance from policymakers and different groups.

Media Coverage

Multiple press articles were published on the following platforms.

1. https://eminetra.co.uk/remote-monitoring-save-the-lives-of-blacks-asians-and-ethnic-minorities-since-covid-19/238433/?amp=1
2. https://healthcare-newsdesk.co.uk/remote-monitoring-saving-black-asian-and-minority-ethnic-lives-during-covid-19-and-beyond/
3. https://mashupmd.com/remote-monitoring-saving-black-asian-and-minority-ethnic-lives/
4. https://www.healthtechdigital.com/remote-monitoring-saving-black-asian-and-minority-ethnic-lives/
5. https://thejournalofmhealth.com/remote-monitoring-saving-black-asian-and-minority-ethnic-lives-during-covid-19-and-beyond/
6. https://publicpolicyprojects.com/newsdit-article/5016cb8679568f5567bf8132325040d0/
7. Digital Healthcare Council- Link on FB https://pressroom.journolink.com/the-flame-lily-health/release/remote_monitoring__saving_black_asian_and_minority_ethnic_lives_during_covid19_and_beyond_8449