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Health Tech Weekly Round Up: 26 April

In this health tech round up, we take a look at CMR Surgical’s latest efforts to revolutionise surgery via surgical robotics; the expansion of Google Fit as it integrates with Apple; NuvoAir’s latest funding round of $3M for its digital therapeutics software platform; and the digital future of the NHS, including its integration with Babylon Health’s GP at Hand and recent partnership with GS1 UK.

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Google Fit comes to iPhones as standalone app

The standalone app, Google Fit, is now available on iPhones on iOS. The app is currently available on Android but will allow Apple users to access the free exercise and heart health tracking platform. The app can utilise devices and services that connect to Apple Health such as Sleep Cycle, Nike Run Club, Headspace and the Apple Watch. Google Fit focuses on two main activity goals, ‘Move Minutes’ and ‘Heart Points’.

NuvoAir raises $3M to help patients monitor respiratory diseases using AI

A new digital therapeutics startup, NuvoAir, has closed a financing round of $3M for its digital therapeutics software platform, Aria. NuvoAir aims to make respiratory diseases measurable and more treatable via its software, which is able to send patients’ personalised healthcare suggestions based on their condition. Lorenzo Consoli, CEO of NuvoAir, said, “This investment and partnership can significantly advance our focus on digital therapeutics and bring to market new smart devices to help patients manage their condition while improving physicians’ clinical decisions.”

Babylon Health director of NHS services plans ambitious UK expansion

Babylon Health, best known for its GP at Hand app that offers patients AI-powered diagnoses and online consultations, has plans for further expansion into Birmingham. Despite recent concerns surrounding the use of the technology within the NHS, Paul Bate, Babylon’s director of NHS services maintains that the system is designed to assist, rather than replace doctor-patient interaction, noting that: “It’s digital first, not digital only.” Health secretary Matt Hancock has also endorsed GP at Hand, describing it as a “revolutionary” service.

NHS Digital enters five-year partnership with GS1 UK

NHS Digital has entered a five-year partnership that sees every NHS acute trust in England using GS1 UK standards under the Department of Health and Social Care’s e-procurement strategy. The standards offer consistency across the board and reduce clinical variations. Gary Lynch, chief executive at GS1 UK, commented: “The NHS long-term plan clearly sets out its commitment to increasing the use of technology to improve standards of care and this partnership is clear evidence of it making good on that promise”.

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