A physiotherapy company specialising in the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions has won the Rehabilitation First provider initiative of the year award for its ‘one-stop shop’ healthcare app.
The award winning team (left to right) clinical lead of occupational health/physio Ashley James, clinical operations manager and physio Joe Head, head of service delivery Emily Woods, chief executive Martyn Jackson and commercial director and physio Marc Holl
IPRS Health, which is based in Little Blakenham in Suffolk, employs more than 70 physios and receives around 4,000 referrals a month, many dealt with by telephone triage. Its mobile phone and tablet app provides a wide mix of physiotherapy and related healthcare support in digital form.
Physio Joe Head was one of the first cohorts to take part in the CSP's leadership development programme (LDP) and this formed the work-based project he had to complete as part of the course.
The device includes a secure self-help and education website as well as tailored video exercise regimes, instant messaging, blogs and webinars.
It also offers a visual triage service which enables clinicians to see their patient and make a detailed on-the-spot assessment of their condition. They can then send patients tailored video exercises and check on screen they are being followed correctly.
Physios leading the way
The app has been available for the last year and has already been used by more than 3,000 patients and generated over 4,000 unique exercise programmes. One four-week back pain programme saw a 30 per cent improvement in symptoms.
Mr Head, clinical operations manager at IPRS Health, says the device was a natural response to some of the challenges the company was facing and offered a chance to get ahead of the game. ‘For me it’s really exciting that physios have the opportunity to lead the way in self-help,’ he said.
‘It’s led us to become more patient-focused and to deliver more in the way the patient wants it. Before we just had one method of communication. This just gives us multi-mediums to get our message across and encourage self-management.’
He has no doubt that digital technology will increasingly become the norm in health care over the next decade. ‘Using online and digital health platforms is where we will be going as a profession.’
Stuart Palma, head of the CSP programme, said he was thrilled at the news. 'This is a fantastic demonstration of the impact the CSP's LDP is already having, by supporting members to innovate and improve healthcare services and systems at scale.
'The programme provides key learning, not only on self-awareness and values, but the theory and application of important tools and frameworks for leading service and quality improvement initiatives.'
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