WIREDGOV

Companies developing the latest technologies to improve healthcare in Wales – ranging from remote monitoring of patients to accessing medical records from a mobile – are set to benefit from a new innovation centre in Swansea.

The centre, which has received £446,002 funding from the Welsh Assembly Government under the EU backed Academic Expertise for Business (A4B) programme, is specialising in E-health – the umbrella term for healthcare practice supported by electronic processes and communication.

This covers a wide area and can include technologies to help the elderly remain in their own homes rather than move into care homes; monitoring support to enable people manage health conditions like diabetes.

It can involve developing mobile solutions for GP and nurses visiting patients in their homes; remote diagnosis of conditions through telemedicine and the development of clinical information systems.

Products and services developed for the E-health sector can involve complex system and data integration challenges that require research and sophisticated technologies.

The new E-Health Industries Innovation (EHi2) Centre for Wales based at Swansea University’s Medical School will be able to offer companies access to a unique combination of clinical, software and systems development, NHS data, clinical trials and evaluation expertise.

It will provide companies with a range of support to develop, test and validate new products and services to satisfy the demands of the NHS and clinical users

EHi2 is the first centre in the UK to offer this level of support.

Funded through the Welsh Assembly Government’s Academic Expertise for Business (A4B) programme, this EU supported initiative is designed to stimulate collaboration between academic centres and industry to develop and commercialise new products, processes and services.

Lesley Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Science, Innovation and Skills, said:

“Our investment in this Centre will support businesses across Wales to target what is a rapidly expanding global market.

“It gives Welsh companies a competitive edge creating significant growth and employment opportunities while also developing innovative products and technologies to improve healthcare.

“We have a raft of expertise and world class facilities in our Universities and FE colleges and it is vital they work in partnership with industry to ensure companies are in a position to maximise every business opportunity as it arises.”

The EHi2 Centre will provide access to Swansea’s Health Informatics Research Laboratories that have the latest information communications technologies needed to deliver a range of health care products and services.

The labs can also recreate any number of healthcare scenarios for testing products and services - such as a patient’s home; GP and hospital reception areas and consulting rooms; hospital wards; telecare and out of hours centres.

The simulation area is capable of running multiple systems over a number of networks, has access to real healthcare software systems, which can be used for trials.

David Ford, Director at Swansea University’s School of Medicine said EHi2 represents a unique, sustainable and commercially valuable asset to the Welsh economy, building on the significant public-private investment already made at Swansea’s Institute of Life Science.

“Funding from the Assembly Government means Welsh companies will have access to the facilities, systems, databases and expertise that we have in Swansea.

“We can help them create the evidence they need to prove their products are clinically and cost effective, and verify that their products or services can work alongside others in complex healthcare environments.

“The new Centre is unique in its ability to support substantial advancement in this area providing an opportunity for Wales to become an international focus for the e-health sector.

“E-Health is a multi-billion pound, high growth, high technology global market, with massive opportunities for companies that have well designed, tested and evaluated products and services. ”

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Academic Expertise for Business