Macusoft

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NHS problem

Preventing avoidable sight-loss: 237M people globally suffer from Macular Degeneration, the most common cause of certifiable visual impairment in the developed world. It is estimated at least a quarter of a million older adults in the UK alone suffer from blindness due to the condition.

1.8M people suffer from the condition in the UK, a figure projected to rise by a third by 2020. This currently accounts for a staggering 5% of the NHS’s 125M outpatient appointments and costs the NHS £1BN per annum.

Timely access to treatment is paramount for avoidance of severe vision loss: Maintenance of vision requires lifelong monitoring and treatment for successful long-term control of the disease. Timely initiation of treatment and ongoing regular monitoring are required to assess disease activity and adjust treatment intensity. Failure of services to deliver this can lead to permanent and irrecoverable loss of vision.

Studies identified that many centres don’t have adequate capacity to meet the demand. This is causing delays in both follow-up and treatment and has a negative impact on visual outcomes.

The solution

MacuSense is a digital cloud solution that streamlines and simplifies clinical decision-making for macular diseases. It improves in-clinic efficiency and enables the expansion of clinical resources by task shifting, while also supporting emerging models of care such as out-of-hospital virtual clinics.

Cases of sight impairment are reduced by personalised treatment plans, and patient relationship management ensures patients understand their condition and are in control of its clinical management and self-care options.

Impact

  • Automation reduces diagnostic analysis and disease management costs, amounting to £0.5M or 5% for the average NHS trust
  • Improved clinic efficiency delivers an additional 15% of outpatient capacity to meet rapidly growing demand
  • Simplified clinical decision support enables a non-medical workforce to be mobilised, augmenting limited clinical resources for service delivery
  • Cloud architecture supports virtual clinics and locally delivered place-based care while maintaining centralised control across health systems
  • Macusoft’s MacuSense product is currently being trialled in Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust