Trustedoctor: What we’re doing to support patients during COVID-19

Lukasz Rzeczkowski, one of the original founders of Accelerator alumnus Trustedoctor and chief development officer responsible for development of the medical network and institutional partnerships, gives us an update on what Trustedoctor is doing to support patients during the current COVID-19 crisis…

Trustedoctor is a specialised healthcare service and virtual platform which was designed with the help of world leading specialist doctors following one of our founder’s own experiences of seeking cancer treatment. The platform offers access to specialists via video consultations in multiple specialist areas including cancer (both oncology and surgery), cardiology, orthopaedics and gastroenterology. The technology is being used by individual doctors across 10 countries, NHS Private Patient Units as well as private hospital chains. Unlike simply video conferencing for medicine, Trustedoctor is GDPR, HIPPA and ICO compliant and follows security and information governance protocols. The platform allows for secure transfer and sharing of medical records, which can then be used by specialists during the video call for more interactive discussions.

Our successes so far:

The Trustedoctor platform is about to be adopted by a few prominent hospitals in London (to be announced soon). In March alone we tripled the number of doctors using our service and we have patients from over 85 countries accessing our platform for video consultations and second medical opinions as well as post-surgical follow-ups. We have expanded to a few new countries including Poland, where they were showcased in multiple mainstream media (both online newspapers and the TV news). 

Last week alone, we have included in our network global key opinion leaders in orthopaedic surgery from the US, Canada, France, Denmark and India, who are also looking to adopt the platform. We have recently featured in the International Medical Travel Journal and we have been accepted to the prestigious Mayor of London International Business Programme.

Our goal is to become a standard for video consultation in specialised medicine and we strive to create an extensive international network of doctors that are digitally available.

Our COVID-19 response:

Whilst the NHS focuses on fighting COVID-19, most non-urgent surgeries and treatment are being postponed. We make sure all the patients with chronic and complex conditions are able to reach and stay in touch with the preferred specialists. Those patients whilst at home are looking for reassurance and guidance in these challenging times. We are now helping patients across all specialist areas including oncology, cardiology, gastroenterology, diabetes and orthopaedics, both in London and across the UK, to connect with consultants. The platform allows for self-pay or insured patients to continue their consultation as if they were done physically. From initially focusing on second medical opinions and complex cases we are now running the entire clinics with back-to-back video consultations.

We are also trying to give back wherever we can. In the UK, we are creating a separate webpage with selected physicians including respiratory physicians, who will be digitally available. In Poland we are supporting a network of mental health professionals, who provide free counselling to the frontline healthcare staff.

Former president of the British Thyroid Association, Dr Mark Vanderpump, who has been using the Trustedoctor platform said: “The online service is proving particularly welcome during this time of anxiety about travelling while the Coronavirus is amongst us. Access to timely and expert medical advice is key to overall patient wellness but this can be a challenge if you are unwell, have tricky transport links or live in a different country to your preferred consultant.

“This was one of the main drivers for offering a secure and easy to use e-consulting platform for my patients. It has transformed the ability to advise anyone who doesn’t actually require a physical examination and patients have responded very well to this new technology.”

Working with DigitalHealth.London:

The DigitalHealth.London programme has been very helpful in our development. It has given us a thorough understanding of the opportunities within the NHS and beyond. Our health navigator, Dr Ashish Chokshi was instrumental in opening the doors to one of the NHS Private Patient Units in London, where we are looking to make a positive impact in light of COVID-19. The events and workshops helped us to shape our proposition. For instance, we had a chance to showcase Trustedoctor at a Healthtech Dragons Den event at the Royal Marsden Hospital, where we presented our technology and our international cancer network of specialists. I would recommend the programme to all digital health entrepreneurs in the UK.