Isla's HSE-Ready Tech is transforming SSI treatment in Ireland

Surgical Site Infection (SSI) imposes a substantial financial burden on European healthcare providers, straining the healthcare system and resulting in avoidable readmissions and prolonged bed occupancy. In response to this challenge, Health Service Executive (HSE) has made fighting Healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) a core priority. Surgical site infections are one of the most common and yet preventable HCAIs, resulting in avoidable readmission, high costs and affecting patient quality of life. NHS Trusts have turned to Isla's secure platform, which has led to a remarkable 60% improvement over traditional methods, reducing the average time required for wound review to just 8 minutes.

Now, through a strategic partnership with a pioneering hospital in Ireland, Isla can support digital pathways in care across Ireland, featuring an extended data-housing infrastructure in compliance with Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) and Clinical Safety Case (CSC) standards across the European Union (EU).

Overcoming compliance obstacles, especially in commercial and insurance sectors, Isla's expert tech team has crafted bespoke coverages to facilitate digital innovation in Ireland, aligning it with the stringent standards set by HSE. The Isla team has worked on establishing interoperability with Cerner, solidifying Isla's commitment to advancing healthcare technology across the European landscape.

More data, Fewer Hospital Visits, Better Outcomes

Isla is working with 33 NHS Trusts, many of whom have contributed to the co-development of the platform, ensuring that it meets the needs of surgical pathways, helping clinical teams reduce incidents of SSI while improving patient experience and clinical efficiency.

At a high level, the platform allows clinicians to capture and remotely request images and structured questionnaires from patients, where clinically appropriate, uses automated remote workflows to allow a continuous flow of data from the patient.

Pathways in action:

Isla has already had an impressive impact on NHS surgical pathways:

• Patients were 8 times less likely to require surgery after readmission at King’s College Hospital, London. On average, a readmission consumes 14.5 bad days and, in the case of Cardiac Surgery, the cost of a readmission is €23,485.

• On Isla, reviewing a surgical site wound takes an average of 8 minutes, which is 60% faster than previous methods.
• Almost 100 kilometres of travel are saved per patient when using Isla’s remote postoperative monitoring pathway.
  

A Consultant from our innovative Irish partnership gave their thoughts on Isla:

“The ISLA system has allowed us to improve our monitoring of complicated wound infections in the hospital, and has the potential to reduce the need for patients to travel in to the hospital for routine follow-up visits if doing well” 

Consultant Microbiologist, Irish Hospital

Three Key Approaches for Enhanced Surgical Pathways

Organisations have harnessed Isla's capabilities in three primary ways to boost efficiency and improve patient outcomes in post-surgical pathways:

• Baseline Imaging: Isla facilitates the capture of pre and post-operative baseline images, enabling clinicians to measure healing against the patient's pre-surgery state.
• Safe Early Discharge: Isla assists in the safe early discharge of patients, with their recovery accurately and securely tracked through updated videos, images, voice notes, and clinical questionnaires.
• Continuous Data Collection: Patients can continuously provide information through automated requests, eliminating the need for face-to-face or video consultations. This approach improves efficiency and allows patients to heal in the comfort of their homes.

Realising the Potential: Case Studies in Different Surgical Pathways

C-section:

Isla is applied in C-sections similar to the cardiac pathway, allowing patients to securely submit photos in real time. These images are accessible to the relevant clinicians across the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) in both Acute and Community settings.

Cardiac Surgery:

In Cardiac Surgery, Isla is employed to capture images of wounds on the wards and at the point of discharge. The platform enables nurses to take a baseline image and complete a wound assessment form. Isla then generates a tailored advice and guidance letter for the patient. Patients receive scheduled SMS links at specific intervals post-discharge, allowing them to submit wound photos. These images are presented to the clinical team in real time, facilitating early detection of infection and wound progress tracking.

IMPACT

• The average time taken to review a wound with Isla is just 8 minutes—a remarkable 60% improvement compared to previous methods.
• During the study 8 infections were found using the Isla pathway, allowing them to be dealt with more quickly than through traditional pathways
• In a study at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital 8 out the 9 SSI infections in the subject group were identified using Isla.
  
  

“It’s exciting to see how valuable Isla is already to our patients and the care we provide, we have a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the impact of early detection in preventing surgical site infections” 

Patient Safety Lead, GSTT

Breast Surgery:

In Breast Surgery, Isla reduces reliance on Medical Photography. Clinicians securely capture pre-op and post-op baseline images using their smartphones, fostering efficient postoperative care. Patients can also send secure photos from home for comparison.

Abdominal Surgery:

At NHS Lothian in Scotland, the Tracking Wound Infection with Smartphone Technology (TWIST) tool was introduced, enabling patients to report symptoms and submit wound photos. The approach demonstrated earlier diagnosis of wound infections and a significant reduction in healthcare service utilisation.

IMPACT

In a randomised controlled trial of 500 patients who underwent abdominal surgery, wound infections were diagnosed earlier, resulting in fewer healthcare service visits and improved patient experience.

Sustainable Impact on Healthcare and the Environment

Beyond improving efficiency and patient outcomes, Isla's implementation has numerous positive ripple effects:

• Reduced travel: On average, Isla helps save 27 kilometres of travel per patient, aligning with the HSE's roadmap by cutting down on carbon emissions and making high-quality care accessible to all.
• Antibiotic stewardship: Reducing SSI instances aligns with HSE’s core priorities to  combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), declared by the World Health Organisation as a top global public health threat.
• Environmental impact: Fewer readmissions and surgeries reduce single-use plastics and chemicals entering water systems, promoting a cleaner environment.

Isla is the epitome of safety and compliance for European healthcare providers, supporting HSE-compliant digital care pathways across Ireland. Our extended data infrastructure adheres rigorously to DPIA and CSC standards, ensuring a secure and safe platform for healthcare innovation.

If the prospect of reducing readmissions, streamlining workflows, and enhancing patient experience resonates with you, we invite you to get in touch with Isla.