Since the start of the pandemic, health services in the United Kingdom have transformed. So far, all non-essential appointments have been canceled, and most face-to-face communication’s seen a reduction, too. This has prompted most health professionals on the front lines to take advantage of free UC&C tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Avaya Spaces, and more, to maintain a sense of normalcy.
CPaaS leader Twilio recently announced a partnership with Nye Health, a free remote communications platform that connects patients with general physicians over the telephone and via video. The app and browser-based solution recently scaled from one region in the UK, newly rolling out nationwide in a matter of weeks with the help of Twilio’s programmable video and phone APIs.
It now connects over 10 million UK patients with their general physicians, and the platform is growing at a rate of 200 percent per week, a spokesperson told me. I was also told that the Nye Phone is National Health Service-compliant. The Nye Phone enables physicians in the surgery department of hospitals and hospice providers to hold secure remote consultations with patients along with letting family members connect with loved ones in isolation.
According to a Twilio spokesperson, the solution is designed by doctors, engineers, and scientists, to ensure it remains functional so healthcare workers can continue to care for patients throughout the crisis. Compatible with any device, Twilio and Nye’s collaborative phone can route calls as well as hide a medical worker’s real telephone number in the name of privacy and security, another beneficial characteristic. Founder, CEO of Nye Health, Dr. Alexander Finlayson, told UC Today:
“Our mission is to leverage technology to help doctors and nurses continue to care for their patients in a way that is safe and effective”
“A clinician’s time is now more crucial than ever, so our platform saves, not strains, this invaluable resource”
Security is always a concern, and I learned that the platform’s encrypted in addition to being up-to-code with current NHS digital standards, capable of integration with existing NHS systems. Moving forward, such a tool will remain valuable to those on the front lines, especially as we learn more about the novel Coronavirus and how to treat it.
Founder and CEO, Kara Connect, Thorbjorg Vigfusdóttir, knows a thing or two about security in healthcare. The online consultation platform connects therapists and healthcare professionals with patients. She told me, “Professionals have a duty of care for their clients and so to do the IT departments that support them.”
Soon, the number of deaths caused by COVID-19 in the UK will likely surpass that of Italy. Social distancing could, thus, last longer than planned. As of Sunday, the UK saw 28,520 deaths, traceable back to the virus, which sits under Italy’s 28,884, according to Johns Hopkins University. All this could prove the critical nature of such communications systems, especially during times of crisis where companies have the potential to do some good. Setting up and offering free software to save lives and connect loved ones with those in isolation is a great start.
Want to find out about more companies doing just this? Check out our comprehensive list of companies offering free UC&C software to connect employees, front line workers, and loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. Who would have eve thought such tools would one day become mission-critical for so many as we continue to fight this silent war?
