NHS Spirometry Support Project: An Update on the Advancements

Leuven, Belgium, Tuesday, June 21, 2022 – One year ago ArtiQ was announced as one of the 38 organizations to receive funding following a successful application in the latest round of the Artificial Intelligence in Health and Care Award.

The Award gave ArtiQ the means to investigate the real-world implementation of its software into primary care spirometry pathways, taking the technology one step closer to being used in the NHS to benefit patients across the UK.

Since the announcement, some crucial milestones in this project have been reached. And it is, therefore, a good time to inform the public about these advancements.

ArtiQ has been working on the technical integration of its AI-powered software within the software of two spirometers. At this moment two spirometer manufacturers, Vitalograph and Medchip Solutions, have worked together with the ArtiQ team and successfully made the technical integration within their software. As from their last updates, the Vitalograph Pneumotrac spirometer and the Numed SpiroConnect spirometer have access to the ArtiQ AI-powered software for participants of the project.

Following this successful integration, a small delegation of ArtiQ traveled to London in order to set up the first installation in Hillingdon and discuss the next steps of the project. The installation went very smoothly and all parties involved are looking forward to the next steps in this journey together

About the project:

The project will support spirometry services in primary care networks across Hillingdon (Northwest London), Leicester/Leicestershire/Rutland, and West Hampshire. Approximately 250 GP practices and two million patients will have access to spirometry supported by ArtiQ’s AI software. The project consortium, led by ArtiQ and Dr. William Man, consultant chest physician at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, expects patients in these regions to be diagnosed with respiratory diseases (such as asthma, COPD and ILD) earlier with fewer tests and referrals to hospitals, and with improved treatments and well-being. For the NHS, this project will demonstrate the health service improvement and the cost savings possible by supporting primary care spirometry with this AI-powered software.

The AI Award is one of the programs that make up the NHS AI Lab, led by NHSX and delivered in partnership with the Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The Award aims to increase the impact of AI-driven technologies to help solve clinical and operational challenges across the NHS and care settings. It will speed up the most promising technologies through the regulatory process by building an evidence base to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of AI-driven technologies in health and social care.

About the involved parties:

ArtiQ is a young, dynamic, and innovative spin-off company of the University of Leuven (Belgium). The company was founded in early 2019 based on extensive experience in respiratory medicine, medical devices, and artificial intelligence. ArtiQ’s mission is to empower medical professionals with artificial intelligence to accurately and timely diagnose, treat and follow up patients with lung diseases.

Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals are one of the world leaders in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of lung disease. The hospitals have one of the world’s largest lung disease patient populations, and as a leading European respiratory research center, has pioneered research that has set national standards for treatment in collaboration with its partner, the National Heart and Lung Institute. Dr Man’s research team is based primarily at Harefield Hospital.

NHSX is a joint unit of teams from the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England and Improvement, driving forward the digital transformation of health and social care.

The Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) is a unique partnership between patient groups, government bodies, industry and NHS bodies, working together to streamline the adoption of new innovations in healthcare.

The National Institute for Health and Research (NIHR) provides the people, facilities, and technology that enable research to thrive.