Asthma technology company NuvoAir is collaborating with 17 NHS trusts to launch a virtual Asthma Assessment Service designed to increase clinical capacity, reduce time to diagnosis, and provide ongoing remote patient monitoring and management.
NuvoAir’s Assessment Service uses respiratory physiologists and connected, award-winning home monitoring technology, such as the Air Next spirometer to assess lung function variability, and the AOS pMDI sensor to track asthma inhaler usage and technique. Respiratory patients follow their data in the NuvoAir Home app while healthcare teams access assessment reports, gain longitudinal insights, and efficiently address care needs.
Asthma in the UK
May is Asthma Awareness Month and efforts are underway to educate the public on the status of asthma in the UK, where asthma deaths are amongst the worst in Europe.
Uncontrolled asthma results in over 75,000 emergency admissions and 1,000 preventable deaths each year. A recent publication in The Lancet reports, “The UK has the highest asthma mortality rates of high-income countries in younger age groups (aged 5–34 years), the highest asthma admission rates in Europe, and the highest rates of asthma symptoms globally in children. Despite major advancements in asthma management and therapies, and the introduction of care pathways, hospital admission rates continue to be higher than expected, and tragically preventable deaths from asthma still occur in young people.”
Overburdened clinical services mean people with suspected lung disease have to wait too long to be diagnosed. Early in the pandemic, one in three people with lung disease waited longer than six months for a diagnosis. Today, wait times are frequently much longer, delaying needed treatment and triggering emergency hospital care.
Value of the NuvoAir Asthma Assessment Service
Since 2017, NuvoAir has worked with over 40 NHS trusts, enabling NHS services to manage nearly 5,000 respiratory patients. Over 20 clinical studies have demonstrated NuvoAir’s ability to produce high-quality data, obtain high patient satisfaction, and reduce both scheduled and emergency in-hospital care.
Dr. Louise Fleming, honorary paediatric consultant from The Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals shares, “Home spirometry monitoring has been an invaluable tool for children with asthma during the COVID lockdowns. Such has been the success of this initiative that it is now embedded within our service. Looking ahead, there is the potential to improve the diagnosis and monitoring of asthma.”
“There is good evidence that smart inhaler devices can help people with asthma remember to take their medication regularly, leading to better asthma control. The NuvoAir Asthma Service will potentially improve access to this aspect of asthma care for people with asthma, leading to fewer asthma symptoms and attacks,” says Professor Peter Bradding from University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.
“Innovative solutions like NuvoAir offer real potential to transform the way we diagnose and support our patients with asthma and COPD,” notes Dr. Laura Wiffen, Respiratory Research Fellow from Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.
NuvoAir Founder and CEO, Lorenzo Consoli shares, “We are excited to partner with the NHS and forward-looking clinicians to redesign new care pathways for people with asthma. By blending high-touch with high-tech, we are able to help patients get on the right treatment at the right time to prevent asthma exacerbations.”