A leading healthcare business has turned to a Kent company to help it deliver a pioneering new project.
O2 Health, part of global digital services provider Telefónica, has awarded the supply chain contract for its new Health at Home service to Sittingbourne-based Carousel Logistics.
Carousel will manage the entire supply chain process for the programme, from providing storage in its secure warehouse facilities through to installing medical monitoring equipment and training patients in its use.
Under the programme, patients with long-term health conditions are supplied with a tablet computer which is connected to the mobile network and pre-loaded with the Health at Home software as well as relevant smart monitoring devices including pulse oximeters, weight scales and blood pressure monitors.
Patients then take regular readings using the smart devices which are sent via Bluetooth to the tablet and forwarded securely to the O2 Health server.
“On receipt of an order we will contact the patient directly, prepare the package according to their individual requirements and run a full quality inspection prior to dispatch,” said Commercial Manager Morton Griffiths.
“We will install and test the equipment in the patient’s home before training them and/or their carer in its correct use.”
The programme, which is being piloted in North Somerset, enables patients to take greater control over their health needs.
By making use of information and communications technology, Health at Home saves patients from having to go to a doctor or hospital for daily tests, allows clinicians to take a more tailored approach to individual patient needs and also frees up health service resources.
“In awarding this contract we needed a provider with a good understanding of the importance of technology, a well trained workforce and the ability to provide the end-user with a truly personalised service,” said O2 Health’s Siobhan Melia, Product Marketing Manager for Health at Home.
“Carousel Logistics exceeded our expectations in all these criteria.”
Morton Griffiths added: “We are delighted to be working with O2 Health in helping make a reality of this new programme.
“It’s a contract which very much reflects our determination to supply a high quality service that makes the very best use of new technology and delivers a bespoke solution to the client, which in this case includes installing a new secure area in our warehouse where returning devices can be data cleansed and sterilised ready for reuse.
“The contract is also a prime example of how a modern, added-value logistics business is so much more than just picking up and delivering packages.”