FEATURE ARTICLES

Artificial intelligence-powered cardiovascular diagnostic systems are currently entering the market, with promises to improve both patient outcomes and the wellbeing of clinicians. Ross Upton, the founder of Ultromics, provides an insight into how AI could alleviate stress and burnout for clinicians operating within cardiology.

Contaminated flexible endoscopes are medical devices which may be associated with outbreaks of healthcare-associated infection.1 To minimise this risk, effective cleaning and disinfection of flexible endoscopes must be undertaken. Dr Tim Sandle explains why, for this process to be effective, several steps need to be followed in a controlled manner.

SHOT laboratory incident specialist Victoria Tuckley summarises the 2018 Annual Report, and highlights how to create safer transfusion practices, a more satisfactory working environment and improved patient safety

Kate Woodhead RGN DMS provides an insight into the importance of optimal nutritional management of patients undergoing surgery and how this can lead to improved outcomes.

With the build enabled by business development funds from the city council and fitted out with leased equipment, the new and impressive sterile services department at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is an exemplar of best practice and marks both a career high and a swansong for one of its creators.

The Clinical Services Journal provides an overview of the latest insights into the state of care in the UK – from performance in emergency medicine and cancer care, to inpatient mental health and learning disability services. According to the CQC, pressures are being felt across all health and care settings…

Economic analysts for the Health Foundation have demonstrated just how far behind the UK has fallen in terms of healthcare spending. With this in mind, will promises of extra funding be enough to put the NHS back on track?

The Central Sterilising Club annual study day took place on 16 September at the Nottingham Belfry. In the first of two reviews, The Clinical Services Journal reviews the highlights from a day that explored the essentials of medical device decontamination.

A campaign to raise awareness of sepsis in Scotland, combined with the introduction of the latest technology in microbiology, has had a positive impact on the speed of clinical intervention and potential outcomes, as Janet Young, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, explains.

A medical device is changing the way physical therapy is delivered, using a new approach to turn traditional physical and cognitive exercises into clinically-built interactive ‘exergames’. The Clinical Services Journal spoke to co-founder and CEO of MIRA Rehab, Cosmin Mihaiu, to find out more.

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Stago UK have collaborated in a joint interventional study to reduce blood transfusion costs while ensuring patient safety for those undergoing cardiac surgery.

Patient Safety Learning used its second annual conference to launch ‘The Hub’ and to issue a call for action on patient safety; with inspiring and practical presentations on strategies to tackle some of the most pressing issues.

When reprocessing surgical instruments, material compatibility is important, and so is cleaning efficacy.

Nadine Miles, director of market development at Spirit Health explores how to increase the uptake of structured diabetes education programmes among Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) patients.

Almost a decade since sharps legislation was passed in Europe and the US, compliance still has a way to go to reach mandatory legal requirements in hospitals - and even more so in non-hospital locations.

The Clinical Services Journalexamines how Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is completing the Trust-wide installation of endoscope washer-disinfectors.

For more than 100 years Chemische Fabrik Dr Weigert has been atthe forefront of innovation in the cleaning and disinfection market, setting high standards in hygiene in the medical, laboratory, food and pharmaceutical industries. The CSJ discovers how the organisation is addressing environmental issues.

NHS Digital is working with the University of Oxford, Microsoft and IBM to develop a hub that aims to revolutionise the way in which clinical trials are delivered – providing foundation services to determine whether a clinical trial is feasible, and to support better planning and delivery of clinical trials in the UK

James Hayward, principal analyst at IDTechEx, highlights the dangers of a closed market driven by regulation and reimbursement strategies which favour devices for simplicity and cost rather than effectiveness; deterring new entrants.

Equipping radiologists with software developed using machine-learning algorithms has led to significantly more cancerous structures or nodules being detected than via human-only readings in clinical studies. Daniel Drieling MeVis Medical Solutions examines the increasingly important support role of artificial intelligence