Investing in the New Reality

EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES | BDO LLP

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29 EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES | BDO LLP

elements of AI in some of the partner technologies too, for example in the use of wearable apps for remote monitoring in care home settings. ‘As a sector, we’ve leapt forward five years in terms of technology in the last few months,’ says Przybek. ‘Things like video consultations rarely occurred in the NHS. Whereas now forecasts suggest that more than half of GP appointments will be remote in future. Now the tech is proving this can work, and the levels of scale and mass adoption are really good news for the industry. There are so many more efficiencies that the NHS and employers can make. ‘Employers now realise that it’s essential that they look after their people now in the workplace, and the pandemic has just accelerated that understanding. For HealthTech and business more widely, that’s a very positive development.’

GPDQ’s own screening process and intensive patient care training programme. Along with a demand for antibody and PCR tests for COVID-19, the company is seeing strong demand in the occupational space, says Laura Przybek, Head of Marketing for GPDQ . ‘We’re seeing a really clear trend within the B2B market, as business leaders recognise the devastating impact contagious illnesses have on productivity, as well as their potential liability should workers be exposed to unnecessary risk . As more and more people return to the physical workplace, employers desperately need support in managing the associated risks. ‘In response, we’ve developed a piece of technology that will risk-assess every individual looking to return to work on a bespoke basis, and then when you combine that with antibody and PCR tests, you get an overall picture of their personal health. Then the employer is given an output that would say that

building, and a weekly window to see her, you’re much more likely to pop down. ‘A problem almost all of us are struggling with is bad desk set-ups and posture. We can arrange a video consultation with a professional health/physio who can assess your desk space and workstation, but also your posture and how you’re sitting. Ideally this can be done proactively. For example, one of our clients reported lots of staff early in the pandemic with mental health issues, but later we saw from them an increase in musculo-skeletal referrals. So we can feed those changing needs back to the employer and help them address the issues.’ GPDQ’s tech platform integrates in proprietary fashion a range of systems to ensure that clinicians are on-boarded and fully compliant. The platform manages resourcing and scheduling, on-demand booking, charging and same- day despatch, and the secure collection and sharing of notes. There are some

CASE STUDY: GPDQ The aptly-named GPDQ is a London- based multi-channel doctor-on- demand service that facilitates visits and consultations with GPs, nurses, pharmacists, physios and other medical specialists. The firm recently raised more than £2 million in funding from IW Capital, and has seen a marked acceleration in the uptake of its services during and after lockdown – with this momentum expected to continue during the return to work period. The innovative company delivers CQC- certified primary healthcare services by using its technology platform to connect an extensive network of clinicians with thousands of NHS and private patients through home visits, in-clinic or via video. It supports employers looking to manage the safe return to work of staff, and the NHS trusts in areas of high demand. All consultations take place with a GMC- registered NHS GP who has undergone

employee is at high, medium, or low risk, but not actually the health details, which are of course confidential. ‘But that's not where it stops, because once they're back in, obviously the pandemic's not going away. There’s the issue of presenteeism too – people insisting on returning to the office when really they shouldn’t because they’re ill or at risk. For many businesses with high-value staff who have to be available – law firms, PR agencies, professional services etc – having a GP come into your office, say one day a week, saving staff from leaving the office and going to get an NHS appointment, which is not always readily available, is a no-brainer. It’s all about having all of your needs on demand, whether online or on-site. ‘Prevention is also a key strand for us too. Say you've got a niggly problem, and you’re struggling to find the time to make a doctor's appointment, you'll leave it for a lot longer and it could get worse. Whereas if there's a GP sat in your

WE’RE SEEING A REALLY CLEAR TREND WITHIN THE B2B MARKET, AS BUSINESS LEADERS RECOGNISE THE DEVASTATING IMPACT CONTAGIOUS ILLNESSES HAVE ON PRODUCTIVITY...

LAURA PRZYBEK HEAD OF MARKETING, GDPQ

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