Roundup: Digital health platform Altibbi supports Egyptian project, ORCHA launches digital health academy, and more briefs

Digital health platform Altibbi supports Egyptian blood plasma project

Altibbi has partnered with Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population to work on a blood plasma project.

The national project, to establish blood plasma donations for medicine production, will contribute to the production of medicines and help to treat burns or pathological conditions, including kidney, liver, blood and chronic diseases.

Altibbi, the largest Arabic medical encyclopaedia, will provide free, unlimited medical consultations for one year and publish promotional information on its platform to encourage Egyptian citizens to donate.

Abdellatif Olama, chief growth officer, Altibbi, said: “There is a great synergy between Altibbi Egypt and the Ministry to integrate technology into healthcare to raise service levels and make it easy for recipients and providers.”

ORCHA launches digital health academy

The Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA) has launched a digital health academy for UK health and care staff.

Currently there is no mandatory digital health training for health and care professionals. In response to this need, ORCHA, with the support of universities and healthcare professionals, and financial support from Boehringer Ingelheim, developed the academy to help build a digital-ready frontline workforce.

The team anticipate training up to 50,000 healthcare staff in year one of the project, with all 630,000 NHS health and care professionals having the opportunity to improve their skills by 2031.

Dr Michelle Webster, chief clinical information officer and consultant clinical psychologist, Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust, said: “The ORCHA Digital Health Academy has helped to demystify digital health, strengthen our clinicians’ digital skills and boost their confidence in using healthcare apps.”

Primary care telephony firm X-on acquired by SCG

UK cloud communications provider X-on has been acquired by Southern Communications Group (SCG), driving a significant phase in X-on’s ambitious growth plans within the digital healthcare sector.

The acquisition will enable X-on to capitalise on demand for its Surgery Connect cloud telephony product for GP practices and develop products and services incorporating newer technology areas such as artificial intelligence (AI).

Under the agreement, X-on becomes a subsidiary of £110 million parent group SCG, with access to funding to accelerate expansion from its core primary care base to wider care networks, including the integrated care systems (ICSs) being developed in England.

Paul Heeren, cofounder and marketing director, X-on, said: “Our commitment to evolving our platform with GPs and practice managers, as key stakeholders in the development process, is the key ingredient here.”

Ibex partners with Hartford HealthCare to improve breast cancer diagnosis

Israel-based startup Ibex Medical Analytics and integrated healthcare system Hartford HealthCare are collaborating to help improve diagnosis and care for breast cancer patients.

The partnership will validate clinical performance of Ibex’s Galen Breast algorithm in a retrospective study and evaluate use of the Galen Breast Second Read application and digital workflow in live clinical use at Hartford HealthCare.  

Galen Breast supports pathologists by providing AI insights that help detect and grade different types of invasive and non-invasive breast cancer.

David Whitehead, executive vice president and chief strategy and transformation officer, Hartford HealthCare, said: “In forging this vital connection, Hartford HealthCare took a tremendous step forward in its commitment to collaborate with Israeli companies like Ibex and develop innovative technologies, products and services within the healthcare sector.”