ICBs back Lenus Health to deliver AI-driven winter approach for COPD care

Lenus Health, a pioneer in predictive AI and digital tools for long-term condition management, has been selected by NHS South East London Integrated Care Board (ICB) and NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB to provide AI risk stratification and digital supported self-management tools for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) as part of an NHS England targeted funding initiative to reduce winter pressures.

Over sixty applications were put forward by health systems across England with four selected to receive the COPD Winter Approach funding, reflecting the large system demand to take a more preventative, community-based approach to managing COPD, a major cause of UK hospital admissions and winter pressures.

Two of the four systems selected by NHS England for targeted national funding will be utilising Lenus Health solutions to support integrated care teams led by Guy’s & St Thomas’ and Kings College Hospital NHS Trusts in South East London and Humber Health Partnership in Humber and North Yorkshire.

Evelyn Idise, Associate Director of Strategic Commissioning at the South East London ICB said:

“This initiative highlights our commitment to improving care for patients with COPD while addressing the challenges winter pressures bring to the NHS. By partnering with Lenus Health, we are making better use of existing data to identify patients at risk earlier and introducing digital tools to provide them with tailored support to manage their condition more effectively. This collaborative approach not only empowers patients but also supports our efforts to deliver more proactive and sustainable care across South East London.”

Professor Mike Crooks, Respiratory Consultant at Humber Health Partnership, said:

“Winter presents unique challenges for individuals with COPD, as the cold weather and increase in respiratory infections can significantly exacerbate symptoms. Using AI and digital tools to identify and reduce the risk of people with COPD becoming unwell, we hope to create resilience during the toughest months and enable a more proactive COPD care model year-round."

The initiative will compare Lenus Health’s AI risk stratification tools against traditional rules-based approaches to identify COPD patients with a rising risk of deterioration. Patients identified through the initiative will also have access to the Lenus Treat product, providing digital supported self-management tools evidenced to reduce admissions by over 50% in two studies of COPD patients using the service.

Paul McGinness, CEO at Lenus Health, said:

"We are thrilled to have the support of NHS England across multiple systems in our mission to transform COPD care. Our predictive AI and digital tools are designed to help healthcare providers automate the delivery of proactive, high-quality care for respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, closing socio-economic outcome gaps, which are particularly prominent in COPD, and reducing the high-cost burden of these diseases on the NHS, especially during wintertime."

This expansion of the Lenus Stratify^® and Lenus Treat products across NHS Integrated Care Systems marks a groundbreaking advancement in the proactive treatment of COPD, aiming to break the winter crisis cycle. Lenus Health remains committed to advancing the frontiers of digital health, continually developing and deploying AI and digital tools that enable people with major long-term conditions to live well for longer. The adoption of Lenus Health solutions by a growing number of ICBs in England underscores the company's dedication to empowering both patients and healthcare providers with the tools they need to achieve improved outcomes.

For more information on how Lenus Health can transform long-term condition pathways, get in touch today.