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How Can Florence Help Patients Take Responsibility For Their Health?

Date posted: 07 Jun 2016

Compared with normal care, Florence can achieve better and faster health outcomes, better adherence to medication and increased productivity.

Florence allows clinicians to engage patients with their own healthcare. It has also improved engagement between Clinician and patient.

The process begins with a clinician signing a patient up to the programme. The patient will start receiving regular information or prompting messages from Florence to remind them to take their medication for example.

The communication is two-way and the patient can send in readings such as blood pressure, weight or oxygen saturation levels.

The interaction requires the patient to be involved as they measure their vital signs or describe their condition. The regular feedback from their overseeing clinician by text reassures them they’re progressing well. If their condition isn’t improving as expected, they can see their clinician and revise their management plan.

Flo is being used in general practice, acute hospital, community and mental health settings as well as by social care professionals. A typical practice might have 100 or so patients using the system for various clinical applications such as asthma, hypertension, smoking cessation and weight management.

When patients or carers are asked what they like about Flo, they describe feeling more confident about their condition, having a “friend”, feeling more supported in improving their health, and feeling the NHS cares about them. Beyond these more emotional responses, the speed with which treatment can be delivered has been as important for patients.

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