Digital Jersey is delighted to announce that babylon, a leading UK mobile health company, will be launching a new smartphone application in Jersey on the 17 November 2014. Jersey will be the first jurisdiction to pioneer mass deployment of the babylon service. Digital Jersey has been working closely with babylon, the States of Jersey Social Security Department and local GP’s to ensure that the service meets regulatory and governmental standards.
babylon is designed to improve patient’s access to GPs by allowing them to communicate with professional clinicians online at a convenient time for them, without the need to visit a surgery. It allows patients that are registered with participating surgeries to book an appointment within seconds, have a video-consultation with their registered GP from wherever they are, or ask any questions for free, via text. The babylon system also securely stores all patient data for future use, including patient records and videos from previous appointments. This allows patients and doctors to access health statistics and records quickly and conveniently.
Patients will only be able to select their existing surgery when using the app, and so far five local surgeries, (that provide services to over 55,000 residents), have signed up to the scheme. It is hoped that other surgeries will join in due course to widen the availability to island residents. The surgeries currently signed up to participate are Island Medical Centre, Castle Quay Surgery, Health Plus, Cleveland Clinic and Lister Surgery.
The app is free to download and the cost of video-consultation will be set by the patient’s individual registered surgery.
Jonathan Williams, Director of Social Security at States of Jersey, commented:
“The Social Security Department has worked closely with GPs and Digital Jersey to help bring this new technology to Jersey, offering patients more choice with how they receive services from their GPs. The Medical Director for Primary Care has liaised extensively with the General Medical Council to ensure that governance and regulatory standards are met. After consultation with GPs the Department has established ways of delivering this new technology with the framework of existing legislation and, as such, patients will still be eligible for their medical benefit when they consult their GP through this new service.”
Paul Masterton, Executive Chair of Digital Jersey, commented:
“Charged with developing the Island’s digital sector and economy, our plans for the sector include significant developments within eHealth. Bringing the groundbreaking capabilities of babylon to the Island has the potential to revolutionise our current system and represents a big step in the right direction for a more efficient, modern health care system. Jersey offers the perfect ‘testbed’ opportunity for global businesses to test, develop and refine products and services before rolling them out more widely.”
Ali Parsa, Founder and CEO of babylon Health commented:
"Jersey has the ambition and the potential to be among the most advanced populations in the world. Our mission is to combine the latest gains in technology with modern medicine to make healthcare simpler, better and smarter value for people everywhere. Through this partnership, Jersey will be a beacon that can show the world how the future of healthcare is shaping for the benefit of all."
It is intended that, following the successful roll out of babylon in Jersey, functionality will be added that will allow patients added benefits including: to receive ePrescriptions at a pharmacy of their choice and monitor aspects of their personal health from their smartphone.
More information on babylon visit : www.babylonhealth.com | Follow updates via Twitter: #babylonappjsy | baylon app FAQs click here.
