The rapid deployment of healthcare technology has been one of the most commented features of the NHS’ response to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet a significant minority of patients cannot benefit from new, digital services; and risk being overlooked in the rush to go ‘digital first’ in a post-Covid reset. So what can be done to get digital inclusion onto the digital health agenda?

New York-Tel Aviv based digital health company, AEYE Health, has developed an AI-based retinal screening system that provides analysis and diagnostic results within 60 seconds.

Retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy (DR), glaucoma, macular degeneration and hypertensive retinopathy are becoming a pandemic. Over a billion people worldwide, and over 75 million people in the US, are at high risk for loss of sight and require an annual retinal check.

A consortium of NHS trusts around the south coast of England has signed its second deal this year with imaging technology provider Sectra, in a move that is expected to advance how hospitals share and access important diagnostic imaging. A new shared multimedia archive will also allow the trusts to accelerate ambitions for initiatives including artificial intelligence.

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH) has boosted its clinical capacity, reduced the administrative burden on staff and gained millions in potential savings by cutting missed appointments and postal costs using a digital-first approach to patient communications.

Siilo, the secure collaboration app for healthcare professionals, has raised a £8.6 million (€9.5m) in Series A funding. European digital health VC Heal Capital is at the forefront of the investment, backed by Germany's private health insurers. It is the VC's first investment following the Berlin-based fund’s launch in 2019. Also participating in the round are Philips Health Technology Venture Fund and current investor EQT Ventures.

An early warning system that helps busy doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to quickly identify when patients are at risk of deterioration is to be deployed across hospitals and community settings throughout Lanarkshire.

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company's next-generation Gallant™ implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) devices. The devices bring new benefits to patients with heart rhythm disorders, including a patient-preferred design without compromising battery longevity and MRI compatibility.