Revolutionising Healthcare: DocHQ Secures NIHR Research Grant for Groundbreaking Physio Product

DocHQ, the leading wellbeing partner founded in 2018, is pleased to announce the successful acquisition of a prestigious research grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). This significant milestone marks a crucial step forward in DocHQ's mission to transform healthcare through innovation and technology.

With a vision to create a healthcare system driven by information, powered by technology, and accessible to everyone, DocHQ is steadfastly building a people-centred, high-quality, integrated healthcare network. The company's latest endeavour, the AI Physio Study, aims to address the pressing needs of patients waiting for orthopaedic operations within the NHS.

"DocHQ Physio holds considerable promise to notably enhance both patient experience and rehabilitation results during prehab and postoperative phases," asserts DocHQ’s CEO, Madhur Srivastava. "Our working hypothesis posits that patients on the NHS waiting list stand to gain significant benefits from DocHQ Physio. We are keen to validate this assertion through our meticulous research."

The NIHR i4i innovate connect fast Grant will enable DocHQ to conduct comprehensive studies to evaluate the health and economic impact of the innovative physio tool. The study aims to gather patient feedback, assess the tool's acceptability, and understand how the solution can better serve patients, physiotherapists, and orthopaedic surgeons. These findings will provide the foundation for future studies and support DocHQ's ongoing clinical partnerships to bring the solution to market.

The UK faces significant challenges in managing musculoskeletal conditions, affecting over 20 million individuals nationwide. While exercise is known to be the most effective approach, low adherence rates, limited physio availability, and lengthy waiting times hinder optimal care. DocHQ Physio's groundbreaking AI tool addresses these challenges by asynchronously tracking patients' progress, enabling timely adjustments to treatment plans, and minimising the need for follow-up appointments and secondary interventions.

“With this grant we will investigate how initiative AI exercises can alter physiotherapy efficacy and therefore improve the patient outcomes from their physiotherapy treatment,” explains DocHQ’s Physiotherapy Lead, Tiggy Corben. “Patients often fail to do their physio exercises due to uncertainty over what to do and lack of reassurance that they are doing it correctly. AI exercises will give them feedback, meaning their exercise techniques can be instantly corrected.”

Corben adds, “DocHQ Physio allows physiotherapists to not only see whether the patient is doing the exercises, but also how accurately they are performing them. This allows remote and cost-effective adjustments to their treatment programme.”

DocHQ Physio aims to empower physiotherapists by enabling remote consultations and AI-guided online treatment plans, which allow patients’ progress to be monitored and their exercises updated when needed, for improved efficacy and patient recovery times.

The AI Physio Research Project will encompass qualitative and quantitative studies, including observational research, impact assessments, and health economics evaluations. Planned research for the second stage of the project includes a prospective cohort study, health economic evaluation, and an implementation study to assess the product's clinical effectiveness, economic value, and integration within the healthcare system.

"DocHQ Physio empowers both patients and physiotherapists, offering real-time corrective feedback and personalised treatment plans," says Srivastava. "By combining digital and AI technologies with existing processes, we can enhance exercise adherence, expedite access to care, and improve patient outcomes."

DocHQ is proud to collaborate with leading institutions to advance the field of AI and telehealth, with the goal of increasing adherence rates and improving recovery times. Peer studies have shown promising outcomes, including significantly improved adherence rates compared to current processes and substantial weight loss achievements with telemedicine-based programs.

Ends

Contact
For further information or to participate in the study, please contact:

DocHQ Study Lead:
Madhur Srivastava
Email: Madhur.srivastava@dochq.co.uk
Tel: 07527 126828

DocHQ Study Support:
Janet Webber
Email: Janet.webber@dochq.co.uk
Tel: 07768 582787

DocHQ Media Enquiries:
Melanie Rutherford
Email: melanie.rutherford@dochq.co.uk
Tel: 07791 750301

Notes to Editors

About DocHQ

DocHQ is your wellbeing partner. As a UK employee benefits provider, our vision is to enable people to make informed health choices and inspire them to improve their quality of life. We are a specialist medical technology provider aimed at enhancing employee wellbeing at work and home - connecting businesses, providers and consumers through technology.

From employee health and wellness programs to physical wellness in the workplace and at home, DocHQ combines medical expertise and technology to offer wellbeing services and solutions in a post-pandemic world. Through developing a network of private clinics and providers across Europe, we deliver a range of employee benefits including Physiotherapy, Health Checks, Fitness, Nutrition and Travel Health.

About NIHR

The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research, by:

• Funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care
• Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services
• Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research
• Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges
• Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system
• Funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries

NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK Aid from the UK government.