Cardiovascular Care Initiative of the Year

The innovative use of immersive technology to maintain and improve children heart services during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Vision of the future... today : Alder Hey Children's FT

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we deployed immersive technology (HoloLens platform) to help the congenital heart unit at Alder Hey overcome the challenge of social distancing, whilst maintaining good communication and delivering optimal care to patients. We successfully carried out ward-rounds, MDTs, performed live case discussions in the operating theatres, catheter laboratories and isolation areas such as SARS-CoV2 positive patients. The result was a reduction in the total number of people present at ward round, less PPE usage whilst communication between staff, or with patients were not compromised. The benefits were replicated in other specialties within the hospital and regionally.