Digital triage company eConsult, has been announced as one of the twelve medtech companies awarded a share of £1.13 million grant by SBRI Healthcare, a body that works with businesses to identify and create health technology solutions for the NHS.

This news comes as the company is also named as one of the top 100 healthtech firms being promoted for export by the Department of International Trade in its #DIT100 “UK’s Digital Health Playbook.”

The SBRI Grant 

The pressures on hospital emergency departments (EDs) are well documented in the NHS, and with the added complications of COVID-19, EDs are under intense levels of pressure on a global basis. 

The competition invited funding applicants to develop solutions to these challenges in urgent and emergency care, addressing the issues of reducing demand and length of stay in emergency departments.

eConsult, which aims to develop clinically led, innovative software platforms, was awarded a share of the grant based on the company’s progressive eTriage product. eTriage is a patient-facing solution, already triaging priority 1-5 ambulatory attendances at Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) and EDs.

The SBRI funded project will explore the feasibility of rerouting lower priority patients, in categories 4 and 5, from UTCs or EDs to a more appropriate point-of-care. This is done by harnessing the existing eTriage software platforms to allow more effective triage, avoidance of unnecessary attendance and efficient streaming of patients.

The #DIT100 recognition 

Recognised for its commitment to export and international expansion for ‘triage and pre-assessment’, eConsult’s inclusion in the ‘First 100 companies’ is an exciting next step in the journey for the UK-based HealthTech start up. 

The company was awarded inclusion based on its track-record of working collaboratively with Healthcare UK, their responsiveness, and how well they represent the UK journey and direction in digital health - particularly with the NHS. 

Dr Murray Ellender, a practising GP and CEO of eConsult that is currently serving 3,200 surgeries, said: “As we hit 10 million online consultations, these two milestones have further bolstered industry confidence in a product we have worked tirelessly on over the past eight years. eConsult and our eTriage offering are all about connecting the NHS in an ethical, secure and digital way and I am extremely proud that our good work has been recognised by such significant industry bodies.”

Dr Mark Harmon, an ED doctor and director at eConsult added: “We’re immensely proud to be named among some of the most innovative companies in the medtech industry and receive a share of SBRI Healthcare’s grant. It’s testament to the pioneering role our eTriage product is already having in EDs and UTCs, and with this cash injection, we’re committed to expanding eTriage’s functionality to further improve outcomes in urgent and emergency care departments.”