Heart Health Month

Celebrating Heart Health Month: Xyla’s role in supporting the NHS with early diagnosis of cardiac disease

February is Heart Health Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular health and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. At Xyla, part of Acacium Group, we understand that timely and accurate diagnostics are crucial for effective heart disease management.

Xyla is one of the largest cardiac investigation service providers in the UK. Operating as a fully managed service, Xyla can support you in all areas of cardiac investigations, including onsite ECG, Holter, Cath Lab, Pacing and echocardiography services, as well as remote ECG and Holter analysis. We can streamline end to end workflows efficiently handling both clinical and administrative tasks. We cater for both the NHS and private providers across the UK.

How Xyla supported Dorset NHS Trust to reduce patient cardiac diagnostic waiting times

In May 2022, Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust faced a growing backlog of 300 Holter analysis patients. Waiting times for Holter analysis had been partly caused by the imbalance of staff able to fit the cardiac monitors and the cardiac physiologists able to analyse and report on the data recorded. This issue was compounded by growing demands for cardiac monitoring services in the wider context of an ageing population.

Xyla’s Solution

To address this challenge, Xyla implemented a comprehensive remote solution that included:

Turn On, Turn Off Approach: We supported clearing the backlog via a flexible ‘turn on, turn off’ approach where the service could be put on hold and then reactivated depending on demand.

Virtual Platform Integration: By leveraging the virtual platform, Spacelabs Sentinel software and its remote data transfer functionality, our teams were able to analyse and report back data to the Trust efficiently.

Batch Processing: Patient data was sent to Xyla batches of 50 a week (a number that suited the trusts requirements), with the aim of cutting the backlog in six weeks. Reports were returned to the trust as they were completed, with any significant findings being highlighted to the trust as they were discovered.

Data Security: To ensure proper patient safety and governance, data security was kept a high priority throughout the delivery of this service. Our staff were only able to access patient data when it had been pushed through by the Trust, and all communications were made across ‘NHS.net’ email addresses.

The Outcomes

Our service successfully cleared the original backlog of 300 Holter analysis patients and continued to process an average of 30 patients weekly until the service ended in July 2024. These results are indicative of the effective working relationship between Xyla and NHS staff, where clear and purposeful communication was imperative for the service to run smoothly.

A highly specialised Cardiac Physiologist who works at the Trust said:

“Xyla has been a fantastic partner in managing our Holter Analysis backlog. The setup was easy, with a consistent report turnaround and effective triage of urgent results. Their support has been exceptional, always friendly and adaptable to our NHS department’s needs. I highly recommend Xyla for Holter analysis support.”

National Heart Month encourages people to take proactive steps toward maintaining a heart health, from eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly to understanding risk factors and seeking medical advice. Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, remain a leading cause of death globally, making National Heart Month an essential time for education, awareness, and lifestyle changes.

Looking Ahead

As we celebrate Heart Health Month, we remain committed to finding innovative solutions which will enable early diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Our partnership with Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been a testament to our ability to deliver impactful results. We look forward to continuing our efforts to provide the highest standard of care for patients.

Heart health is a community effort, and we are proud to be part of a network of healthcare providers dedicated to improving cardiovascular health. Together with our partners, we can make a difference.

Find out more about how Xyla’s Diagnostics services can support you here.