Tangible Impact
Health Tech Enterprise (HTE) provided Open Medical with a SIMUL8-based waiting list simulation, enabling them to assess the mean impact of their teledermoscopy tool on patient waiting times compared to the current standard of care. This innovation showed potential to significantly reduce waiting times for skin cancer diagnoses.
The comprehensive report from HTE detailed the methodology, provided key insights from the simulation outcomes, and included actionable recommendations to guide future data collection and strengthen the evidence base for their technology. Open Medical also received a runtime version of the simulation, giving them an invaluable tool for ongoing analysis.
“Through detailed reporting, active engagement, and expert analysis, Health Tech Enterprise provided us with deep insights into the real-world impact of our digital transformation. Their availability for questions and enlightening discussions were vital in enhancing our understanding of the health economic impact of our work. Health Tech Enterprise’s expertise truly propelled our development forward.” Tim Hoogenboom, Head of Research, Open Medical
Assessing the Challenge
Open Medical developed a novel teledermoscopy tool designed to improve the triage of dermatology referrals, especially for suspected skin cancer. The aim was to shorten the journey from referral to diagnosis, optimising healthcare resource use. They engaged HTE to quantify the tool’s impact on patient waiting times compared to the current standard of care.
Tailored Approach
HTE assessed the tool’s impact by building a discrete event simulation. This involved process mapping the skin cancer screening clinical pathway and developing models using SIMUL8 software. The model was parameterised through a literature review and clinical trial data provided by Open Medical. Over the course of a year, HTE ran a series of simulation trials to evaluate the tool’s effectiveness.
