Connecting patients with loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic

With the UK in the grip of the Coronavirus pandemic, people suffering from Covid-19 are being admitted to hospitals across the country, and families are prohibited from visiting their sick relatives, even those who are sadly reaching the end of their life. This situation is compounding the distress for families, patients and the strained hospital staff.

Alongside this, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) staff often need to rapidly communicate with colleagues to share vital information about patient care, without leaving the unit, removing PPE, or using personal mobile devices which can carry infections.

ICU teams needed a communications solution that could work within ICUs for a multitude of needs, particularly for families to be able to see, speak to or communicate with the ICU team caring for their loved ones in critical care.

Dr Joel Meyer, ICU consultant at Guy’s and St Thomas’, and Professor Louise Rose at King’s College London adapted the aTouchAway app from Canadian tech firm Aetonix Systems, to enable virtual family visiting in ICUs, via video link.

In a matter of a few days, working around their highly demanding work, Dr Meyer and Professor Rose coordinated an unprecedented collaboration of the UK’s major phone networks, technology platforms and device manufacturers, who donated equipment, software and connectivity to ensure the system works perfectly and, crucially, can be rolled out to as many ICUs as possible.

Bray Leino offered to help name and brand this vital project.

Life Lines was born.

Life Lines – be with them when you can’t be near them

The name, line and logo, created and developed within a matter of hours, emphasise both the human to human contact and the role of technology to deliver a failsafe, secure solution.

The Life Lines solution is now being installed at 288 Covid-19 critical care units across 144 hospitals, and aims to provide two tablets to every ICU across the UK. The number of tablets per ICU will increase in the coming weeks, supported by a fundraising campaign.

Dr Joel Meyer says: “When we set out on this project, we never could have believed the scale or speed of its success. The response from all the partners involved in this has been overwhelming. And Bray Leino’s support in communicating our message has been instrumental.”

Professor Louise Rose adds: “Together, we’re able to help keep families connected when they cannot be near, which may help to dramatically reduce family and patient distress and could revolutionise the way we communicate with families in the future.”

Kate Cox, Bray Leino CEO, says: “When Joel contacted us, the impact of what he and Louise were trying to achieve was immediately clear. There was only limited information, and very little time. But the idea was really powerful, and the potential so great, we worked quickly to turnaround the creative in 24 hours. We’re enormously proud to support the NHS, patients and their families at this critical time.”

For details on how Bray Leino can help with your healthcare brand marketing, please contact Austen Donnellan, Business Development Director.