Dundee Uni leads the way in plan for better patient access to care
They're working in collaboration with Heriot Watt to simplify how and where treatment is given
A £2.5 million research project aims to address the challenges of health inequality by taking a new approach to medical technology.
Led by the University of Dundee and Heriot-Watt University in collaboration with NHS Tayside, a team will examine how treatments in the area can be moved away from large hospitals to GP clinics or patients' homes.
Professor Michael MacDonald, of Dundee University, said sites like Ninewells Hospital in the city can sometimes be hard to access for patients.
He said: "Technology allows us to reconsider how, and where, services are delivered.
"The Tayside region provides a perfect microcosm of the issues that have faced healthcare providers and our work with Heriot-Watt University and partners will look to address these.
"Ultimately, we hope to identify ways in which we can improve the patient journey and reduce the requirement for clinical staff to deliver some treatments, freeing up their time to focus on other pressing patient needs."
Patients will be consulted on the changes and a "citizens' assembly" will feed back to the project.
Heriot-Watt's Professor Marc Desmulliez said it means patients will be able to take greater control of their own care.
He said: "For example, during their rehabilitation after an invasive surgery, patients may have to carry out some exercises to aid in their recovery.
"A healthcare solution could be a system that records and monitors the exercise.
"The essential information is then sent to the surgeon who is in charge to make sure the patient is progressing as planned.
"This could mean that if the patient is on track, they might not need to go to hospital for a check-up because the doctor has already seen the progress being made."