A digital health start-up which helps children diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes has launched a new app to support its work with hospitals around the UK.
HEAL.med which is based at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU)’s Innovation Centre, has helped more than 2,500 young patients and their families since its launch.
Already more than 70 hospitals in the UK are using the app to help young people who are newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes understand the condition through a fun series of interactive games.
Now the team has launched a new improved version of its app which will give healthcare providers and hospital staff better data allowing them to improve patient care.
Deapp – Diabetes Education App – 2.0 was launched this month at the Innovation Centre by the team of Lee Paxman-Clarke, Sarah Lockwood-Lee and diabetes consultant Dr James Greening.
They have also produced other high-quality teaching resources including props, games and books that support child patients and their families, as well as run training for some 800 staff.
“We have been working on this new version for quite a while, and we are really pleased with what it will be able to tell healthcare staff about how patients are using the app, what they have learned and what they need more support with.
“As a not for profit, everything we do goes back into supporting our young patients and helping to make a difference. Our books have been put together with psychologists to help children unlock some of the difficult emotions that can come with a diagnosis and we are really proud that HEAL.med and Deapp has developed into an educational community.”
They also presented £250 to children’s diabetes choir, called the Highs and Lows, on the launch night.
The HEAL.med founders Lee, James and Sarah have also been shortlisted in next month’s Entrepreneurs Awards, in the Entrepreneurs for Good category. Lee himself has been shortlisted in the Innovation in Entrepreneurship category. The awards take place on May 4.
HEAL.med began as a start-up business on the Crucible, DMU’s business incubation programme that supports final year students, graduates and alumni with mentoring, office space and funding alongside dedicated masterclasses and learning.
Percy Emmett, director of the Crucible, said: “It’s been great to see HEAL.Med go from strength to strength and I could not be more pleased that they have been nominated for more awards.
“Lee has been inspiring the next generation of DMU entrepreneurs through his work with the Crucible and I think having someone who is growing their business is a tremendous example to our Crucible community.”
Posted on Wednesday 3 May 2023