ITECHO HEALTH LIMITED

Ascelus

Ascelus facilitates the safe, effective and inclusive digitisation of patient pathways. Ascelus empowers patients with convenient and cost-effective asynchronous virtual reviews and self-management tools. The platform utilises AI to categorise patients by risk allowing clinicians to focus on patients with the most urgent needs and create efficiencies for healthcare systems.

Features

• Patient and Clinician User Applications with customisable dashboard
• Symptom Tracker
• Appointment scheduling and reminders
• Virtual clinics and video consultations
• Vital Signs Tracker
• Pathology results and trends
• Medication reminders
• Patient-clinician communication services
• Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS)
• Full Integration with Hospital IT System

Benefits

• More convenient for patients
• Free up capacity for clinicians to see more complex patients
• Cash releasing for hospitals/commissioners
• Secure simple applications to manage long-term condition
• Improves communication between patients and clinicians
• Uses existing clinical and admin systems, no separate scheduling
• Supports efforts to reach Net Zero (less hospital visits)
• Supports reduction in waiting lists

£30,000 a licence a year

• Education pricing available
• Free trial available

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at adrian@itechohealth.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

194323616615622

Contact

Adrian Brown
07843261566
adrian@itechohealth.com

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Public cloud
• Service constraints: Users require a supported web browser and minimum specification devices: ; Video consultation requires a good internet connection (if patient can watch a video online for example with YouTube then this is sufficient) and; a private, well-lit area where you will not be disturbed during the consultation. ; Software requires one of following: Google Chrome web browser on a PC desktop or laptop; Safari web browser on an Apple iMac, MacBook, iPad or iPhone or an Android tablet or smartphone. Device needs web-camera, speakers, and microphone already built in to laptop or mobile device or USB connected.
• System requirements:
  • Google Chrome web browser (Win7+, Android5.1+, MacOS 10.11+)
  • Apple Safari web browser (MacOS 10.12+ iOS 11.4+ )
  • A web camera (built-in or USB)
  • A microphone ( built in to laptop computers and devices)
  • Speakers or headset
  • A reliable connection to the internet greater than 192kbps rate
  • Laptop, tablet or a smart phone

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: Operational hours (service hours) 24 x 7 x 365; Business support hours (service support hours) 8-6 Mon-Fri (except bank holidays)
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 24 hours, 7 days a week
• Web chat support: Web chat
• Web chat support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support accessibility standard: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Web chat accessibility testing: We have test scenarios using an official WCAG2.1AA guidance and we are doing internal testing. no outside audit has been conducted yet.
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: Itecho Health provides training for first line and second line support teams and then takes the 3rd line support calls. We also assist nominated Primary Support Contacts once a range of common, typically local, causes have been ruled out.; ; If an issue cannot be resolved locally, or by the customer organisation's IT support using the resources available, Itecho Health provide a service desk that nominated Primary Support Contacts can access.
• Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: We provide training to the clinical team, online videos and user documentation. For patient community online videos, chat support and user documentation is available on the application
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: Clinical data will be integrated and populate the hospital Electronic Patient Record. On contract expiry the data can be downloaded in CSV format for up to 30 days following contract expiration.
• End-of-contract process: Extraction of data , any support needed for transition and any queries in the transition period are included in the price. Any request over and above standard data extraction will be at an additional cost

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Internet Explorer 11
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
• Application to install: Yes
• Compatible operating systems:
  • Android
  • IOS
  • MacOS
  • Windows
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: No material difference except that layout changes to suit the screen format
• Service interface: Yes
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• Description of service interface: All service and administration is accessed via the management console web page. This is accessed by the original administrator who can delegate access.
• Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.1 A
• Accessibility testing: Itecho Health has a vision of digital health accessible for all. A formal accessibility assessment has not been conducted on the most recent version of the management console. The console employs components that have accessibility support as outlined in web content requirements.
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: Most configuration aspects of the Ascelus Web Application can be accessed via the API. ; Developers can enable their applications or integrations to access the API using credentials with the appropriate access levels to the target configuration. HTTPS REST calls with JSON payload are supported.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats:
  • Open API (also known as Swagger)
  • HTML
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: Itecho Health's approach is to ensure that Ascelus is customised to individual conditions and for individual services whilst using a core platform to minimise the time and cost to make changes. We use a co-design approach with clinicians and patients/carers to ensure that our products meet user needs and expectations. To add a new disease area Itecho Health need to customise the symptom tracker and pathology tests needed and risks stratification needs to be changed according to the hospital clinical policies. Surveys and bespoke PROMs can be also be added. For minor changes customers can quickly customise many aspects including branding, messaging provided to patients, support contacts, patient information, opening hours, service URL and post consultation evaluations.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Ascelus is a AWS based platform and has the mechanism built-in to increase capacity based on the increase in usage.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Total number of patients actively using the application; ; number of face to face appointments saved; ; total number of clinicians using the application; ; dashboard of service status and uptime of application and ; any other bespoke reports needed.
• Reporting types:
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Regular reports
  • Reports on request

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Other security clearance
• Government security clearance: Up to Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations: United Kingdom
• User control over data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Datacentre security standards: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 3.0)
• Penetration testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest: Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v3.0
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Data sanitisation type: Deleted data can’t be directly accessed
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v.30, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Users assigned Administrator or Reporter roles for Customer Organisation, have access to standard reports in CSV format aggregated for all of their assigned entities, via the web application interface.
• Data export formats: CSV
• Data import formats: CSV

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: TLS (version 1.2 or above)
• Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: The service availability is based on the aggregate SLAs of the service components from the underlying cloud hosting provider. This is 99.95%.; ; No refund scheme is currently in place.
• Approach to resilience: The system is provided as a resilient, high availability service.; Underlying infrastructure is provided by accredited cloud providers, with redundant and resilient internet connections and local utilities.; The system is designed for continuity with resilience to both site and component failures.; Redundant sets of components are deployed into geographically-separated sites. These redundant components are configured for cross-communication, so that if a component fails in a given zone, its functions will be fulfilled by surviving components in another site.; The design is scalable with additional component units able to be added for resilience and capacity.
• Outage reporting: The following outage reporting methods are employed:; - Publicly Accessible Service Status Dashboard on the patient app, clinician app will show the outage ; - API available for individual component status; - Email alerts to nominated Customer Contacts

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: New users need to be registered to our Ascelus system as a valid user, once the user is registered they need to use two factor authentication to sign in
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Username or password

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• How long system logs are stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: No
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: No
• Other security certifications: Yes
• Any other security certifications: Cyber Essentials

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards: CSA CCM version 3.0
• Information security policies and processes: A comprehensive set of policies covering implementation and management controls across the following aspects: Access and Authorisation Control; Network and Data Encryption; Network Ingress/Egress; Centralised Event; Logging and Alerting; Systems Hardening; Data Protection and Retention; Intrusion Protection/Detection; Malware and Virus Protection; Patch Management; Solution Design Assurance; Vulnerability Assessment; Incident Management and Solution and Systems Development; ; Systems design and implementation documentation is delivered to the standard required for effective realisation of security controls. Security Controls implemented in technical domain are unit and integration tested for impact and effectiveness. The IT Operations Manager is responsible for ongoing monitoring of systems and procedural aspects relating to security policy enforcement and or detection of exceptions and/or violations. An ISO compliant Documentation Control System is used. Internal Policy Approvals are the responsibility of Senior Management team including the CTO and CEO.

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Configuration and change management approach: The Software and Systems development lifecycle is mature with clear boundaries between phases and activities and individual assignment and accounting for activity at each phase.; ; Quality Assurance Scope and test case specification and execution are tracked and reported in functional and regression testing.; ; Continuous Integration, Continuous Delivery and Test automation is in place to ensure repeatable, consistent and robust deployment.; ; Role separation for QA sign-off, authority to deploy and deployment execution. ; ; All software and systems development steps are tracked in issue management system which incorporates approval gates and sign-off of impact, risk and rollback steps.
• Vulnerability management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Vulnerability management approach: Infrastructure and application assurance, employs a suite of standard security testing tools.; ; Regular external-facing testing is performed to ensure infrastructure attack surface-area complies with the design and deployment specifications.; ; Server configuration and software versions are audited against currently-known vulnerabilities.; ; Application server systems protection with an automated system vulnerability assessment and virtual patching providing automatic update of protection modules for newly discovered vulnerabilities even before operating system or vendor patches are available.; ; The application hosting environment is audited for any inadvertent misconfiguration.; ; Third-party-contracted testing is performed in concert with key stakeholders.
• Protective monitoring type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Protective monitoring approach: Web Application Firewall with comprehensive OWASP Top 10 coverage; ; On host intrusion protection and detection system: Alerts are configured so that system administrators are informed when events occur which require immediate action or investigation. Major event alerts trigger delivery of email. Critical events trigger alert via AWS SNS with higher priority email and SMS to designated phones. ; ; Daily Reports are delivered to System Administrators which cover: summary of all system and subsystems events; all firewall events; all integrity monitoring events and all log inspection events.; ; Identified incidents are correlated with system wide log/events.
• Incident management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v3.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Incident management approach: Responsible support staff are alerted to intrusion detection, component failures and above threshold metrics.; ; A Service Desk is available for logging of incidents, with ticket confirmation reported via email.; ; Incident resolutions are logged and add to knowledge base for most effective future responses. ; ; Centralised log collection and analysis allows rapid analysis of system errors or attack vectors and forensics.; ; Post Incident Review will be conducted with root cause analysis reported to CTO. ; ; The CTO is responsible for reporting and rectifying security weaknesses and instigating control improvements based on lessons learned.

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Conforms to a recognised standard, but self-assessed

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: Yes
• Connected networks: Health and Social Care Network (HSCN)

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Equal opportunity

  Fighting climate change

  Ascelus can replace hospital face-to-face outpatient visits with asynchronous virtual reviews. Each saved visit to hospital saves on average 22kg or CO2. We are developing a more sophisticated carbon tracker module within Ascelus to gather more specific data on saved journeys so we can accurately calculate this contribution to Net Zero.

  Equal opportunity

  Ascelus has been designed to promote digital inclusion and support work to reduce health inequalities. This includes co-design of the platform with representatives from three Service User Advisory Groups purposefully recruited to represent diversity and differing levels of digital literacy.

Pricing

• Price: £30,000 a licence a year
• Discount for educational organisations: Yes
• Free trial available: Yes
• Description of free trial: We can work with the clinical team to organise a trial period or pilot to demonstrate the effectiveness and usability of the service. We can include patients and clinicians in the trial. The trial is for an initial 30 days with extension following mutual agreement.

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at adrian@itechohealth.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.