Leeds-based physiotherapist Anthony Burns and orthopaedic surgeon Simon Boyle have launched a unique free online platform to assess musculoskeletal problems and advise patients on appropriate local specialists for their problem. This service is available throughout the UK.
Known as ‘ecovery’ the platform has been designed to quickly allow patients to find the correct treatment within the private medical sector in the UK for joint, nerve or muscle problems. ecovery also provides resources to help patients easily understand their injury and to help find the right clinician to treat them.
“With more than 25 years’ of combined clinical experience behind us, Simon and I recognised the difficulty patients face in finding the right person to deal with their individual problem when using the private healthcare industry,” explains co-founder and senior physiotherapist Anthony Burns. “The choice of specialists and locations can often be overwhelming. We found that the best outcomes are achieved when the patients are directed quickly to the specialist who can best assess, diagnose and treat the issues that are affecting their everyday life. This will get them on to a faster road to recovery.
“We discovered that there is a real lack of ‘consumer’ information in the private healthcare field for patients who develop a musculoskeletal injury. We have spent the last two years creating ecovery in order to address this problem and provide a truly patient focussed solution. Our aim is to be the first port of call in providing patients with good quality clinical information about their injury and to advise on the most appropriate specialists quickly and easily. This service is completely free and allows patients to take the path of their choosing based on impartial expert advice.”
Co-founder and consultant orthopaedic shoulder surgeon Simon Boyle adds: “ecovery gives patients a quick and user-friendly service so they can gain a greater understanding of their injury at the outset. This potentially saves time and money, but, more importantly, gives patients the opportunity to see the correct specialist promptly. The service provides users with the details of three carefully selected specialists to help with the injury our team suspect they have. This choice allows patients to make informed decisions right from the outset. We also expect there to be cost savings for medical insurers as ecovery will reduce the risk of wasted appointments with specialists that do not have expertise in a particular disorder.”
The ecovery platform has been designed to be user-friendly, simply requiring a responsive online clinical form to be filled in which is screened by clinicians with the patient being emailed within 24 hours to identify their likely injury and match them to the appropriate consultant. Patients can also access a secure copy of the clinical form to help save time by emailing to clinician in advance of their appointment. The website also includes a catalogue of useful information to help them understand their injury.
