EKORA® is a platform designed from the outset by cardiologists to address the real-life issues faced every day by clinicians. Founders Dr Dougie Elder and Dr Alan Robertson developed EKORA® whilst working together in the NHS, having identified the need for a solution that would meet the needs of busy clinicians. In this conversation, they share what inspired them to create EKORA®, and how they hope it will transform patient care in the years to come.
How did the concept of EKORA® come about?
Alan: “EKORA® was borne out of a desire to address the ‘pain points’ we experienced each day as clinicians with IT systems. One of our key initial goals was to move away from GPs having to send ECGs by fax, which were notoriously difficult to interpret due to image degradation after being sent via that route. This led us to create an electronic transfer capability combined with a central database for ECGs, and from there we started thinking about integrating other tests, like treadmills and echocardiograms.
However, the major step forward was when we added the cardiac device management capabilities. We had a basic database for patient and device information, but it was clunky and whenever a new device was released it was a real hassle to get it added to the system, meaning more often than not it was just put in as a generic device with some free text. We looked around but there were no available systems or platforms that did quite what we were looking for, so we saw an opportunity to improve our current system.”
How has the system evolved since then?
Dougie: “As the system evolved, we gathered feedback from cardiac physiologists, who shared what they liked and what needed tweaking or presented opportunities for improvements (such as printing plastic ID cards for patients). Their insights helped us expand and refine the device section of EKORA®. Then, when COVID-19 hit, there was a strong push for electronic patient records to reduce paper use and minimize the risk of virus transmission. This led to the development of EKORA®’s electronic patient record functionality.
At first, EKORA® was just used in the COVID ward in Ninewells, but as staff moved to different wards or locations, they found they missed having the system. That demand led to the expansion of EKORA® to Perth Royal Infirmary and eventually throughout the entire health board. Over time, it’s grown far beyond our initial concept and is now a comprehensive tool for managing a wide range of patients efficiently.”
In what ways is EKORA® different from other cardiology platforms available?
Dougie: “The main thing that sets us apart is that EKORA® was developed by practicing cardiologists. When we demonstrate EKORA® to clinicians, we often hear feedback like, “You can tell right away this was designed by people who look after patients” as opposed to other platforms that feel like they were developed by programmers who have just been assigned a task with no deep understanding of the data.
“When we were developing EKORA® we weren’t just looking at it as fields of data, we know what each piece of data means in practice and understand the clinical implications behind entering specific information. When it comes to devices, there’s a vast amount of data involved, and having our subject knowledge made all the difference in programming and layout.”
Alan: “Another key difference with EKORA® is that we’re actively using it every day at work, so we can identify and address any areas that need improvement as soon as they arise. We’re constantly getting feedback from other clinicians, and this input shapes our improvements and new features. For example, the team at NHS Ayrshire and Arran expressed a strong interest in device tag functionality as something they had previously used in their legacy processes. Once we understood their needs, we integrated this feature into EKORA®, and now it’s used across all our sites.”
How do you see EKORA® growing in the future?
Dougie: “Besides constantly gathering feedback from clinicians to improve and expand the platform’s functionality, we’re also excited about introducing EKORA® to new markets. We’ve already taken steps in this direction and recently announced partnerships with Cardiobase in Australia and Diktamen in Finland.”
Alan: “When I worked in Melbourne in 2015, I had to go without EKORA® after having used it regularly in Scotland. This made me realise just how valuable it is and I knew it would be a helpful tool for clinicians in other countries. Since the same device brands are used globally, EKORA has a universal appeal and easy adaptability to different markets.
“We’re hopeful that as EKORA® continues to grow, it will become an essential tool for cardiologists and healthcare providers worldwide, making their work easier and improving patient care across the board.”
Curious to see how EKORA® could work for your department? Hear from one of the practicing cardiac physiologists using the platform every day here.