Phio – digital MSK pathway

About the project

Phio Access and Phio Engage are two digital tools that when used together form a fully digital pathway for musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy services and can be used in both Primary and Secondary care.

Phio Access is an MSK digital triage tool using artificial intelligence with over 3000 decision-based scenarios which can be adapted to local service pathways. Through service referral or self-referral the patients’ MSK condition is triaged and the technology decides on the best treatment option which is verified by a clinical professional.

If self-management is an appropriate option, the patient will be referred to Phio Engage which is a digital self-management tool with tailored recovery programmes, tracking of outcomes such as pain scores and chat function with a physiotherapist.

Health Innovation West Midlands (HIWM) have been working with the four Acute MSK service providers across the Black Country ICS, the Black Country ICB and the supplier (EQL).

The need for digital transformation of MSK services across the Black Country has driven by several factors.  

Clinical drivers:  

  • Demand for MSK care being higher than capacity post-pandemic, causing waiting times to increase 
  • Increasing clinical risk associated with increased waiting times for treatment, without thorough medical screening 
  • Insufficient pathway with a limited workforce and Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioners spending hours triaging patients, rather than treating them 

System-level drivers:  

  • Digital Transformation in MSK is a System priority and use of a digital tool is in the ICB service specification   

National drivers:  

NHS 10 Year Plan and Lord Darzi Report  

  • Shift 1: Moving care from hospitals to communities 
  • Shift 2: Analogue to digital – making better use of technology 
  • Diverting investment into the community to improve services 
  • Supporting patient management in the community 
  • Facilitating patient access to community services 
  • Using technology to support the workforce and unlock productivity 
  • Building up the technology base of care in the community 
  • Utilising AI to transform care 
  • Using data collected by technology to understand community service performance 

Project ambitions

HIWM’s ambitions for the project include:  

  • Collating evidence to demonstrate the success of Phio Access and Phio Engage as a digital MSK pathway 
  • Leading through convening the ICB, providers and supplier for the sustainable adoption of Phio Access and Phio Engage  
  • Supporting the spread and adoption of Phio Access and Phio Engage into Primary Care across the Black Country to increase patient access and innovation impact  

Additional resources

Read the Phio case study here. 

Project partners

Find out more

For further information on the Phio project, or to find out how you can get involved, please contact one of the project team below.

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