HCA Healthcare UK, one of the UK’s leading private healthcare providers, is partnering with Danish medical technology company VentriJect to launch a first-of-its-kind VO2 max testing innovation.
Through the partnership, HCA Healthcare UK will integrate VentriJect’s Seismofit® health device into its doctor-led reAssure health screening programme. The technology provides an accurate, estimated VO2 max reading – in under three minutes and without the need for exercise.
Seismofit® works by using a technique called seismocardiography to record the mechanical micro-vibrations generated by the heart as it beats. The sensor in the device transmits this cardiac data to a secure server, where a proprietary AI algorithm processes the data to deliver an accurate VO2 max score via an app.
The American Heart Association has long called for cardiorespiratory fitness to be measured regularly, referring to VO2 max as the ‘strongest indicator of overall health [1]. Low VO2 max levels are correlated with increased health risks, making early and regular screening important.
As the device is used at rest, it removes the requirement for physical exertion and dramatically increases accessibility for patients and those with physical limitations, giving more people detailed data about their cardiorespiratory fitness and how it is changing over time. Prior to VentriJect’s innovation, VO2 max could only be measured via intensive physical exertion, such as through a 3-minute step test or cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET).
HCA’s reAssure health screenings provide patients with access to state-of-the-art technology that goes beyond a check-up and includes heart health, cancer risk and genetic testing. Ranging from 45 minutes to 135 minutes, the appointment sees patients receive an age and gender specific roadmap and a bespoke report detailing the results of their diagnostic tests.
Seismofit® will become part of the protocol for a number of HCA Healthcare UK’s reAssure health screenings, ensuring patients receive expert, personalised and actionable clinical advice based on accurate health data.
Growing public interest in staying healthy, combined with a need to prevent more people becoming ill in the first place, means health checks like those offered by HCA Healthcare UK are becoming a key tool to improving long term health outcomes.
Dr Niaz Khan, Chief Clinical Officer at HCA Healthcare UK Primary Care, commented:
“Cardiorespiratory fitness is one of the most powerful predictors of long-term cardiovascular health, yet traditional VO2 max testing has historically been inaccessible to those unable to undergo intense, exhausting physical exertion. By introducing VentriJect’s Seismofit® technology to our premier reAssure screenings, we are removing those physical barriers. We can now offer our patients highly accurate, effortless fitness insights in just minutes, empowering our clinical teams to deliver even more precise, proactive, and personalised preventative care”.
Mikkel Kristiansen, VentriJect CEO, explained the rationale behind the partnership:
“HCA Healthcare UK have a reputation for providing world-class care and for adopting clinical innovations, making them the perfect partner for our expansion across the UK, which is a growing and important market for us. With a presence across the UK, this will mean more people will be able to access accurate VO2 max data, which together with HCA’s doctor-led screening model, will provide patients with meaningful insights into their cardiorespiratory fitness.”
Professor Peter Søgaard, Chief Medical Officer at VentriJect and Chief Cardiologist at Aalborg University Hospital, says value is not just in the technological capabilities of Seismofit®, but the number of people it can reach:
“Developing any new technology is exciting, but its impact is only determined by how many people it can help. Seismofit®’s compact size, the lack of requirement to exercise, and HCA Healthcare UK’s broad reach across the country means that VO2 max data will become available to a much wider audience instead of just being the preserve of elite sports professionals. This will have a meaningful and important impact on improving preventative healthcare.”
Seismofit® is already in use across Europe, but this is the first time the new VO2 max test will be made widely available in centres across the country and will be VentriJect’s flagship healthcare account in the UK.
[1] https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000461
The Danish-based company, VentriJect, was founded in 2018, as a spin out from the Danish university, Aalborg University. The company was founded with a mission to revolutionise how cardiorespiratory fitness is measured. With the clinical-validated and patented technology, Seismofit®, they have set out on that journey. Read more at www.ventriject.com.
About HCA Healthcare UK
HCA Healthcare UK is one of the UK’s leading private healthcare providers, offering a full range of medical services including Primary Care, Health Screening, GP & Nurse services, Psychology, Physiotherapy and Occupational Health to corporate organisations. Its doctor-led screening programmes combine clinical expertise with advanced diagnostics to provide patients with clear, personalised health insights and access to specialist care where needed.
