Democratising health data
Dexter
Dexter, a software to derive clinical insights from huge healthcare datasets, is one of Enterprise’s leading Operating Divisions. Since setting up in 2022, it has secured partnerships with the NHS and multinational clients, and won hundreds of thousands of pounds in funding. It is now preparing to spin out.
Dexter was initially developed by researchers at Birmingham to help scientists sift through anonymised data to conduct observational studies and find suitable candidates for clinical trials. It now offers a second product, DexterCare, which allows healthcare professionals to automate clinical audits, which use patient data to establish if care is up to standard.
“Dexter was conceived for ‘real world evidence’, but we recognised that the software can also be used to inform better hospital care through quality improvement programmes. With that in mind, we launched DexterCare,” says Professor Krish Nirantharakumar, its Chief Scientific Officer. “It can perform tasks that would have taken weeks, in seconds. Whereas in the past hospitals might have audited only 100-odd case notes, now they can do all of them.”
The software can query 100,000 records in 10 seconds, and is federated, making the data secure. DexterCare was recently used in an audit at Shrewsbury Maternity Hospital, and will be piloted in other maternity and acute care settings.
L-R: Professor Krish Nirantharakumar, Mr Krishna Gokhale and Professor Joht Singh Chandan
In the past year, Dexter has also partnered with the West Midlands Secure Data Environment, at the University Hospital Birmingham. Secure Data Environments are storage platforms funded by the NHS, whose anonymised data can be accessed for research and analysis. Dexter speeds up that process. “Dexter sits within the Secure Data infrastructure, to democratise health data research. That means people can do their research much faster and with less manpower,” explains Professor Nirantharakumar.
Separately, Dexter is partnering with health data providers, including Cegedim Healthcare Solutions, to make their data more accessible. Its software has been used in dozens of studies, on issues ranging from domestic violence to ectopic pregnancy. And further product development is underway.
We continue to improve the product so that it can be Software as a Service, meaning we don’t have to bring the data to us, but rather provide the software to organisations that need it.
Enterprise has supported Dexter through this growth phase, working with its team to appoint a chief executive who will oversee the spin-out. “Enterprise has given us the freedom to operate as a business within their environment, whilst minimising costs,” Professor Nirantharakumar says. “We need to make these Operating Divisions more visible to other members of staff, because it gives time for spin-outs to mature.”
Mr Coole of the Academic Consultancy Services team adds: “Dexter’s presence in the marketplace has been greatly enhanced by the Operating Division model. They have carried out services for NHS Trusts, and developed partnerships with big multinationals. They’ve built up their contacts and won grants, all before they have even incorporated.”