Can a 30-second video tell a better story than pages of clinical notes?

NIHR North West London patient safety research collaboration

For the 35% of adults aged 65+ living with frailty (NHS England, 2023), written text often falls short. Frailty isn’t just “getting old”; it’s a nuanced state of reduced resilience where patients have less reserve to bounce back from minor stressors.

Because frailty involves subtle changes in mobility, balance, and cognition, it is notoriously difficult to document in words alone.

A note saying “patient mobilising with assistance” doesn’t capture the effort, the gait, or the small daily wins that signal a patient is ready to go home. We refer to this as the “data void.” And we’re here to help you fill it.

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Bridging the gap: The Imperial College study

A landmark pilot study, supported by the NIHR North West London Patient Safety Research Collaboration, worked alongside the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI) and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust to bridge this ‘data void’ using video technology.

Using the Isla digital pathway platform (DPP), clinical teams integrated secure video directly into the electronic patient record (EPR) across three acute medicine wards. The findings, recently published in JMIR (Journal of Medical Internet Research), provide a compelling roadmap for how digital pathways have the potential to transform person-centred care.

The study at a glance:

• Safety: Dignity was maintained through strict safeguards and privacy protocols.
• Setting: Three acute medicine wards for older adults.
• Participants: 29 patients participated, with a 57% enrollment rate.
• High acceptability: 94.3% of participating patients, family carers, and healthcare staff rated the intervention as acceptable.
• Retention: Only one patient withdrew after enrolment.

Why video delivers

Clinical precision: capturing the intermittent

The pilot demonstrated that visual data does more than just document; it empowers teams to make smarter decisions more quickly. Staff used Isla to record symptoms that are notoriously difficult to “catch” during a standard review, such as seizures.

• Discharge planning: Providing visual evidence to support care home referrals.
• Mobility assessments: Documenting baseline function and tracking gait/balance.
• Intermittent symptoms: Catching “invisible” episodes like seizures or confusion.

Clinicians in the study recognised that video captures the nuance that text misses. As one nursing staff member noted:

“It’s quite good technology to have, like I say, written documentation doesn’t always convey what’s going on, the patient’s abilities. So, to actually see something, especially in regards to moving and handling, things like that.“

The patient perspective: “I’ve lost ten years”

For patients, watching their own recovery on video provided a psychological boost, helping them see their own progress, literally “losing ten years” in their own eyes. One participant shared:

“I can see now how it might be important for people to see the transformation in me, the way I was a few days ago. Now, I’ve lost ten years.”

Privacy considerations were central to the design and conduct of the study. Strict safeguards were in place (appropriate clothing, privacy curtains) to ensure a secure, respectful environment. One nurse described a moment of a patient walking:

“The patient was eager, because he was walking and the staff… they were following and cheering him on. It was so beautiful – he was able to mobilise himself. They were all so happy, the staff and the patient themself, because he wanted to go home!”

The reality check: Why workflow wins

The study was refreshingly honest about the challenges of a busy acute setting. While the capture of video was successful, the consumption of that data faced hurdles. Approximately 50% of the videos captured were never subsequently viewed by clinical staff.

This wasn’t a failure of interest; it was a lesson in workflow.

Clinicians didn’t have time for “extra clicks” or logging into separate systems. This finding validated exactly what Isla stands for: integration is everything.

If a video feels like an “extra step,” it won’t get watched. That’s why we don’t just build tools; we build pathways that fit seamlessly into the systems you already use.

Why visual data is a national priority

With 1.5 million people in the UK currently living with moderate to severe frailty (National Audit Office, 2025), the pressure on acute wards has never been higher. Digital technology can help Trusts meet core NHS priorities:

• Preventing functional decline: Identifying subtle changes in mobility early can prevent falls, a major driver of hospital admissions.
• Reducing hospital-associated harm: Faster assessments and better discharge planning reduce length of stay, preventing deconditioning and hospital-acquired infections.
• Meeting national mandates: This work supports the NHS Long Term Plan’s shift from “analogue to digital,” providing a shared source of visual truth to enable safer care transitions and support “Home First” models.

Digital Pathway Platform: A blueprint for every specialty

The lessons from this frailty pilot apply far beyond the acute ward. The “data void” exists in hundreds of other clinical pathways, and video is the bridge to better care.

At Isla, we aren’t just building a video tool; we’re building a new standard for the patient record. By embedding rich media deeply into the workflow, it becomes the primary source of truth, not an optional extra.

Consider the possibilities:

• Dermatology: Precise tracking of lesion changes without patient travel.
• Speech and Language Therapy: Visual evidence of swallow function shared instantly with MDTs.
• Surgical Site Infection (SSI): Remote monitoring that catches infection early.
• Mental Health: Capturing patient presentation and affect in a way text never could.

References

Primary pilot study reference

Averill, P., et al., 2026. Acceptability, Feasibility, and Perceived Effectiveness of Video-Based Patient Records in Acute Frailty Care: Mixed Methods Pilot Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) Available at: https://www.jmir.org/2026/1/e77318’

Supporting context references

NHS England. 2023. Proactive care: providing care and support for people living at home with moderate or severe frailty. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/proactive-care-providing-care-and-support-for-people-living-at-home-with-moderate-or-severe-frailty/

British Geriatrics Society (BGS), 2025. BGS Frailty Briefing: Addressing the needs of an ageing population. [online] London: BGS. Available at: https://www.bgs.org.uk/resources/frailty-briefing

National Audit Office (NAO), 2025. Primary and community healthcare support for people living with frailty. [online] London: NAO. Available at: https://www.nao.org.uk/reports/primary-and-community-healthcare-support-for-people-living-with-frailty/

NHS Confederation, 2024. Supporting people with frailty: System-wide approaches to care. [online] London: NHS Confederation. Available at: https://www.nhsconfed.org/publications/supporting-people-frailty

NHS Providers, 2025. On the day briefing: Medium-term planning framework 2026-2029. [online] London: NHS Providers. Available at: https://nhsproviders.org/resources/on-the-day-briefing-medium-term-planning-framework-2026-2029

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Ready to see what you’ve been missing?

Video-based records are safer, clearer, and more human. Whether you’re managing complex frailty pathways or looking to streamline outpatient clinics, we’re here to help you design a workflow that works for your team. Get in touch