Engineers help Giraffe extend its reach

An online social enterprise run by GCU physiotherapists is to get a vital update from University engineers.

Giraffe Healthcare, an online physiotherapy and podiatry platform and a UHatch business, was founded by Professor Lorna Paul and Dr Elaine Coulter to provide high-quality, personalised healthcare programmes online, backed by expert advice and support. They provide the platform to the NHS, charities, hospices and third-sector organisations.

Jacob Koenig from the University’s SMART Centre has won funding from the Scottish Funding Council to create an enhanced, faster and optimised version of the application.

He said: “The web platform contains outdated legacy code which limits the integration of future, innovative, features. Our work will also offer the company capabilities for future integrated analytics and machine learning and lays the groundwork for future inter-operability with NHS systems, as well as improvement of the current user experience.”

Jacob said the three-month project will enable Giraffe to recruit more clients and expand into more international markets.

Giraffe will also be able to convert short-term trial users to customers by demonstrating the improved capability of the online exercise platform.

He added: “Giraffe will engage with new potential customers to demonstrate the benefits of the platform to their patients and service. With increased functionality, Giraffe will expand the content of exercise and patient education videos available on the platform to appeal to a wider market, for example via language and clinical speciality.”