The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), a UK government-funded, non-departmental public body that aims to establish guidelines for clinical best practice, issued its recommendation for the National Health Service (NHS) to use Qbtech’s industry-leading objective tests to improve diagnostic wait times for children and youth, age six to 17. The approval for using QbTest alongside traditional diagnostic methods enables more children to get diagnosed within six months of their initial assessment, addressing the long waiting periods many families are experiencing.
Results from the AQUA clinical trial found that using the QbTest alongside a standard clinical assessment for ADHD resulted in faster diagnostic decisions being made for a more significant proportion of people within six months of their first assessment appointment when QbTest results were available, compared with when they were not. It also resulted in clinicians being able to rule out ADHD in more cases.
“The evidence we have to date, further cemented by the recent NICE recommendation to the NHS, highlights the importance of objective ADHD testing in improving overall ADHD care,” shared Dr. Angela LaRosa, a Charleston-based developmental and behavioral pediatrician. “As a specialist in developmental and behavioral pediatrics, incorporating objective ADHD assessments in my practice has been crucial for increasing access to care, and we now have better data for making informed care decisions, including treatment optimization and monitoring.”
QbTest is an FDA-cleared, market-leading computer-based test with motion tracking that measures core ADHD symptoms—inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. The results are analyzed and presented in an easy-to-read visual report comparing them to a normative control group of the same age and sex at birth who do not have ADHD.
“ADHD diagnosis rates are rising globally, with the CDC reporting a 16% increase from 2016 to 2022,” said Mikkel Hansen, Chief Medical Officer at Qbtech. “The increase in demand has put a severe strain on healthcare systems, leading to significant delays in diagnosis that are having far-reaching effects on children and their families. Our objective tests add necessary safeguards to the diagnostic process and enable clinicians to complete a comprehensive assessment effectively and efficiently. We’re honored to be recognized by NICE and excited to further our work with the NHS to improve access to ADHD care in the UK and with similar organizations worldwide.”
Qbtech’s objective ADHD testing technology is used by more than 12,000 clinicians across 44 states in the U.S. and at the national level by organizations such as the NHS in England in over 120 sites. The company has been documented in more than 40 independent studies, showing benefits across the patient care pathway, including improved access to care, elevated clinician confidence, better identification of treatment effects than self-rating, and standardization of care across multiple disciplines.
###
About Qbtech
Founded in 2002, Qbtech is a privately-owned Swedish company that has developed leading solutions and products for improving the identification, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients living with ADHD. Qbtech has operations in 14 countries and has offices in Stockholm, Houston, and London. Qbtech is an award-winning company recognized for its innovation, most recently winning the 2022 HSJ Partnership Award for the ‘Best Mental Health Partnership with the NHS.’ For more information about Qbtech, visit www.qbtech.com.
