TRAINING & EDUCATION
Power to the Patient
Tobias Alpsten, CEO of Health Tech specialist iPLATO, asks how digital patient-facing technology can support a more patient-centric approach to care and support a future NHS.
NHS Chief Executive Simon Stevens recently unveiled plans to provide millions of patients with quicker access to health apps. Mr Stevens believes smartphones to be one of the ‘most powerful diagnostic tools now available’ and is hopeful that people already embracing apps, such as Uber and Airbnb, will show the same willingness to embrace digital health technology which would help improve care and save the NHS money.
Without doubt the digital revolution, and in particular mobile technology, has transformed the way we all live our lives, but what are the barriers to NHS adoption of such services, which
- 48 -
can help save money, as well as improve and support a more patient- centric approach to care?
Complex NHS Culture There is still a widespread nervous culture within the NHS that digital innovations are nice to have as ‘add- ons’, and as a result the sector falls behind other industries in its adoption of digital technology and innovative solutions. This is in part due to:
• Ancient, complex funding models and procurement issues; patient- facing digital innovations are part of the NHS ‘service delivery’ and not capital investment of IT hardware.
• Fragmented pools of funding,
innovations which are unable to deliver cost-savings within a required time-frame promote short-term rather than long-term strategic solutions.
In addition, for organisations to really embrace innovation and new creative advances they need to break down barriers, let go and refrain from dictating the minutia, and instead, focus on the essential criteria, in this instance – patient safety and improved outcomes.
Ultimately, if we are to drive real cost savings and efficiencies within the NHS, digital solutions need to sit at the very heart of service delivery and long-term strategy. Whilst taking
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64