DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTHCARE
Revisit your digital strategy with fresh eyes
Con McGarry, Senior consultant and Solution lead for Digital x Healthcare* at Arcadis, discusses how – against a backdrop where many healthcare organisations worldwide are determining how they move closer to a digital technology-enabled future – the journey from concept to actual implementation remains challenging. He advocates ‘an approach that goes beyond technology acquisition’, using a Strategic Technology Roadmap ‘rooted in understanding the distinct challenges that an organisation faces and quantifying them’.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare, digital strategies have become synonymous with the promise of ground-breaking advancements. Healthcare organisations around the world are fervently drafting their visions of a technology-enabled future, outlining ambitious transitions from legacy systems to a tech-savvy utopia. Yet, as the digital horizon expands, many are finding that merely having a digital strategy in place is not the panacea they envisioned. The journey from concept to implementation remains a labyrinth, and a glaring gap between intention and outcome persists. Why the disconnect? The reason is
both straightforward and elusive: many strategies end up as beautifully articulated words with minimal real- world impact. At their core, digital strategies serve as a blueprint for integrating technological advancements into healthcare services. They encompass aspirations of seamless data exchange, advanced telemedicine services, AI-driven diagnostics, and much more, all with the goal of enhancing care delivery, streamlining operational processes, and elevating the patient experience. Herein lies a critical oversight: while digital strategies often paint a vivid picture of a technology-driven future, they typically lack the detailed roadmaps or actionable plans needed for actualisation.
A ‘concerning trend’ emerges Moreover, as these strategies take form, a concerning trend emerges. Institutions, in their zest for modernisation, often prioritise the path of least resistance over the practical needs of their organisation. This results in organisations implementing technologies because they believe it is what they should have, rather than meticulously evaluating what they genuinely need. The very challenges the organisations seek to overcome – be it operational inefficiencies, gaps in patient care, or outdated infrastructure – become an afterthought. Instead of tailoring technology procurements to their specific challenges, needs, and constraints, they find themselves swayed by the complexity of implementation and the pressure for rapid impact. Furthermore, given the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare technology, and ever- shifting organisation priorities, many digital strategies become outdated almost as soon as they are published, making their realisation even more challenging. The inevitable consequence? A layering of technology
that is ill-suited, unscalable, and often incompatible – not only with existing and emerging digital systems, but also with the physical constraints and future needs of the healthcare estate. These misaligned technologies, at best, leave unresolved gaps, and – at worst – can exacerbate existing challenges or introduce new problems, undermining the very goals the strategy aimed to achieve. A digital strategy is not just about procuring cutting- edge tools or software; it is about weaving technology into the fabric of the healthcare environment, in a way that addresses foundational needs, optimises processes, reshapes workflows, and targets the intrinsic challenges at the heart of healthcare, ensuring that it complements and elevates existing systems and practices rather than merely replacing them. This is where many institutions can falter. The bridge between digital strategy and genuine transformation is not constructed merely by acquiring solutions. True transformation demands a more holistic approach – one that integrates technology seamlessly into healthcare practices, places human needs at the forefront, and ensures a collaborative evolution between the two.
Unveiling the reality gap Every healthcare institution is unique, with its own complexities and challenges. Despite the allure of off- the-shelf solutions, there’s an increasing acknowledgment that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach does not address the intricacies of each organisation. The answer lies in recognising the missing link: an approach that goes beyond technology acquisition. A Strategic Technology Roadmap (STR) is rooted in understanding the distinct challenges that an organisation faces and quantifying them. It emphasises designing tailored solutions, while
May 2025 Health Estate Journal 49
Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital in New Jersey used staff feedback gathered through virtual reality engagement to co-design key areas, including patient rooms. Arcadis said: “This approach highlights the critical role of user input in translating digital strategy into cohesive, real-world environments that meet operational and care needs.”
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