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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2016/jun/20/nhs-strong-dose-tech-investment
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| The NHS needs a strong dose of tech investment | The NHS needs a strong dose of tech investment |
| (2 months later) | |
| The announcement of £4.2bn in funding to move the NHS towards a digital, “paper-free” future raises challenges and rekindles memories of past attempts. | The announcement of £4.2bn in funding to move the NHS towards a digital, “paper-free” future raises challenges and rekindles memories of past attempts. |
| In fairness, the NHS gets less credit than it should for its progress with technology. GP surgeries are computerised, the health service has excellent technology for transferring data around the country, digital imaging and online referrals, and the largest secure email service in the world. | In fairness, the NHS gets less credit than it should for its progress with technology. GP surgeries are computerised, the health service has excellent technology for transferring data around the country, digital imaging and online referrals, and the largest secure email service in the world. |
| But, with the National Programme for IT still casting a long shadow, many processes are stuck in the 1950s. Letters are still sent between hospitals, GPs and social services. Many doctors still hand-write test requests; people move paper records from ward to clinic to operating theatre. Patients wait for doctors in beds and in clinics. Different organisations work in silos and, while some have improved their processes and IT, they don’t communicate electronically with each other. Imagining the future when you are stuck in the past is difficult and the NHS will need support. | But, with the National Programme for IT still casting a long shadow, many processes are stuck in the 1950s. Letters are still sent between hospitals, GPs and social services. Many doctors still hand-write test requests; people move paper records from ward to clinic to operating theatre. Patients wait for doctors in beds and in clinics. Different organisations work in silos and, while some have improved their processes and IT, they don’t communicate electronically with each other. Imagining the future when you are stuck in the past is difficult and the NHS will need support. |
| Digital services can ensure the NHS continues providing world-leading universal care | Digital services can ensure the NHS continues providing world-leading universal care |
| Meanwhile, patients are becoming more digitally active and want to interact with health services in the same way as other areas of their lives. More than three-quarters of UK adults own a smartphone, with ownership among people over-55s increasing by 40%-50% between 2013 and 2014. Some 75% of the population go online for health information and there are more than 165,000 health apps – though few are linked to NHS IT systems. | Meanwhile, patients are becoming more digitally active and want to interact with health services in the same way as other areas of their lives. More than three-quarters of UK adults own a smartphone, with ownership among people over-55s increasing by 40%-50% between 2013 and 2014. Some 75% of the population go online for health information and there are more than 165,000 health apps – though few are linked to NHS IT systems. |
| There are good examples of technology in the NHS. Mobile IT can cut 60% of paperwork for community nurses, giving them 29% more patient time. Airedale NHS trust found that Skype consultations from care homes led to 35% fewer hospital admissions, a 53% reduction in A&E use and 59% fewer hospital bed days. But the NHS has struggled to repeat such successes across different organisations. | There are good examples of technology in the NHS. Mobile IT can cut 60% of paperwork for community nurses, giving them 29% more patient time. Airedale NHS trust found that Skype consultations from care homes led to 35% fewer hospital admissions, a 53% reduction in A&E use and 59% fewer hospital bed days. But the NHS has struggled to repeat such successes across different organisations. |
| More digital interaction with patients and other organisations has huge scope for improvement and savings. But for technology to work well, lessons should be learned and the right people must be involved. | More digital interaction with patients and other organisations has huge scope for improvement and savings. But for technology to work well, lessons should be learned and the right people must be involved. |
| Clinicians must own and lead the process. Digitising care is difficult because medicine is complex and full of judgment and exploration. Clinicians must know what’s on offer and what works for their environment, help develop their organisation’s vision and work with colleagues and management to agree clinical processes. Technology can, and should, enable this vision and professionals need, and often want, to be at the forefront. | Clinicians must own and lead the process. Digitising care is difficult because medicine is complex and full of judgment and exploration. Clinicians must know what’s on offer and what works for their environment, help develop their organisation’s vision and work with colleagues and management to agree clinical processes. Technology can, and should, enable this vision and professionals need, and often want, to be at the forefront. |
| We mustn’t underestimate the need to invest. Every £1 spent on technology requires at least £1 to be spent on system transformation to ensure a safe and effective transition. | We mustn’t underestimate the need to invest. Every £1 spent on technology requires at least £1 to be spent on system transformation to ensure a safe and effective transition. |
| Nor will one size fit all. A system right for one hospital, or to link several, won’t be right for another. It depends on the clinical vision. A large teaching hospital – with academic links, specialist treatments and looking at collaborating or merging with other organisations – will require a comprehensive transformation programme assessing and improving patient pathways and care plans, taking two or three years. But smaller organisations, offering a narrower range of services, won’t need such complicated solutions. | Nor will one size fit all. A system right for one hospital, or to link several, won’t be right for another. It depends on the clinical vision. A large teaching hospital – with academic links, specialist treatments and looking at collaborating or merging with other organisations – will require a comprehensive transformation programme assessing and improving patient pathways and care plans, taking two or three years. But smaller organisations, offering a narrower range of services, won’t need such complicated solutions. |
| It’s no accident that some applications, like SAP and Oracle, are world leaders used by thousands of organisations. They are standard, ubiquitous and touch everything from finance, customers and inventories to staffing, performance analytics and communication. New software can be complicated and everyone in the organisation needs to be involved before it arrives, knowing what to expect and how the ways they work will change. | It’s no accident that some applications, like SAP and Oracle, are world leaders used by thousands of organisations. They are standard, ubiquitous and touch everything from finance, customers and inventories to staffing, performance analytics and communication. New software can be complicated and everyone in the organisation needs to be involved before it arrives, knowing what to expect and how the ways they work will change. |
| As with all IT projects, things can change or go wrong. All sectors and all countries know IT projects are risky and complicated, particularly in the medical world. IT changes the way people work, people will want to change the project and external factors evolve over time. So it’s vital there are people involved who have done it before, can keep patients safe as clinicians learn the new systems, will know what to expect and can fix things when they go wrong. | As with all IT projects, things can change or go wrong. All sectors and all countries know IT projects are risky and complicated, particularly in the medical world. IT changes the way people work, people will want to change the project and external factors evolve over time. So it’s vital there are people involved who have done it before, can keep patients safe as clinicians learn the new systems, will know what to expect and can fix things when they go wrong. |
| As our Connected Health report illustrates, done correctly, digital services can ensure the NHS continues providing world-leading universal care, overcoming financial challenges, supporting advances in research and improving patient outcomes. | As our Connected Health report illustrates, done correctly, digital services can ensure the NHS continues providing world-leading universal care, overcoming financial challenges, supporting advances in research and improving patient outcomes. |
| There are inevitably risks, and 2020 is not far away, but the reward is a cost-effective, 21st century healthcare service. | There are inevitably risks, and 2020 is not far away, but the reward is a cost-effective, 21st century healthcare service. |
| Rebecca George is vice chair and public sector health lead for Deloitte UK | Rebecca George is vice chair and public sector health lead for Deloitte UK |
| Join the Healthcare Professionals Network to read more pieces like this. And follow us on Twitter (@GdnHealthcare) to keep up with the latest healthcare news and views. | Join the Healthcare Professionals Network to read more pieces like this. And follow us on Twitter (@GdnHealthcare) to keep up with the latest healthcare news and views. |