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NHS CDIO joins EPR supplier as vice president of healthcare strategy & transformation

Former executive chief digital information officer at Gloucestershire NHS Foundation Trust, Mark Hutchinson, has joined Altera Digital Health as vice president of healthcare strategy & transformation, EMEA.

Mark joins the health tech supplier following a 20 year career in digital healthcare transformation; joining Altera Health, a company aiming to “disrupt the traditional approaches to digital transformation”.

The move intends to guide trusts with their digital transformation, particularly to support “taking an alternative approach to digital transformation by taking a faster, flexible and efficient route to EPR deployments with modular approaches,” the company said.

Commenting on the appointment, Mark said: “I know how challenging the current landscape is for NHS providers to deliver digital transformation. An EPR supplier duopoly is a real threat, and against this inflexible backdrop, innovation is at risk as is taxpayer’s money.

“I joined Altera Digital Health because I am passionate about delivering technology that genuinely makes a difference to patients and clinicians. I’m excited by the opportunity to help more NHS organisations accelerate their digital maturity and bring in changes that transform patient care and make life better for frontline staff, without exhausting budgets or taking years to realise benefits.”

Mark’s experience includes delivering a telemedicine service in 2007 at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, to more recently deploying an EPR at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Mark also led the EPR implementation at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust in 2013.

On EPR implementations, Mark added: “The traditional model for EPR implementation is not fit for purpose. It’s extremely disruptive, and can be harmful to patients. I’m deeply passionate about championing an alternative platform approach to solutions that provides a fast, flexible and clinically driven roadmap towards digital maturity across integrated care systems and delivers rapid improvements for both patients and clinicians.”

The appointment comes as part of Altera Digital Health’s drive to accelerate growth across the UK.