In a recent LinkedIn poll, we asked our readers where they thought digital investment should go in the short term, with options including patient-facing tech, cross-organisational workflows, data/analytics/visibility tools, and digitising/removing paper.
Attracting a total of 83 votes, the most popular choice was digitising/removing paper, with 35 percent of the vote. Those voting for this option included a clinical digital implementor, transformation leader, head of IT, CNIO and a clinical documentation workstream lead.
The next most popular option was cross-organisational workflows with 29 percent, attracting votes from a enterprise architect, a programme director, an innovation consultant, and a support and information manager; whilst 22 percent of votes came in for patient-facing tech, from a implementation consultant, assistant director of clinical productivity, and maternity transformation programme manager.
In last place was data/analytics/visibility tools, which 14 percent of respondents selected as a priority for short term digital investment. Votes for this option came in from roles including medtech consultant, executive CDIO, CEO, and founder.
Which option would have voted for? Follow HTN on LinkedIn here for the chance to share your views in future polls, and to keep up with news, insights and interviews in the health tech space.
Focus on digital priorities from across the NHS
This month, HTN hosted a panel discussion on patient engagement, where we were joined by a panel of experts to talk about current priorities and projects in this space, to share learnings on adopting patient-centred processes and solutions, and to highlight outcomes and challenges around engaging patients with support from digital. Our panellists looked at the role of digital in supporting patient-centred care, challenges surrounding implementation, moving from implementation to optimisation, and ensuring digital literacy for patients and the workforce.
Elsewhere, a speech from Health Secretary Wes Streeting during the Labour Party conference 2024 highlighted the need for a shift toward preventative care – “from analogue to digital, from hospital to community, from sickness to prevention. Reform is not just possible, it is happening.”
Digital priorities have also been outlined in NHS South West London ICB’s latest board meeting for September, which highlighted its “significant work” around bringing digital, workforce and estates together under a single Infrastructure Strategy, and shared updates on the finalised SWL Urgent and Emergency Care Winter Plan for 2024/25, the ICB’s plan for urgent and emergency care, and the Board Assurance Framework.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust published its maternity service strategy for 2024-2029, highlighting innovation and technology as key enablers to develop the service and noting plans to launch a new maternity end-to-end electronic patient record in 2025. The strategy focuses on four key aims, including understanding clinical outcomes based on meaningful data, reducing inequalities for those with protected characteristics, listening to and working with women from all backgrounds, and educating trust teams through active listening.
