December 2023 • PharmaTimes Magazine • 16-17
// HEALTHCARE //
Happy anniversary!?
A patient-centric approach to the NHS’s digital transformation
In 2023, the NHS celebrated its 75th anniversary. In its own words, the NHS has ‘always evolved and adapted to meet the needs of each successive generation’.
This evolution has been powered by numerous technological innovations since 1948 that have modernised the NHS’s operations and improved the quality of care it provides to its patients.
The path of technological evolution has not always been smooth, however, nor has every project been successful.
In June this year, the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee published a report titled Digital Transformation in the NHS, which detailed five key areas where the government must act to improve the NHS.
This included the lack of interoperability between systems to the need for further innovation in digital healthcare, leveraging the new NHS App that many consumers downloaded to access their COVID-19 pass.
But what specifically needs to be addressed, and what will these changes mean in practice? We understand that some of the population will always be opposed to engaging in digital processes but overlooking the end-user experience of those who do rely on digital tools could be catastrophic for the future success of digital transformation in the health service.
The NHS was built on the idea that it would protect the well-being of individuals, so the needs of all members of the healthcare system need to be addressed to guarantee the inclusivity of the service, and ensure effectiveness and efficiency. Digital transformation is essential in order to achieve this.
Learnings from the private sector
If the NHS wishes to truly address its challenges in digital transformation, it must learn from the successes of the private sector, which primarily focuses on satisfying the needs of end users.
Customers are central to product development in the private sector, with competitors striving to innovate and gain a competitive edge by meeting customer needs.
This is not just about the user experience, although that is of course key. Keeping customers satisfied in this digital age includes ensuring necessary legal and regulatory compliance.
This is a stark contrast to the NHS, which is subject to regulations that impede the management and accessibility of its systems.
The House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee report stated that ‘National governance arrangements for digital transformation remain confused’, as the responsibility for management development costs and achieving programme benefits is shared across different organisations.
This complicated approach to digitisation makes it difficult to prioritise addressing the needs of patients or healthcare professionals at the centre of the decision-making process, held back by bureaucracy that limits the health service from reaching its potential.
The NHS should therefore draw lessons from the private sector: satisfy end-user needs while concurrently adhering to the necessary regulations. In other words, it should not allow regulations to hinder the end-user experience.
A customer-first approach should be a fundamental consideration when developing digital frameworks.
The result – if implemented correctly – will be increased efficiency, more streamlined data accessibility, and greater trust and compliance due to improved data privacy laws and less bureaucracy getting in the way of progress.
Empowering patients
Until recently, the NHS has maintained a manual – and outdated – approach to data processing, with physical paperwork still being passed between doctors and patients.
This reliance on manual paperwork extends the time it takes to share patient information, and these delays can have detrimental effects on patient care. This system is also susceptible to human errors. Inaccuracies in patient records risk substandard care or harmful consequences on patient health.
To minimise these risks, a unified data management system must be implemented to manage data updates, modernise NHS operations and – crucially – enhance the quality of patient care.
Furthermore, there is currently not a great deal of communication between healthcare professionals in private practice and those in public hospitals, but a unified data management system would allow both to access each patient’s full medical records.
‘If the NHS wishes to truly address its challenges in digital transformation, it must learn from the successes of the private sector’
An improved level of interconnectedness enables shared decision-making, with the best outcomes for patients based on all the available data. This would also put the power back into patients’ hands, allowing them to manage their own health data in real time.
In turn, the NHS would empower patients to make more educated decisions about their care pathways by alleviating concerns over remembering their medical information or managing their records when moving between healthcare providers.
Instead, they would benefit from united care systems that can provide a personal view of their health status. It’s the essential step the NHS must take to put patients at the centre of the organisation.
Of course, any initiatives that focus on advancing the use of or increasing the accessibility of patient data must prioritise privacy and security. This is no small task – the NHS faces constant threats of cyberattacks due to the high value of the personal data that Trusts hold on their patients.
Recent ransomware attacks such as the one on the University of Manchester highlighted the issue, leaving over a million NHS patients’ details compromised. Unfortunately, incidents like this are not isolated events.
Similar to user experience and accessibility, data security must be recognised as fundamental to putting patients at the heart of the NHS’s digital transformation.
NHS express
User-centric design, coupled with unified data management, will be key to improving the NHS’s effectiveness and supporting the broader transformation of patient care.
Prioritising usability, with seamless access to patient data, will empower patients and healthcare providers alike in decision-making around care pathways, ultimately improving outcomes and enabling individuals to take greater care and control over their health.
As the NHS marks its 75th anniversary, it stands at a pivotal moment in its history. The challenges of the digital age demand a transformation that puts patients at the heart of the healthcare system.
Learning from the private sector, unifying data, and ensuring privacy and security are crucial steps in charting a better future for the NHS with data.
By doing so, the NHS can continue to evolve and adapt, fulfilling its mission to meet the needs of each successive generation and safeguarding the well-being of individuals across the United Kingdom.
Suki Dhuphar is Head of International Business at Tamr. Go to tamr.com
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