Mind the gap…. How to get digital right

‘'Digital’ is a term which seems to have caught the interests of the many, but what does it actually mean?

If 99 people heard the term digital, there would be 100 different opinions of what it means. As it stands, there are 42 digital strategies which will be/will have been created for Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) with the bold task of changing how care is delivered to enable better outcomes, but in a backdrop of frugality. The topic of how to get digital right is a BIG one, but today I wanted to share which areas recent experience highlights that you must address, in order for NHS organisations to equip themselves to embrace this transition and derive genuine value for both the providers and recipients of health care.

Many of the world’s leading care systems are born out of crisis and need, and COVID-19 taught us what can be achieved with digital, data, and technology. We saw NHS Digital create a national digital booking system capable of handling over 870,000 appointments in just one day, with over 50 million appointments booked in total; we witnessed NHS trusts construct virtual wards which transformed patient access so that they were able to monitor their own health and receive treatment from their own homes; and we observed how the NHS App became the most downloaded free app on the AppStore, with over 7.3m logins in a week. Wow. If you were to describe this picture to anybody back in 2017, they might well have thought all of this would have been nothing more than a pipe dream. These achievements reflect how, when done right, digital, data, and technology are capable of creating transformation at an extraordinary scale and pace.

It sounds pretty good, right? So, job done? Not at all. Now, more than ever is the time for us to revisit, reassess, and realign endeavours by utilising all that we have learnt to create sustainable change which sticks. The first step is to create the right digital strategy, building a digital health roadmap which will drive lasting benefits for patients, programmes, and populations. Based on our experience of working with ICSs and providers, we have shared the following five learnings:

1. Chose a few digital initiatives and do them well
   

   All too often Digital Strategies fail as organisations try and do too much, create a shopping list which is not achievable and set expectations which are unattainable. The key here is to prioritise initiatives, and set focused and measured targets to be completed within specific timeframes. Equally, be cautious of change apathy stepping in due to constant change. This can be limited by implementing a clear change management and communications strategy to ensure everyone is aware and onboard with the changes that will be brought in.
   
   

2. Clinically-led and costed
   

   Create buy-in and consensus amongst those that provide care. You will be surprised how much easier digital journeys are when those that you serve are already on-side.
   
   

3. Purpose-led, technology-enabled
   

   Technology has significant potential to empower patients and citizens in managing their own health, alleviate workforce pressures within the care economy, and reduce the number of visits to acute departments. But, care providers have spent billions on technologies to try to harness the potential of digital, however, the value and benefits of these solutions have in some cases remained unseen. The KPMG Customer Experience Excellence Report from Q4 2021 highlights that more than one-third of respondents expressed that healthcare services are still difficult to access and that digital applications are not shaping an effective solution. The ever-growing landscape and market of technology products can seem as confusing as it is exciting. To put their best foot forwards, it is essential that care providers position themselves as an intelligent customer, regarding technology as an enabler rather than a quick fix. To achieve this, organisations should have a clear understanding of their current state and desired outcomes. A robust digital strategy is based on how it can serve the organisation as a whole, the technology that is brought in should serve a clear purpose, working for the people and existing processes. A people-centred solution is created by learning what the requirements are for the intended end-user, outlining clear processes needed to shape an effective solution and finally scoping the technology to fit this purpose.
   
   

4. Data-driven
   

   All around the world, we are starting to witness the transition in how data is used in healthcare: from how the data is captured, shared, and utilised to improve the quality of care provided. There is a growing need for better data sharing and enhanced collaboration between providers across the continuum of care. Care should be delivered in the right setting at the right time and based on the right information. However, we find that health and care are still data-rich and information poor. Petabytes of data are still locked in clinical and back-office systems, 80% of which is unstructured and 'incomplete'. For an organisation to tap into this potential, they need to be deliberate about how they gather, store and use data for the insights required. Standards for data quality should be defined and adhered to. Documenting and implementing an effective data strategy, which should include data migration from legacy technologies, will then help to unlock the information needed from these systems.
   
   

5. Workforce
   

   As we continue to move to make better use of digital, data, and technologies, it will require a ‘rethink’ on the workforce of the future. This means a reassessment and redesign of skills is required in the future so that the best use can be made of digital, data, and technology. But we should do this in consideration of the following:
   
   
   • The ‘care gap’ which is expanding due to an ageing population and informal care providers reducing.
   • Think of a unified workforce at an ICS level, rather than restricted to the bricks and mortar of a hospital.
   • Support the workforce in upskilling, ensuring the relevant training is provided where needed.
   • Ensure governance mechanisms exist so that you continue to assess demand and capacity, horizon scan, and assess and optimise benefit and value creation. By doing so you continue to optimise the workforce and remain agile to the changes we all know are on the horizon due to the uncertain times yet to come.