Digital Transformation and the opportunities it unlocks for Pharma, Medtech and Device Companies
NHS Providers recently produced a fantastic briefing document emphasising the role of digital transformation in terms of enhancing productivity within integrated care systems (ICS).
The document drills down into:
- Why they should be adopting system-wide digital strategies.
- What that would mean for ICS leaders in terms of addressing the increasing demands on healthcare services.
- How they could optimise resource utilisation.
- And how that could play a big part in improving patient outcomes.
There’s lots to look at there and plenty of opportunity for pharma, medtech and device companies to help meet and support the needs of the integrated care systems.
Technology can find the bottlenecks and improve patient outcomes
The document makes clear there is a need for a fundamental shift in digital transformation. ICSs are being asked to comprehensively map current system flows and their existing digital ecosystems to help them identify inefficiencies in areas where digital solutions could be implemented to streamline their operations.
The ICS system leaders are being encouraged to empower teams by mapping patient pathways to pinpoint where digital interventions could potentially alleviate some of the bottlenecks.
There’s also a request to focus on interfaces, where we utilise digital technologies and share data to bridge gaps between organisations to ensure seamless patient transitions.
I see in my work that data systems are not interoperable and that makes it really difficult to share patient data between different organisations. So, this document points out that if leadership teams collaborate – which is viewed as essential – then they are able to create a culture across all organisations of trust and develop a system first approach to allow them to properly focus on the patients.
Get patients involved from the start to drive adoption
The document highlights the fact that effective digital transformation requires a clear understanding of all your existing challenges and then a focus on real foundational, basic level improvements that can be built upon.
A user-centric design approach is put forward here because if staff and – more importantly – patients are involved in shaping the digital tools, that immediately makes them more effective, more likely to be engaged with and much more likely to be widely adopted.
The document views fixing fundamental issues, such as streamlining workflows and reducing administrative burdens as priorities before implementing advanced technologies. There’s also a mention of strategic deployment of artificial intelligence and automation designed around faster diagnosis, which would then improve both efficiency and patient treatment.
They also point out that redesigning workflows to integrate technologies effectively is absolutely crucial. That way, we get early and correct diagnosis, leading to early and correct treatment, meaning fewer unnecessary appointments in General Practice, fewer referrals into secondary care and fewer non-elective admissions because the patient received the right diagnosis and is now being treated.
The document then talks about creating a productivity mission. In order to drive meaningful digital transformation, the integrated care systems must establish a unified mission centred around enhancing patient outcomes, rather than just trying to increase activity levels to meet the demand.
That mission would give teams a compelling narrative that aligns efforts around clear goals and emphasises patient value, ensuring digital initiatives deliver more tangible improvements in care and, of course, also in efficiency.
Moreover, the document recognises decisions made by individual organisations can often impact the whole system, so we need to get them all together to co-ordinate strategies and take agreed collective action across the system, rather than everyone working in their own individual silos.
Lots of opportunities to collaborate
Digital transformation at integrated care system level is bound to produce and present numerous opportunities for industry to contribute and to benefit from that evolving landscape.
Top of that list, I think, is collaborative development. Clearly, if you’re a company and you can partner with an integrated care system, you can then co-create digital health tools to address specific system needs, such as apps and platforms that complement pharmaceutical treatments.
I’m working right now with a digital tool that complements medication and we’re piloting with a GP federation and a primary care network – in different parts of the country I hasten to add – where the project is already delivering what I would describe as remarkable outcomes.
So clearly, where you can show you can enhance patient adherence to their medicine and then their outcome, you’re in a great position to partner and collaborate with an integrated care system.
I also believe this is an area where remote monitoring devices that enable continuous patient tracking can facilitate proactive interventions that again reduce appointments in the practices, reduce referrals to hospital and non-elective admissions to hospital – because we’ve improved the overall care.
AI will predict disease progression to help patients
Next on my list would be the integration of some of the more advanced technologies. Incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning and data analytics into products that offer predictive insights would then enable some of the personalised care that the NHS has a real desire to do.
I think we’re likely to see AI-powered predictive analytics helping forecast some of the disease progressions that would then support better early intervention strategies as well.
And personalised medicine driven by data analytics would enable the NHS to tailor treatments based on the individual patient profile. That’s going to improve efficacy, it will minimise side effects, and of course, we get an overall improved patient outcome.
Enhancing interoperability would be next on my list, because again, this document highlights that we need to ensure devices and platforms integrate seamlessly with existing ICS infrastructures. That is viewed as absolutely critical if we’re going to have effective digital transformation.
If we can standardise data protocols and facilitate smooth information exchange across systems, clearly that helps improve care and care coordination, more importantly, between the different providers.
Developing collaborative platforms that promote data sharing across healthcare providers can really enhance patient outcomes and, of course, it optimises the resource utilisation as well.
After that, we have to support the workforce with training and education to ensure they go ahead and adopt that digital solution. To accelerate the adoption of any new technologies, companies must invest in workforce training and support programmes. Educational initiatives that equip the healthcare professionals with the skills to use digital tools efficiently and effectively will absolutely increase adoption rates.
Similarly, by designing user-friendly interfaces, you can reduce the learning curve and encourage the widespread implementation of new technologies.
A lot of areas, particularly in General Practice, still have protected learning time, where they’ll shut the practices for a half day every month for training and education. A great way to get some time in front of the practices, the Primary Care Networks and the GP federations is to do that workforce training, education and upskilling.
Read my blog – What role will technology play in helping the NHS to recover? – by clicking here.
Forget the company agenda, focus on what the NHS wants
If you’re a company working at system, regional or even national level, active participation in shaping digital health policies will help ensure alignment between the capabilities offered by industry and the priorities of the NHS.
It’s absolutely paramount in the current climate that you park the company agenda, look at the NHS agenda and work out how you engage with that because that’s where your opportunity really lies.
Through advisory roles, working groups or committees, pharma, medtech and device companies might be able to influence and provide insights on some of the technology advancements and the feasibilities that are coming down the pipe.
There’s opportunities in there to engage in public/private partnerships with government bodies, where you might get pilot programmes that drive innovation within an integrated care system.
Security is paramount where patients are concerned
Cybersecurity is obviously a big concern, and the document talks a lot about it. Wherever there’s a growing reliance on digital tools, you have to ensure data security via robust cyber security measures.
Advanced encryption would be one of the preferred security protocols, you’ve absolutely got to protect patient data from any risk of breach. Compliance with national and international data protection regulations would be viewed as essential if you’re going to build and maintain trust and safeguard sensitive healthcare information.
Empowering patients with digital tools really can lead to improved health outcomes and system efficiencies. I’m seeing that in the pilot I mentioned earlier, it has really helped improve self-management, which is one of the things this document talks a lot about.
Apps that enable the patients to monitor and manage chronic conditions help reduce the need for frequent clinical visits. Providing educational resources through digital platforms should also help patients understand their treatment plans and promote better adherence.
And finally – funding. Apparently, there are available funding opportunities to accelerate the development and deployment of innovative healthcare, technology and digital solutions and companies can apply for innovation grants which support technology advancements that then link to addressing NHS challenges.
You’ll find the health innovation networks at regional level, they provide opportunities for piloting new technologies in real world settings. And they will be delighted to help companies gather real world evidence.
Whatever the future holds, there’s a role for industry
To tie all this together, I think the briefing from NHS Providers highlights the critical role digital transformation will play in driving efficiency and improving patient care right across the NHS and throughout the integrated care systems.
For pharma, medtech and device companies, it’s a shift that presents an opportunity to align your offerings with the evolving needs of the integrated care systems.
Industry – by collaborating with the big healthcare providers to develop interoperable and user-centric solutions, by integrating AI and predictive analytics and by actively participating in the development around digital health policy – can play a significant role in the future of integrated healthcare. Whatever that might look like.
Scott McKenzie helps pharmaceutical, medical technology and device firms get their products and services in front of the right NHS decision-makers. In 2023 alone, he helped land 53 new NHS projects. His 12-month mentorship programme – revamped and expanded for 2025 – offers tools, NHS customer insights and direct decision-maker introductions to get your projects over the line. Find out more here.