Great potential for improvement in the introduction of digital services and products in healthcare

How can novel technologies be used to create new and more effective treatments, promote health, improve patient experiences and reduce healthcare costs? During 2017 to 2019, Uppsala BIO is participating in a working group looking closely at the opportunities and challenges of introducing new digital technologies in healthcare.

Since 2017, Uppsala BIO has been part of a working group together with SKL (the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions), Region Norrbotten and Stockholm Science City to develop a proposal for a process to evaluate digital tools. The work, referred to as the Ordered Introduction of Digital Services and Products, is expected to last until 2019.

In order to get feedback about how the quality assurance and evaluation of digital tools takes place in healthcare today, as well as how a common process could facilitate this, the working group hosted two workshops during March/April 2018. The first meeting attracted representatives from public healthcare providers and actors, as well as other suppliers and innovators of digital technology.

During the meetings, the working group presented results from the preliminary study that forms the basis of the task, plus the experience gained from the study visit to NHS Digital in England. The significant efforts made in England within this field have been a great inspiration and many challenges common with Sweden can be seen.

Clearer rules of play
A number of interesting issues were discussed at the workshops, including the need for clearer rules for the evaluation and quality assurance of digital tools, and how a joint evaluation process could contribute to a solution. How can public sector actors and businesses interact to achieve this?

How shall digital technologies be introduced into healthcare?
The overall goal of the project is to develop a process proposal that provides a better structure when evaluating and quality assuring digital services and products in healthcare. This would also act as a support for entrepreneurs, suppliers and innovators since it clarifies the requirements made by healthcare providers. This in turn will help individuals to orient themselves in the ever-increasing range of digital tools and improve their ability to take an active role in their own care.

Great room for improvement
After two productive workshops, it is clear that the challenges in this field are extensive and that the need for improvement is substantial.

Digital development places higher demands on all involved, and it shows no signs of slowing down. To meet both the current and future needs of our citizens, greater structure and cooperation are needed. Evaluating products, managing innovation and providing us all with secure digital tools is going to require a real joint effort from all involved.

With the issues raised and the feedback gathered from the two meetings, work continues and a first proposal for a joint process for the introduction of digital services and products is expected to be ready in the autumn of 2018.

The project team thanks all participants for their commitment and valuable feedback!

Read more at SKL and Linked-in