The possibilities of digital technology are limitless, and a digital NHS is the future; however, there are challenges which practices must overcome in order to realise a digitally-driven health service which serves the needs of the practice staff and the patient population efficiently.
In conjunction with our partners, Brother UK, we’re undertaking research into the barriers to full digital transformation in general practice – the findings of which will be published in a white paper.
Powerful Patients, Paperless Systems; how technology can renew the NHS sets out the government’s aim to make the NHS paperless and wholly digital – calling for pagers, fax machines and paper records to be replaced by integrated digital systems. The vision is to provide patients and healthcare organisations with the latest medical data that can be easily stored and shared between GP surgeries, hospitals and other care providers.
Will general practice be paperless by 2020? The consensus is that it’s unlikely. The focus, now, needs to be on making paper and digital work seamlessly together, while considering the changes that lie ahead. However, realising this level of digital transformation is a delicate balancing act; in many practices the technology is archaic and not fit-for-purpose. There is a clear need for investment in technology and infrastructure at practice level – so, what are the obstacles to this?
In an ideal world digital-first practices would be immediately embraced but, in the real world, resource limitations, ingrained working practices and legacy systems make a simple switch seem anything from unlikely to impossible.
Time for transformation
Here at Practice Business HQ, we want to learn what the real pinch points to change at practice level are – if the sector can understand these, it can find solutions to overcome them. So, in conjunction with our partner, Brother UK, we are undertaking research into digital transformation in general practice – the findings of which will be published in a white paper and shared with the sector.
The objective is to establish the challenges and obstacles faced by practices when it comes to implementing digital-first systems and to better understand how practices can improve efficiency, save time and reduce workload through technology.
Your insights and experiences are essential to this so we’re very keen to have your input via our short, online survey (it will take no more than a few minutes!) to help us with our research.
Your insights and experiences are essential to this so we’re very keen to have your input via our short, online survey (it will take no more than a few minutes!) to help us with our research. We know how busy you are, so as a thank you for sparing a few minutes of your day, every respondent will be entered into a draw to win an iPad mini 4!
In addition, if you have a specific technology experience – positive, or otherwise – that you would like to share, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch via email HERE.
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