The future

The following section will explore the future of digital transformation in the health and care system.

Digital maturity

Many healthcare organisations are at various stages of digital maturity in their digital transformation journey. At the earlier stages, organisations are focused on extending their Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems to add value and improve patient access, mostly relying on the vendors ‘product roadmap’.

Others have moved further and are focusing on particular capabilities such as telehealth and mHealth apps. Further along, need is being addressed through the development of stand alone digital health initiatives that were created to address near term issues and priorities. The more advanced models are applying an overall strategy to digital transformation that includes the priorities of various stakeholders and investing in infrastructure and digital enablers for a sustained longer term enterprise level roadmap. Adapted from¹¹.

The Digital Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Technologies- Education (DART-Ed) programme is currently developing further products which will more specifically understand the educational requirements and offer needed around Aritifical Intelligence (AI), building on this capability framework and the AI confidence framework ^30,31 as well as understanding Robotics Surgery literacy needs with the Royal College of Surgeons through their Robotic and Digital Surgery (RADAR) initiative. The DART-Ed programme will continue to monitor through horizon scanning exercises other emerging technologies and their impact on the healthcare workforce, and the necessary skills and training needed to prepare our healthcare professionals for these developments. 

International collaboration

With the development of digital technology, many countries are also exploring preparing the workforce for digital transformation. Understanding and working with others to develop best practice in a global context is increasing in importance in a more connected world. An example of this is the work Health Education England have been doing by collaborating with the Australian Medical Council through a series of roundtable events to explore areas of common interest shared by the UK, Australia and New Zealand on digital health and medical workforce development. 

References

¹¹ Marx, EW,. Padmanabhan, P. (2021) Healthcare Digital Transformation: How consumerism, technology and pandemic are accelerating the future. Oxon: CRC Press

³⁰ Painter, A., Nix, M., Omisiforou, G. (2022) Understanding Healthcare Workers Confidence in AI https://digital-transformation.hee.nhs.uk/binaries/content/assets/ digital-transformation/dart-ed/understandingconfidenceinai may22.pdf

³¹ Painter, A., Nix, M., Omisiforou, G. (2022) Developing Healthcare Workers Confidence in AI https://digital-transformation.hee.nhs.uk/binaries/content/ assets/digital-transformation/dart-ed/developingconfidenceinai oct2022.pdf