The benefits of digital transformation are well documented: from improved clinical outcomes to financial efficiency savings. The adoption of digital ways of working during COVID-19 can largely be categorised into three areas:
- Ensuring care is safe for both patients, service users and staff
The risk of asymptomatic staff treating patients who may be particularly vulnerable to the virus has meant many of the conventional ways of delivering health and care services are not appropriate. As in many other sectors, the NHS has had to look at ways it can deliver services remotely to ensure the safety of all those involved and reduce exposure to and transmission of the virus. Many trusts are now offering virtual consultations for this reason, while others have introduced virtual ward rounds and virtual visits. In the mental health sector, trusts have also focused their efforts on maintaining mental wellbeing by making sure people stay connected, particularly those vulnerable in hard to reach groups.
Across the acute, mental health, community and ambulance sectors, digital technologies are also being used to ensure all staff have access to the advice and guidance of specialist clinicians in order to maximise safe and effective care, even when a patient or service user isn’t able to see a particular clinician face to face. - Equipping the NHS workforce with digital technology and keeping staff connected
Some of the digital solutions introduced during COVID are not necessarily new concepts, however the real achievement has been in equipping such a large workforce to carry out and implement these new ways of working. For example, electronic patient records have been around in the NHS for some time, but their scaling up and integration during the pandemic has meant clinicians can more easily access data and respond quicker to patient/service user needs. The roll out of Microsoft Teams and video conferencing has ensured clinicians can stay connected and share information more easily, both within organisations and across health and care systems. - Efficient use of resources to relieve exceptional pressures on NHS capacity
Digital technologies have supported trusts in their efforts to create additional capacity in the face of increased demand for services during the pandemic. An increasingly data driven and mobile workforce has enabled trusts to concentrate limited resources where they’re needed most. For example, using video consultations to avoid unnecessary ambulance call outs or using new analytic tools to better manage and report on COVID-19 screenings, test results and resources.