In this interview, Ellis Ward, Host of the Digital Health Digest video series speaks with?Liam Cahill, a healthcare strategist, advisor, and founder of?
Together Digital
.
Liam is a strategist and technologist with nearly 20 years in health and social care, advising leaders on digital transformation and empowering frontline teams. Co-founder of a UK initiative revolutionising medicines and prescribing, he leads digital transformation, mentors healthtech startups, and is an advocate for AI, automation, and inclusive innovation.
In this interview Ellis and Liam discuss the rise of "new power" in healthcare, highlighting how social media influencers are gaining influence alongside traditional roles. Liam shares his personal journey of building a following and brand, which has led to new opportunities.
?They also delve into the challenges faced by NHS contractors and freelancers, emphasising the importance of a strong online presence and thought leadership, as well as the necessity for companies to differentiate themselves when pitching to the NHS.
You can watch the full interview below
Key Takeaways from the conversation with Liam Cahill, a healthcare strategist, advisor, and founder of?Together Digital.
Transitions to a “new power”
- Liam highlights a societal shift towards "new power," where influence is increasingly determined by digital presence rather than official roles. This is evident within the NHS, where individuals like
Professor Shafi Ahmed
and
Hassan Chaudhury HonFAPM
, have gained significant influence through social media. This trend is deconstructing traditional hierarchies and reshaping the system.
Importance of Personal Branding for Contractors:
- Developing a strong personal brand, particularly through an active LinkedIn presence, is essential for contractors to enhance visibility and opportunities. Sharing thought leadership content like insights and case studies is crucial.
- Despite challenges like IR35 regulations and financial constraints in the NHS, contractors can differentiate themselves by using LinkedIn as a "balance sheet" to showcase their ideas, vision, and value beyond a traditional CV.
Building Trust in the NHS
- Gaining trust and standing out in the saturated NHS digital health market requires a deep understanding of NHS challenges, effective problem-solving, and empathy, rather than flashy presentations.
- Success hinges on navigating the NHS's complex system with a sophisticated, informed approach, avoiding oversimplified strategies and demonstrating genuine alignment with NHS needs.
- Many health tech companies and their investors hold oversimplified or naive views about how to penetrate the NHS market. This often leads to ineffective strategies, such as overreliance on buzzwords or grandiose promises that fail to resonate with NHS decision-makers
Incentives and Trade-Offs
- To engage with the NHS, companies should leverage trade-offs and incentives like reduced costs for testimonials or data and focus on creating assets such as case studies and testimonials to build trust and credibility.
- In the digital era, effectively utilising and repurposing content helps establish credibility and overcome challenges in convincing providers, making strategic asset management crucial for influencing NHS stakeholders.
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I help NHS orgs embrace digital & innovate ? I help healthtech fit the NHS. National advisor. Social enterprise advocate, founder & non-exec. I write about #digitalhealth on LinkedIn.
7 个月I've reposted with thoughts but additionally love how you've created a little summary article to go along with the recording ?? - really nice and the first time I've had this on a podcast I've been on. Great idea.