Let's get digital: Thoughts for the healthcare sector in New Zealand

Digital health in its numerous avatars is an avenue that is both exciting and challenging for the New Zealand health system. Through this article, I will attempt to introduce four trains of thought which feed into the success of digital healthcare uptake and longevity. 

Thought #1: While digitisation is important, we must not digitise the mistakes:

The first one revolves around digitisation and the disruptive economy. When looking at the classic disruptive innovation model, the arguments are built upon comparisons between product performance trajectories and customer demand trajectories. Incumbent companies develop and introduce services and products that are catered to the higher end of the market, thus boosting profits. However, in the bargain, the low end, mainstream market is left behind. This is an opportunity for the new kids on the block. They establish a firm hold on the less profitable segments, and with time, move higher up the chain to ultimately challenge the incumbents. And this completes the disruptive cycle. So, with healthcare, where does digitisation fit in? Many of the providers I have spoken with echo the desire to deliver a higher quality service to their consumer, but are struggling with melding the old and new together. In most industries, disruption comes from start-ups and small outfits. Here’s another thought. Of the approximately $200 billion that has been used up in the healthcare venture space, only a minuscule 1% has focused on enabling consumer to play a proactive role in managing their own health. Disruption addresses an issue, and solves it in a way that has not been done before.

Any digital transformation journey in the healthcare sector must follow a few basic tenets. Firstly, moving too fast at breakneck speed is not the shortest way into the digital space, especially when incumbent systems need to be redirected in parallel. Digitisation is not a cost, but an investment and it must be given the latitude it deserves. Lastly, putting together the right team with a clear set of goals is irreplaceable. An investment in talent is of equal worth to an investment in technology.

Thought #2: Adapt your language, not your message:

The second discussion I would like to start here is around the challenges faced by digital health services. The emphasis in this discussion is on two words. “Your message”.

Why does your company/product exist? When talking to different consumers, you do not need to adapt your message, instead you need to adapt your language. The more people understand the strengths and limitations of what you bring to the table, the better the health outcomes will be. Customer service, understanding your customer and listening to your customer will follow on organically once the message has been conveyed. Why does your company/product exist?

Often, clinicians and nurses do not have the time to dabble in lengthy conversations with product specialists who tout their products to be the panacea to all their clinical woes. The commonly heard response might be “we have a job to do”. As a digital healthcare provider, one must be sensitive to this. Simple, relevant solutions which do not require steep learning curves and are intuitive in nature form the perfect trifecta combination for a digital health service. The biggest problems faced are often not business ones. This sets us up for the next thought, which you will find on the surface to be counterintuitive to my previous statement

Thought #3: Understand the business of healthcare:

Once the digital health solution is able to authentically communicate the ‘why’, the next step is to fully understand the business. While this might seem to be fairly commonsensical, reality is far from it. This knowledge throws up two golden nuggets.

Firstly, I was reminded recently of something I had been told a while ago in relation to technology and it’s use in healthcare. “Tech pundits often like to promise the healthcare system the world. They will fly us to the moon and back with their guarantees. The truth is, as healthcare providers, all we are trying to do is get to the airport”. Secondly, it allows digital health solution providers to anticipate a problem, predict a response and formulate a solution before the system gets overwhelmed. A series of clicks, followed by log-ins, back-ups and the dreaded slowing down of the system is not the promised land of digital health.

The DHBs in New Zealand are bundled in bureaucracy and disruption of any degree is a tall task. Basic solutions to everyday problems would go a long way. Here’s another thought. If the digital health promise could deliver on easy access to up-to-date primary healthcare records, this seemingly small step would make a world of difference to patients and the system in general. Understanding the business of healthcare is vital.

 Thought #4: Nurses are the key - Cohesion through collaboration:

Nurses are at the coalface every day and see very clearly, the potential that technology offers to help their patients and transform their journey through the health system. The bonus is that nurses are already on board with your message and want to play their role in enabling it. But this will not happen if their views and ideas are not listened to. Digital health providers should be aiming towards cohesion through collaboration. As healthcare wholly embraces the digital age, services and products will become more consumer-centric, outcomes-driven and importantly, prevention-focused. The call to action should sound something like this, “make it relevant, make it easy, make it attractive”. Nurses will always be called upon to give patients hands on care. Incorporating new technology into the healthcare sector will ensure that they have the time and energy to do just that.

There is sense of urgency amongst providers to jump onto the digital bandwagon. Digital Darwinism has meant that an organisation’s survival is not dependent on strategy or intelligence. It hinges instead, on the ability to adapt. Going through with a digital transformation is a rewarding journey, but knowing ‘why’ is the elixir that will keep it alive.