Need to Know Newsletter #4: Digital Health

Welcome to the fourth edition of ABHI’s Need to Know Newsletter! This week we’ve rounded up some of the most exciting industry updates, and take a look at the impact of the Spring Budget to help Digital Health leaders know what will affect their businesses

The 2024 Spring Budget - A step in the right direction??

With the 2024 Spring Budget finally revealed, the AI powered segments of the Digital Health space had a great deal to celebrate around the chancellor’s NHS investment plans.?

Most notably, ￡3.4 billion was earmarked for bolstering NHS productivity through AI integration in clinical and administrative sectors. This includes upgrades to MRI scanners, signalling a progressive leap toward leveraging innovative AI technology for enhanced patient care and clinical support.

Although we are yet to hear how the budget allocation will influence the practicality of AI integration, this recognition of HealthTech's potential in boosting healthcare productivity shows that all our campaigning for the vast use cases of data and AI has found fertile ground.?

This commitment to capital funding underscores the recognition of the importance of technological advancement in healthcare and its potential value for patients.

We are thrilled to see a meaningful step in the transition towards electronic patient records across all hospitals, and excited to be at the heart of the effort of positioning the NHS as a globally integrated digital healthcare system.?

Want to learn more about how the Chancellor’s announcement impacts Digital Health? You can read our full response to the spring budget here .

Tech budgets left unspent despite NHSE push?

Moving towards a digitised infrastructure is crucial to streamlining NHS productivity and ensuring patients are provided with an efficient healthcare system. And with 75% of NHS trusts still relying on paper-based systems, the recent news of The Frontline Digitisation program underspending budgets was troubling.?

The Frontline Digitization program , intended to span three years, aims to expedite hospital digital transformation. However, cumbersome processes and delays meeting funding criteria hinder efficient use of funds.

While exact figures were not disclosed, delays in accessing allocated funds have been noted, prompting NHSE to engage with trusts to mitigate underspending. Data access and use in digital healthcare infrastructure have the potential to vastly improve NHS efficiency, and an unspent budget that can support digital transformation is a cause for concern.?

This underscores the need for improved funding mechanisms and streamlined processes to ensure the timely deployment of crucial digital healthcare infrastructure.

Want to learn how ABHI advocates for enhanced collaboration between officials and trusts to accelerate healthcare digital adoption? Contact @Andrew_Davies , ABHI Executive Director, Digital Health.?

Improving NHS Productivity and Patient Experiences with Digital Health Initiatives

A series of digital initiatives to enhance NHS productivity have been unveiled, opening significant adoption and market access opportunities for digital health innovators in the UK healthcare system.

Two such announcements were the digitisation of operating theatres, and the expansion of NHS apps - Both of which represent digital healthcare solutions that ABHI actively champions the adoption of.?

The development and implementation of user-friendly digital solutions that enhance patient experience and streamline clinical workflows are essential in modernising the UK healthcare system, and central to it becoming the largest digitally integrated healthcare system.

ABHI is committed to driving digital transformation and supporting our members in navigating this evolving landscape. With promises to digitise every hospital and extend the use of digital tools, including the @NHS app, there has never been a more opportune time for our members to showcase their innovative solutions and expertise.

Whether it's through advocacy efforts, networking opportunities, or access to market insights, we are dedicated to empowering our members to succeed in an increasingly digital healthcare environment.

Learn how ABHI can support your digital health organisation in navigating the digital healthcare landscape into market here .

Empowering Healthcare Gender Equality through Digital Health Innovations

And finally, we leave on a high note. On International Women's Day, WHO/Europe presented their latest study around the role of digital health technologies in women's health , empowerment, and gender equality, highlighting the transformative potential of digital health tools in advancing women's health and fostering gender equality.?

Digital innovations, such as mobile apps and telemedicine, were showcased for their significant benefits in improving access to healthcare services, enhancing maternal health, providing essential health information, and empowering women to have more autonomy.?

This study has illustrated the potential of digital health innovations to streamline NHS workflow through mobile digital solutions, provide better patient services to women by tracking symptoms and medication intake in real-time, and improve health management services.

We are committed to empowering digital health innovations that maximise NHS productivity, and the results of this study augments our campaigning for innovation and investment in technologies to support the NHS by reducing healthcare workload and improving patient experience wherever possible.

Would you like to learn more about how ABHI advocates for digital health adoption to support NHS patient services? You can read more here .