Setting the Stage for the Future of Healthcare

Did you know that Open Medical got its name because of our Open API policy?

This policy allows us to take a big leap towards achieving interoperability with other systems, as it can enable data sharing and connectivity between different platforms.

Why does that matter? Because enabling an interconnected digital ecosystem in healthcare lies at the core of our mission.

As more digital solutions are adopted in healthcare, we need to ensure that these technologies do not fracture care continuity; rather, they should eliminate fragmentation.

Imagine a scenario where every digital solution in healthcare operates in isolation. That's not an ecosystem, it's a collection of fragmented solutions.

That is why interoperability is critical. Integration should not be an afterthought, nor should it be made difficult or regarded as an 'add on'; it is a foundational element.

Solutions should communicate with one another effectively. They should share data and work hand in hand. This approach significantly streamlines workflows for healthcare providers and offers them all the information they need to make well-informed, data-driven decisions.

So, it goes without saying that at Open Medical, and as our name suggests, we firmly advocate for an 'open' mindset. Pathpoint, our intelligent pathway-mapping engine, embodies this ethos, allowing integration with various healthcare solutions.

For example, recently, we integrated Pathpoint eTrauma with TrakCare in NHS Ayrshire & Arran and NHS Lanarkshire , elevating patient services and clinician experience across both NHS boards. You can read more about this in our case study here .

The benefits of a well-knit digital ecosystem in healthcare are immense. When the systems integrate with each other, it can empower healthcare professionals with a complete set of tools. It can foster collaboration and information exchange, significantly enhancing patient care and outcomes. It can facilitate the reduction of health disparities and enable targeted, individualised, and preventative care, driving the shift towards population health management and setting the stage for the future of healthcare.

But, aside from interoperability within a digital ecosystem, there is another element?that must be factored in. All of these solutions capture data as they are used, and all of the benefits described above from such an ecosystem are dependent on the quality of data captured.

Think of it this way: ecosystems in nature rely on soil as ecosystems in healthcare rely on data. However, if the soil is poor in nutrients, life cannot thrive. So without high-quality, granular data, the envisioned benefits of a digital ecosystem remain out of reach.

Imagine that all?the solutions?healthcare providers rely on daily are unable to gather comprehensive data. What would that look like? Here's a snippet from our most recent piece on the subject, which puts it in the context of the Fracture Liaison Service (FLS).

Consider the FLS; it aims to identify patients at-risk of osteoporotic fragility fractures. Without comprehensive data, finding at-risk patients becomes nearly impossible. It’s like searching for a needle in a haystack, except you don’t even know what the needle looks like. And so, many individuals go unidentified and fall, which increases the risk of subsequent fractures. These fragility fractures not only cost the NHS billions of pounds every year but also drastically diminish patients' quality of life.

Interested in reading more? If you want to know why high-quality data in?healthcare?is so important, read our latest article here .

In other news...

We will be attending the GIANT Health event on December 4th and 5th. Our Chief Innovation Officer Piyush Mahapatra will be speaking on the 4th about sustainable models of care, and on the 5th, Rammy Arafa , Head of Sales - South England, will be giving a talk on how to find opportunities in the new ICS landscape and improve collaboration in the NHS. If you are attending, come by and say hello!

See you next week,

The Open Medical Team