The healthcare landscape is evolving, presenting new and innovative ways to care for people. A resource published today looks at how providers have used new technologies to try and meet the needs of people using their services and improve the quality of care.
Driving improvement through technology’ includes examples from across health and social care. These range from apps that help people to take more control of their care, to digital systems for sharing care records.
We are committed to encouraging innovation and improvement, including through new technologies. The new resource aims to start a constructive discussion around how services are doing things differently and what that means for people and regulation.
In his blog introducing the new resource, our Director of Strategy and Intelligence, Dr Malte Gerhold, points out that providers, innovators and regulators need to work together to get the best out of innovation. With a shared commitment to delivering the best possible care for people using the best resources available.
Innovation, by definition, provides the health and care system with new ways of looking at and addressing issues. This new resource is a reminder that through measured curiosity, framed by patient safety, people working in services should not be discouraged from taking new approaches to how they care for people.
Dr Gerhold said: “As regulator, the quality of care and safety of people who receive it is paramount for us. But that does not mean that regulation has to be a barrier to innovation. Quite the opposite. We want to see the great potential of new technologies in improving the quality of care and safety become reality – and are determined to help make it possible.”
We have seen or been told about these examples of innovation in the course of our work. We share them to raise awareness and to encourage health and care services to improve.
We do not endorse any particular product, supplier or service included in the case studies.
We assess the quality of care, including against our fundamental standards. Using technology as described in these case studies may help improve the quality of care. But it will not guarantee this.
We want to see the great potential of new technologies in improving the quality of care and safety become reality.
Dr Malte Gerhold, Director of Strategy and Intelligence