In March we passed the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, changing the way we interact and introducing a new reality based on social restrictions and virtual connections. The response to the spread of the virus was rapid and decisive but understandably speed negated the opportunity for consultation. The much-debated shift to remote appointments became a mute-point, as the move to phone and video consultations became a necessity.
However, while some elements of digital innovation have clearly been accelerated as a consequence of the pandemic, there remain several obstacles to digital transformation. I recently chaired a virtual event attended by key NHS stakeholders. Feedback from the session identified the three key barriers to digital health adoption: fragmentation within the system, the need to demonstrate value and the disconnect with patient needs.
Barriers to Digital Health Adoption
Fragmentation within the system
England’s health landscape is undoubtedly complex and while significant progress is being made to strengthen and streamline between national and local health providers and stakeholders, adoption of digital health innovations still has its barriers. Variable levels of digital maturity often led to confusion for innovators. However, the challenge of addressing a fragmented system is complicated and it won’t be addressed overnight. Despite this, there are some practical things we can do to instigate meaningful discussions that could contribute to the alignment of local health bodies and national plans in a way that benefits both patients and innovators.
We have to focus on breaking siloes to connect like-minded people from social and healthcare professionals at a local and national level to innovators and industry partners. This will enable sharing of practical examples that are improving health outcomes. The Good Things Foundation is a prime example; working cohesively has provided a positive impact with 5,000 community centres supporting 82% of the population that is digitally illiterate.
Demonstrating value
Through our engagement with both innovators and policymakers, it’s clear that early-stage digital health entrepreneurs often struggle to produce strong value propositions for their products. This is related to the dual challenge of providing real-world evidence to support their innovations and limited commercial and market access experience. Partnership with industry, as advocated by the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy (LSIS), can offer innovators an opportunity to address gaps in knowledge and capacity in a variety of areas. For digital innovators who are finding it difficult to communicate the value of their product to payers, finding an industry partner to assist with evidence generation, value proposition and market access know-how can provide invaluable support and help maximise the use of their innovation in the health system.
Disconnection with patient needs
For patients to realise the benefits of digital technologies we must engage with them from the start, acknowledge their concerns, understand their priorities and then ensure that their voice is heard clearly. True partnership with patients is our guiding principle when we are developing medicines – there is much that can be translated to digital innovations about our learnings in this area.
Patients are fundamental to the successful adoption and spread of effective digital health technologies and the value of their input should not be underestimated. A recent report by the Patients Association highlighted there are still knowledge gaps amongst policymakers and other key stakeholders on some important issues in digital health, including what people want from technology and how to ensure digital health works for patients. Forty percent of respondents said they were willing to engage with digital tools in regard to their health and 43% wanted to focus more on their health needs, as well as greater patient involvement in the decision-making process.
While the potential of digital in healthcare could be truly transformative, it’s important that accessibility is not sacrificed for the sake of innovation. Digital can help systems work better, but it is crucial that products focus on making things better for patients. For all its potential to improve health outcomes, digital innovation can also exacerbate inequalities.
With digital exclusion affecting 11.9 million people in the UK, one of the NHS’s greatest challenges is to ensure that all people across the UK have access to the same level of care, which includes digital health technologies to support health and care. Patients deserve a plurality of options when it comes to their care, because what is right for one patient may not be right for another.
These challenges are discussed and identified in An Innovator’s Guide: Navigating the barriers to digital health. The guide, developed by Boehringer Ingelheim in partnership with 24 stakeholders, is designed to act as an essential reference tool to help innovators navigate the health system and provide a pathway for digital health technologies to improve services and help reach patients. There has never been a greater need or opportunity for innovators, health institutions, industry, patient representatives and the NHS to come together, to harness the current innovation momentum. It is vital to support innovators and providers who are driving transformation with a clear focus on the end user and equitable access to care for all patients.
I am excited to see what can be achieved through collaboration and with greater support of innovators. I am passionate about working with innovators and providers who are driving transformation with a clear focus on the end user and equitable access to care for all patients. By transforming systems through digital health innovation with proven sustainability credentials, we can empower people to create a future-proofed NHS, with the potential for better patient outcomes, improved capacity and use of resources.
Article by Uday Bose, country managing director and head of human pharma at Boehringer Ingelheim UK & Ireland.
