Healthcare leaders can improve efficiencies without having to perform major surgery on existing budgets

At the end of June 2024 (notably just before the UK election), the UK Health Foundation published a report that explained the new government ‘will inherit a health service in the midst of one of the most challenging periods in its history’.

It is surprising then that the Labour government recently accepted the Pay Review Body’s (PRB) recommendation that pay for NHS staff should increase by 5.5% for 2024/5. At the same time Chancellor Rachel Reeves is trying to plug a supposed £22bn ‘black hole’ she claims she was left by the previous Government. So, on the one hand, more spend, and on the other, cutbacks.

Wherever you reside on the political spectrum, the NHS is typically used as a battleground where political parties slug it out to convince the electorate that they have its best interests at heart.

The harsh reality is this – the NHS is costly and, therefore, needs constant investment. To justify this constant investment, political leaders often used common themes such as reducing ambulance response times, reducing patient waiting lists and… you guessed it… reducing inefficiencies through the use of technology.

Reducing inefficiencies without writing a blank cheque

Former chancellor (and former Health Secretary) Jeremy Hunt announced in his last budget that “the Government would be investing £3.4bn on improving “productivity”. So let’s see what current chancellor Rachel Reeves announces in her Autumn budget statement.

History is littered with examples of where investment in improving productivity hasn’t succeeded as planned. However, these public failures should not diminish the successes. For example, the NHS app is proven to deliver greater administration efficiency, with 250 million engagements in 2023, including sending 60 million messages to patients.

These messages have proven crucial in reducing the number of missed appointments and, therefore, reducing costs to the NHS.

AI is another area that has the potential to deliver even greater administrative efficiencies. Indeed, an earlier statement from a Department of Health and Social Care advisor stated, ‘It’s clear that there’s an opportunity now, and you can use the latest technology to ease the administrative burden significantly. The unanswered question is whether the NHS hierarchy is sufficiently brave enough to embrace the technology.’

And this is, perhaps literally, the million-dollar question. Are Healthcare leaders, not just those within the NHS, but leaders across the Healthcare sector… are they brave enough to embrace new technology? Or, are they suffering from a reluctance to invest in fear of having their fingers burned like others before them?

Realising the biggest challenges facing healthcare

Regardless of the investment from central Government in the NHS and healthcare providers, the problem remains that healthcare IT systems and processes face the same challenges, which still need to be overcome.

This is not to say that Healthcare leaders aren’t willing to embrace change – quite the contrary.

In a survey of professionals in the Healthcare and Pharma sector, 79% of respondents expressed a willingness to explore investments in Digital Workplace Technology, recognising its potential to enhance productivity and convenience for employees and IT support staff.

Here are three key challenges where improvements can be realised:

Interoperability

Healthcare providers operate on hugely diverse IT infrastructures. Integrating and managing these technologies presents challenges, as various systems may not communicate effectively.

Asset Tracking in Dynamic Environments

Healthcare facilities often have vast IT and technology assets, which frequently move between departments, clinics and research labs, making it challenging to track their whereabouts and ensure accurate inventory management.

Sensitive Data Handling

Healthcare organisations deal with sensitive patient data and proprietary research information. Therefore, data security is a high priority across all departments. Strict regulations mandate stringent data security and privacy measures, imposing heavy penalties for non-compliance and or data breaches.

Overcoming challenges by using proven technology

New technology doesn’t always involve introducing never-seen-before technology or processes that require huge training and investment. One effective way to improve existing processes and procedures is to stand on the shoulders of giants – using Smart Lockers and Smart Vending Machines to manage equipment is an example.

The technology is not new. These machines can operate and integrate with existing IT systems within the healthcare industry to provide excellent end-user experiences and detailed insights to the IT team.

By arming IT healthcare professionals with the equipment and inventory management they need on a daily basis, Smart Lockers and Smart Vending Machines can streamline the burden on IT teams whilst accurately tracking critical assets. IT or facilities teams can manage medical equipment loans, monitor the lifecycle of assets, and enhance security measures with ease. For example:

Technology Integration and Compatibility

A centralised platform for managing extremely diverse IT assets, including medical devices, software licences and laboratory equipment, will help ensure compatibility and interoperability across all different systems. Customisable workflows facilitate seamless integration with existing IT infrastructure and streamline the asset management processes.

Automated Inventory Management

With real-time asset tracking capabilities, IT leaders in healthcare organisations can monitor the movement and location of assets across various departments and facilities. The system automates inventory management processes, providing accurate and up-to-date information on asset availability and usage, reducing the risk of asset loss or misplacement.

Data Security and Privacy Compliance

By providing secure access controls that only authorised personnel can access, you can protect sensitive IT assets and patient data. The system generates detailed audit trails of asset transactions, including access history and usage logs, facilitating compliance with data security and privacy regulations such as HIPAA and GDPR.

Healthcare IT leaders… Be brave!

Despite a public history of some IT investment failures, IT leaders should not let these detract from the many private successes that aren’t widely publicised. Test cases that will improve asset tracking, reduce costs and provide a better workforce experience will create a strong business case for delivering tangible benefits of new technology. Once proven, the process can be rolled out over many different sites or departments to realise its full potential.

Smart Lockers and Smart Vending Machines are proven to significantly improve interoperability, asset tracking, and data security in the healthcare industry.

The challenge is whether healthcare leaders are ready to embrace these technologies and overcome their longstanding concerns about whether investing in new healthcare IT systems and processes. Is it the right choice when they are often under scrutiny for their spending?

Fortune favours the bold!

Velocity Smart Technology is designed from the ground up to deliver the most effective Smart Lockers and Smart Vending solution for Enterprise IT that integrates seamlessly to existing services, which is why the technology has been built on the ServiceNow platform.

Velocity Smart Technology is the world’s first ServiceNow fully integrated Smart Locker and Smart Vending solution that finally delivers on the promise to save business time, save businesses money and improve the IT support service.

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