NHS Scotland’s new ‘Digital Front Door’ app must inspire the charge to further interconnected innovation, a formal health service partner insists.
NHS Lanarkshire has been chosen to pilot the platform which is aimed primarily at giving patients more access to, and control over, their own care, as well as the ability to interact with a range of different services, while cutting waiting times across Scotland.
First Minister John Swinney recently pledged to fully launch the National Digital Front Door – which will include access to health and social care data – later this year.
Outlining government plans for NHS renewal, he called the app “a much-needed addition to improve patients’ interaction with the NHS”.
He added: “Over time, it will become an ever more central, ever more important access and managing point for care in Scotland.”
Formal NHS Scotland partner InnoScot Health believes that a digital first approach to care is exactly what is required for a modern, interactive health service which empowers patients while reducing the need for travel and in-person appointments – with vast potential to go further.
Executive Chair Graham Watson said: “The Digital Front Door app is set to be a very welcome addition and is a natural step towards patient-centred empowerment that reduces health service pressures.
“It can also be a springboard to so much more, acting as a central tenet of NHS Scotland’s digital innovation ambitions, helping to inspire fresh, interlinked workforce-led ideas which aim for greater efficiency, better use of resource, and improved patient outcomes.
“I believe the potential is huge with the Digital Front Door complementing the integration of a wide spectrum of new technologies across NHS Scotland– from artificial intelligence to telemedicine advances, virtual reality and robotics.”
The app announcement formed part of the First Minister’s speech on the overall renewal of the NHS, including assurances that increased use of digital solutions and technology would improve capacity, and delivery for health and social care services.
Mr Watson insists that the Digital Front Door can be immediately transformative for Scotland’s patients. “The app holds the promise of much-needed support in areas such as digital dermatology, mental health, and the management of long-term conditions, to name just a few examples of how it can work flexibly around daily demands,” he said.
“I am in no doubt that the ability for people to access their health information online and manage their data, alongside options for interacting with services, and receiving notifications will be life-changing for the people of Scotland.
“The NHS Lanarkshire pilot is a very positive development prior to wider rollout for an ambitious, digital first health service.”
Professor Jann Gardner, former NHS Lanarkshire Chief Executive, welcomed the opportunity to trial the app. She said: “This launch is an exciting step forward, broadening patient access to care and giving people greater control over their healthcare journey.”
The NHS Scotland Event to be held on 9 June in Glasgow will explore work being taken forward on ‘Delivering a stronger digital first approach to all our health and social care services – improving access to services through innovation and technology’.