How a service design approach can make digital hospitals a reality?

Healthcare systems across the world find themselves under ever-increasing pressures from a multitude of factors – some of which are beyond their control. In this article we look at how digital health outcomes can be improved through human-centric design and how they can deliver savings straight to the bottom line for hospitals.

Martin Sandhu, CEO at nuom, a consultancy focusing on improving digital health outcomes through human-centric design, analyses the costs and benefits of service design for hospitals. 

The healthcare landscape is constantly evolving, and digital solutions are emerging as key solutions in the quest for better care. They hold the promise of not only enhancing patient and family experiences, but also reducing the burdens on clinicians and cutting costs for trusts. 

In a field grappling with economic challenges, clinician burnout, and resource shortages, digital transformation has become a viable strategy, albeit one that is challenging to implement at a macro-scale. Digital transformation in the healthcare sector aligns with the goal of improving patient care while making the work of healthcare professionals more efficient and fulfilling. 

Clinician challenges

A recent survey⁽¹⁾ of frontline healthcare workers highlighted their key challenges: insufficient resources, IT difficulties, and excessive time spent on clinical documentation. Solutions to these issues, according to respondents, include process streamlining and automation. 

Physicians, consultants and GPs in particular, spend a significant portion of their time on burdensome documentation, which leaves them with only a fraction of time for direct patient interaction. This is where emerging technologies come into play, increasing operational efficiency, automating communication and task delegation and enabling clinicians to spend more time with patients.

Patient-centred and clinician-friendly solutions

At the core of healthcare is the desire to provide better patient care – it is after all the Hippocratic oath that created a framework for this profession thousands of years ago. In 2023, digital solutions can serve both patients and clinicians by streamlining processes and automating routine tasks, so that clinicians can focus on what they do best. 

Interactive patient care systems (IPS) such as CareFlows, automate patient education, reducing the need for repetitive tasks, and freeing up clinicians' time. These systems also help involve patients in their care journey, increasing staff productivity and the overall quality of care.

Enhanced communication and efficiency further contribute to better patient outcomes. Digital door signs, for instance, display essential patient information, improving safety, quality, and the overall experience. This approach reduces the burden of non-clinical tasks, enabling healthcare providers to practice at the top of their licenses, fostering loyalty and teamwork, and ultimately improving patient care.

Creating added value through service design

While digital transformation improves patient and user experience, improves health outcomes, and reduces bottlenecks and burnouts to provide a more efficient system and service for everyone involved.

A service design approach looks to reconcile the needs of and support all users, which in many cases involves clinicians, healthcare workers, and anyone within the service ecosystem. This has a direct positive effect on patients and users because they get the reassurance that only a face-to-face conversation with a clinician can offer them.

What it means to create a better environment for all

As healthcare embraces digital transformation, it's essential to prioritise the well-being of staff, patients, and their loved ones. Emerging technologies should be chosen with an eye toward creating value for all stakeholders, streamlining processes, and improving overall patient care. This approach results in more efficient healthcare operations, better communication, reduced costs, and ultimately, improved outcomes.

In conclusion, the digital hospital of the future seeks to create a harmonious healthcare ecosystem where patients receive quality care, clinicians are empowered to do their best work, and the burdens on healthcare systems are lightened. The adoption of digital solutions that support this vision needs to start early on, from the service design stages and through prototyping and implementation for optimum results.

About Author: Martin Sandhu

Martin Sandhu is the CEO and founder of Nuom, a digital health transformation consultancy delivering service design to organisations in the healthcare industry. He aims to increase patient engagement and improve patient outcomes across healthcare services, by creating human-centric digital health solutions that are faster to develop, more effective for every user, and ultimately create better outcomes.