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How agnostic integration leads the way towards fully personalised outpatient services

By Netta Nyrhinen

Topics: Industry insights

 

Diversity is necessary in any market. It guarantees high standards and A lively
ecosystem. Anyone who has worked in or with the NHS knows that there is no
one size fits all solution to solve the very complex challenges that the NHS are
facing. We know we need to build an ecosystem consisting of the best possible
solutions.

That ecosystem can only take shape through open standards and
interoperability.

PAS & EPR providers should have open APIs

Interoperability in the NHS is a work in progress. It is great to see the major
providers of these core hospital systems developing suites of open APIs and
starting to welcome integration. Our developers are already using those APIs as
soon as they are available to deliver long-awaited solutions like truly automated
patient-led booking. We are working with no less than six large PAS providers on
this problem right now, each at different stages of maturity in making their
platform open for booking.

An open market allows for the best providers and the most innovative solutions
which in turn will enable the NHS to truly change its models of care.
Interoperability enables an integrated ecosystem that keeps track of patient data
and pathways throughout the system.

Are you integration agnostic? We are!

For the past 10 years we have been on a journey to truly personalise outpatient
departments. Following that principle, we are integration agnostic. That means
we are willing and able to integrate with everyone!

We want to offer the best possible integration for each trust. Ultimately providing
each patient with the best possible experience that is seamless, safe and
personalised to their care journey. The NHS already knows that a centralised
technology outfit in healthcare will not benefit the patient. For this same reason
there is a diverse set of EPR providers and PAS systems. Some trusts even create
their own!

With our mission to provide a consistently great experience for patients across a
more integrated care system, we must be agnostic with who we integrate with.
Open standards and interoperability are key so that the most innovative
solutions can serve patients in different spaces.

Tom Whicher, CEO, DrDoctor, says: “With everything we do at DrDoctor; the
patient is at the front and centre. No one can do this on their own - we’ve always
been driven to work with other providers to ensure that the patients get the best
possible experience. Our partners include Infinity, Patients Know Best, Feebris,
Palantir, to name only few. We can only deliver on the promise of integrated
care systems if we get the integration bit right from day one.” Tom goes on to
say: “We’re proud of our ability to pull data into DrDoctor, and also our skill in
getting data back out there for the benefit of the care system”

Integration matters
 
There are many systems in the NHS doing incredible things. The only way to
create an even better system is by integrating, because one solution simply
cannot do absolutely everything alone.

If you are working with the NHS and waiting for a commercial incentive before
you get out of bed to integrate- the NHS and the patients suffer. This is why we
need an open, interoperable NHS and all the providers out there to ensure their
solution is also open and ready for integration.

Matt Steer, Head of Product, DrDoctor says: “I like to imagine the CTO of a trust
(or ICS!) putting together the pieces of a jigsaw, to form a picture of the IT
system that delivers everything their staff and patients need. That doesn’t work
if the pieces won’t fit together, or if they need a commercial agreement before
they will. It’s also not helpful if the CTO is told that these four pieces will only
work with each other and no-one else. 21st century solutions should be open for
integration, as standard.”

We are grateful for all our partners; fellow-providers and the 42 NHS trusts we
work with to continuously develop world-class integrations.