Implementing Innovative Healthcare Processes
Context
Digitisation or digital transformation is often linked to the future of healthcare. In this case, hospitals wanted to embrace Virtual Reality training to optimise business-critical processes; for example, to prepare operating theatres or manage crises like major accidents.
Approach
Together with a technology provider, we focused on three steps:
- Gaining insight into healthcare processes, support needs, and opportunities to use technology (in this case VR) to better help patients and relieve any burden on healthcare workers. We included development of basic ideas for each opportunity.
- Selecting one idea that can be tested by a small team in a well-defined usage situation. This means developing, applying, and learning from a prototype. By initially “keeping it small,” long-term viability is increased.
- Developing a roadmap with milestones and follow-up versions, with the aim ultimately to “land” on a finished version.
Results
Findings from the evaluation of this process:
- A (budget-friendly) solution for events that are crucial to manage but difficult and expensive to simulate.
- A safe learning environment where one is allowed to “make mistakes” and learn through direct feedback and experience in the exercises.
- Increased team participation by involving members in design, testing, and improvements from the outset. Doing so significantly increases the chances of the application being used after launch.
Through this approach, a blueprint emerges that can be leveraged when implementing other innovative care processes or forms of quality management. This facilitates exchange and multidisciplinary collaboration.
Beyond the Pill
Our ‘Beyond the Pill’ services offer more insight into optimising healthcare processes around the medical solution.
