Page 27 - Business Insights 2012-2013

The Group’s expertise is also being brought to bear
on one of the most pressing problems in the NHS
– hospital-acquired infections. Research is being
carried out through the National Centre for Infection
Prevention and Management at Imperial College
and with Imperial College NHS Trust to develop
new technologies to both rapidly diagnose these
infections and communicate the findings to clinicians.
A mobile phone app has been devised and is now
in use in a number of hospitals, providing up-to-
date information on infection patterns and advising
doctors about which antibiotics will be most effective.
“This is a very rapid and effective way of getting
research into practice, so we’ll be looking at how this
innovation was developed and what can be done to
translate it to other hospitals.”
Research by the Group has looked at both the introduction of innovations to fight disease,
and technologies, which can be applied successfully to preventative health measures.
“I would like to see a fundamental shift in healthcare towards rewarding good
health and wellness rather than purely paying for treating disease. We pay more
and more for treating diseases which should have been prevented in the first place.
It is not surprising, therefore, that in Europe and the West we have expensive and
increasingly unaffordable health systems, which are reactive and inefficient.”
Professor Atun says changing complex healthcare systems can take time
because changes are required at a number of different levels. “There needs to
be a significant shift in the way care and working practices are delivered to allow
patients, healthcare professionals and managers to work together more closely.
“Huge benefits can be gained if these changes can be implemented. We need
to establish a mindset that is focussed on looking at problems from different
perspectives and how to address them through existing and new innovations.
If we are constantly thinking about what can be improved for the benefit of
everyone, we will continue to achieve improvements in health systems.”
By Nora Dennehy
In the past, much emphasis has been placed
on developing new technologies without focus
on how these technologies will be adopted into
health systems and utilised appropriately. This
can be very inefficient and wasteful.
FEATURES
27 BUSINESS INSIGHTS 2012 – 2013