The Benefits of Digital Innovation Within Healthcare

With impacts of COVID-19 still lingering across the UK, few people will be unaware of the rapid changes within the health care system over the 2½ years since the epidemic began. The NHS is reported to be under pressure like never before due to the impacts of an ageing population, shortages of skilled workers, treatment backlogs and the additional demands that covid has brought.

Digital transformation may be part of the solution. The benefits of digital innovation are rippling through the entire economy, but arguably the covid epidemic has increased levels of interest and adoption rates within healthcare settings. Using technology to help healthcare professionals communicate better and enabling people to access the care they need quickly and easily was already part of the NHS Long Term Plan before lockdown, but the pace of digital innovation has undoubtedly quickened.

Digital healthcare is seen as a massive growing market globally, and whilst each country has its own system and requirements, several common threads can be identified. They range from the rise of on-demand healthcare, treating patients with virtual reality, and the growth of wearable medical devices through to big data, artificial intelligence, predictive healthcare, and blockchain offering the promise of better electronic health records.

Digital health is creating exciting opportunities across the UK and specialists from Innovate UK EDGE are supporting multiple companies within this sector.

Elaros 24/7 Limited are a good example of a company seizing healthcare innovation opportunities. The Sheffield-based company have been operating for over ten years, but since lockdown they have developed and launched new products, entered new markets, and taken on staff like never before.

Grant funding from Innovate UK and funded support from Innovate UK EDGE has played an important role in their development, as their MD, Professor Paul O’Brien is the first to acknowledge:

“Innovate UK Edge funding and support has been invaluable to the ELAROS team in providing a ‘critical eye’ (in a supportive environment) for the company to test its ideas and share/discuss its challenges.”

Innovate UK EDGE are here to support growing, innovative, ambitious and scalable businesses. If your business is looking to innovate and you are interested in exploring what support is available, please get in touch and let us help you – https://www.innovateukedge.ukri.org/.