In a vigorous Digital Well being Networks debate on the drive to standardise EPR programs and the dangers of making monopolies, the panel shared the view that at present there may be not a monopoly within the NHS hospital EPR market, however extra must be carried out to develop relationships with suppliers.
Chaired by Digital Well being CEO Jon Hoeksma, the panel consisted of Devesh Sinha, stroke advisor and CCIO at Barking, Havering and Redbridge College Hospitals NHS Belief, Peter White, CNIO at Alder Hey Youngsters’s Hospital, Dr Penny Kechagioglou, CCIO and deputy chief medical officer at College Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Belief, and Adrian Byrne, former CIO, College Hospital Southampton NHS Basis Belief.
The overall view from the panel was that there’s not at present a monopoly within the hospital EPR market within the NHS, however as an alternative some good suppliers and a variety of them which can be working with the NHS.
The panel shared the view that there’s numerous scope for additional creating the standard and timeliness of dialogue with suppliers as true companions.
Being aware
Dr Kechagioglou stated “we have to be typically aware of monopolies” and that “competitors is one incentive for innovation to flourish as a result of any supplier is attempting to create some aggressive benefit over others”, however the domination of the market by a smaller variety of suppliers might stifle innovation.
She additionally highlighted “larger suppliers have to be fairly aware” of homegrown programs and their growing functionality within the NHS and organisations which have created their very own programs.
Byrne stated that “the market might be not sufficiently big to maintain the extent of performance and the variety of procurements that go on… the market will actually solely maintain a sure variety of them”.
He added that it’s “inevitable that you simply finish with a handful” and made clear his hope that “one or two extra do get absolutely developed and begin to change into equal gamers” available in the market.
Sinha took the view that “we in all probability are sitting within the hazard of monopoly because the convergence speak begun, we’re not mature sufficient to have interoperability at this stage so we’ll in all probability head in the direction of a single monopoly in secondary care, very possible major care”.
Alternative
He did nonetheless conclude that “there may be alternative inside monopoly” regardless of it not being considered as “engaging”.
White agreed that there’s alternative: “I believe monopolies could be okay because of the collective influencing voice of the NHS, however we have to encourage and assist innovation throughout the NHS”.
A earlier Digital Well being Networks debate checked out beliefs about using AI into healthcare and concluded that AI could be built-in safely into scientific use the place correct tips are in place.