Alongside the launch of our Follow-Up Management product (which you can read about here), DrDoctor have set-up a user group to connect Trusts. Unlike traditional software user groups the focus is not on the product features but instead creates a space for users to collaborate around getting the most from the product. In doing so DrDoctor is looking to break down silos within the NHS and provide a platform for collaboration on shared initiates. At its most basic level, the group shares the effort required to scale initiatives, but we’ve found the benefits extend beyond our initial aims in surprising ways.
A key challenge to implementing innovative technology in the NHS is convincing busy clinicians to invest their time on extra effort to get it off the ground. A user group allows clinicians to hear directly from their peers about the impact on them and their patients and honesty about the limitations. Sharing of tangible results and a full understanding of how these have been delivered improves clinical engagement.
The user group has also revealed Trusts to be taking the initiative, deploying the technology to new use cases, stretching beyond the original intentions. The group ensures these breakthroughs benefit others and offers a space to further develop these and generate new ideas.
There’s so much going on in the NHS, that when we hear success stories, these are often presented in soundbites, awards and brief case studies. Less often we are able to fully understand the pain points and challenges that were overcome to achieve these and what lessons can be learnt from them. This is what our forum seeks to uncover; the useful stuff, deeper insight about the challenges and how it was achieved.
So what next? DrDoctor want to create a learning and collaboration hub to take this further, validating the use of locally developed resources, collecting and sharing clinically rich data and facilitating the broader agenda to move to a patient-centric, value-based healthcare model. Watch this space!