EDITOR’S WELCOME
Welcome to Healthcare World
T
his month brings HIMSS22 Europe in Helsinki, one of the most beautiful cities in the region. Hundreds of healthcare delegates will making their way to the Finnish capital to debate the way that technology can aid the sector to reform and reinvigorate itself. Finland is the perfect setting for such a theme. According to Armin Scheuer, VP and Executive Director EMEA for HIMMS, data has already transformed many parts of Finnish society, and the Finns are happy to part with their information to reap the rewards. All health records are digitised and most of the population, minus 210 people, are willing to share their information with Findata for the benefit of everyone else. As he outlines in his informative opinion article on page 9, data is the lifeblood of healthcare. By empowering and engaging the patient, there will be huge strides forward in the way we approach our own personal health. The sector has benefitted hugely from the telemedicine revolution as a result of the pandemic, and now citizens are becoming used to the idea of digitised patient records they can carry with them on their phone, as Lyniate’s Royston AdamsonGreen observes. But, as he goes on to say, there will have to be a seamless experience for the patient to embrace digital healthcare. Equally, they will have to trust that their information is held securely, and by putting them in charge of their consent and privacy settings. And once there is a smooth transfer of information across the healthcare sphere, innovation can really flourish. Currently, many digital providers are finding that partnering is the way forward, either working with similar project or by finding a home on other platforms.
Sarah Cartledge Group Editor Vincent Buscemi of Bevan Brittan gives a broad overview of the issues that companies should take into account when considering such a partnership, and discusses how legal advice is key from the beginning. Elliott Engers of Infinity outlines his view that the future of healthcare is beyond the walls of the hospital. The creation of virtual wards will help reduce the backlog of patients and will enable them to manage their own health from home, thanks to digital options. It will also increase efficiency in hospitals by freeing up staff and beds. SMEs can often go overlooked in big projects. PatientSource has experience of being chosen as a partner by a big hospital and it has worked for both parties successfully, as they reveal on pages 76 and 77. Similarly, innovator and Drill Surgeries founder Moises Ramos Barbera tells us on pages 68 and 69 how he came up with a revolutionary concept to enable better patient care in orthopaedics. If our homes are adapted for old age, then the chances are that we will be able to stay in them longer. Richard Mazuch, Director of Design, Research and Innovation at IBI Group, shows how small changes can improve home life for the elderly, such as sensory bedheads, LED lighting and smart floors. If we begin to plan now, we can manage as we grow frailer. Our expert panel for the Healthcare World Series on healthcare infrastructure delivered varying solutions for the hospitals of the future, moving away from the hospital-centric systems of today towards the hospitals at home of tomorrow. Their in-depth analysis is on pages 32 to 35. Whatever your areas of interest, you’ll find a wealth of fascinating information in this issue. We look forward to seeing you in Helsinki.
The Healthcare World team Steve Gardner Managing Director
Andrew Goldsmith Finance Director
Sarah Cartledge Group Editor
Emma Sheldon MBE COO
Ritu Chopra Operations Director
Joe Everley Art Director
Emma Williams Operations Manager
Fabian Sutch-Daggett Website Editor
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