COVID-19 has placed enormous resource pressures on Scotland’s health and care system, creating a huge backlog of treatment that will take years to clear. However, developments made over the last year have opened up new opportunities for managing the clinical backlog with technology.
Our vulnerable health and care sector was pushed to the brink by the pandemic, with shortages of resources, additional pressures on the system and a reluctance amongst patients to seek care for non-COVID related illness. The consequences of this has created a massive backlog in care that could take years to clear.
With these set backs in mind, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that a key priority within her Government’s first 100 days is to publish an NHS Recovery Plan to achieve a 10% increase in inpatient, day case, and outpatient activity for those who had treatment or care postponed due to COVID-19.
The pandemic also radically altered the role of technology within the health and social care system. From video appointments to the phone-based Test and Protect scheme, patients and staff are becoming more comfortable using technology to deliver care.
Building on this momentum will be crucial as we look to recover from the pandemic and clear the backlog in treatment. The technological innovations that were made from necessity now leave us with an opportunity to transform the sector.
Scotland’s Health & Care System: Managing the Clinical Backlog With Tech
So how can we leverage the power of technology to recover from COVID and clear the Scotland’s clinical treatment backlog? What steps are needed to create standardised and harmonious health and care data across Scotland? And how can technology be deployed that puts citizens at the heart of their care journey – including delivering more care outside of the hospital setting?
Holyrood’s webinar, in partnership with InterSystems, looked ahead to the role digital solutions can play in supporting recovery within the Scotland’s health and social care sector.
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