“Due to Covid”- Deployment vs Implementation

There was a good post on Social media, saying: “3 words I hope we never have to hear again soon “Due to Covid” and I relate to that personally.

Over such a short period of time, “Due to Covid” we have achieved great advances in Digital health. On one side we have exciting explosion of innovation and deployment of digital healthcare products and systems and now we have also started to see the other side of the coin too – where “Due to Covid” with pressures mounting in traditional services, has it also become an excuse for a slow-down.

This could compromise the trust in the Digital Transformation process as we have taken the first step by deployment, but then slowing down on supporting and sometimes even completing the full implementation.

We need to stay focused to take advantage of the energy and willingness, taking time to go through the full change management cycle to imbed the transformation, along-side the continual challenges of new strains of the virus, outbreaks vaccinations and lockdowns.

At the beginning of the pandemic Martin Marshall, chairman of The Royal college of GPs wrote that “it had taken two- and a-bit weeks to achieve more than we achieved in 20 years in adopting new technology”. I remember how two years ago before the pandemic our team, at Seneca, was commissioned to pilot a Primary care Online consultation product. At the beginning, we were constantly chasing to explain the tool and explore the positive possibilities of piloting it. There were a handful of GP practices, who piloted and saw the advantages. When Covid struck, the situation changed overnight and now digital access to healthcare has become part of our lives, as it is banking, retail, hospitality.

This is all working and creating new healthcare landscape, however in many ways what we are experiencing now is “Due to Covid” just the deployment of software, an icon on the desktop, an iPad in the care home, a screen on the wall in a GP practice.

Deployment is only the first step in of the Implementation, with system configurations, hardware being available in the healthcare setting or a banner on a website for the service.

What makes the real difference in any transformation project is what happens after, where the continued focus of implementation will deliver lasting value.

A number of healthcare professionals still believe that a Digital Transformation is all about IT.  It’s important but not the overall driver and to make a transformation successful requires a sustained commitment to change. Creating an operational model and utilisation map is key. One must work on the mindset of change, to build trust in the new the process by creating relationships across the system and a culture that supports and embrace change.

The successful Digital Transformation examples are where we not just deploy, but where we engage, understand the working patterns, help to redesign the workflow, hand hold, educate and reflect, through successes and challenges. Linking to existing working styles and flow, connecting goals and aspirations.

• Engagement is 90% of any implementation and it has to on-going and constant, before, during and after to support and imbed the innovation. We have all seen examples, where successful and safe rapid deployment has taken place without fully engaging with the users and stakeholders. Understanding is the transformation workable in its setting? Do all staff and users understand, support and adopted the change? When we can answer these questions, can we say that we have embedded the new system.
• Post Go live reflections and User Groups discussions. With the enormous amount of product launches, we need to invest time to reflect and review and what we can quickly change and change over time to make it better, while we have this momentum.
• Marketing and promotional strategy is needed to overall support the change. We have changed and improved a process or a service, but we haven’t told the users. How do we expect this innovation to drive adoption and uptake? We need to invest time in continuous internal and external marketing to achieve this.

Healthcare professionals and users have never been so motivated to embrace digital transformation, helping to increase flexibility, reducing stress, participate in webinars and courses, share learning, and innovate.

Managers and staff can effectively work from home, again increasing flexibility, supporting shared work patterns, giving them back time to look at their services

Patients more willing, supportive, and responsive of what their healthcare system is asking them to do.

And the innovators – they are invigorated by the new opportunities more than ever because there is a need and there is an urgency, supported by clinical appetite and motivation as well as investment.

As Digital Leaders and Digital Transformation experts for healthcare we see tremendous opportunities for impact not only in the way we work, but the way we think.

We have the environment to support this change by harnessing technology and create understanding and meaningful relationships and “Due to Covid” we must accelerate, the exciting future of healthcare.

If you need an implementation advice, or want to share your challenges contact us.