Digital outpatient health solutions as a vehicle to improve healthcare sustainability—a United Kingdom focused policy and practice perspective

Frontiers in Digital Health

Digital Health

Ali Motavalli¹  Simin Maleki¹  Bahman Nedjat-Shokouhi¹  Christopher J. Peters²  Matthew R. D. Brown³  Matthew Knight⁴ 

[1] Medefer, London, United Kingdom;Medefer, London, United Kingdom;Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom;Medefer, London, United Kingdom;The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom;Medefer, London, United Kingdom;West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Watford, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom;

关键词: digital healthcare;    sustainability;    environment;    greenhouse gases;    economy;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fdgth.2023.1242896

 received in 2023-06-19, accepted in 2023-09-11,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

IntroductionIn the midst of a global climate emergency and with health care systems across the world facing extreme pressure, interest in digital approaches as a potential part-solution to these challenges has increased rapidly. The evidence base to support the role that digitalization can play in moving towards more sustainable models of healthcare is growing, as is the awareness of this key area of healthcare reform amongst policy makers, clinicians and the public.Method and ResultsIn this policy and practice review we explore four domains of healthcare sustainability-environmental, economic, and patient and clinician, delineating the potential impact that digitally enabled healthcare can have on each area. Real-world examples are provided to illustrate the impact individual digital interventions can have on each pillar of sustainability and demonstrate the scale of the potential benefits which can be achieved.DiscussionDigitally enabled healthcare solutions present an approach which offer numerous benefits, including environmental sustainability, economic benefits, and improved patient experience. There are also potential drawbacks such as the risk of digital exclusion and the need for integration with existing technology platforms. Overall, it is essential to strike a balance between the benefits and potential drawbacks of digital healthcare solutions to ensure that they are equitable, effective, and sustainable.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
© 2023 Brown, Knight, Peters, Maleki, Motavalli and Nedjat-Shokouhi.