The effect of Covid on being well-led and creating continuous improvement.
The COVID crisis has driven acceptance of some significant cultural changes in Health. Previously resisted, but forced through because of the crisis, the benefits are transparent and countrywide in nearly every setting.
Many of the most unexpected changes have been as a consequence of technology. Everyone now uses software like Teams and Zoom and the acceptance of technology as an enabler has never been higher.
InPhase has identified some of the greatest cultural changes evident now in provider settings, all of which in their underlying nature address the power PEOPLE can have when they work better together.
| 2019 | Provider setting 2020 and beyond |
|---|---|
| Input micro-management | Collective focus on achievement of output and outcomes. The sense that we’re in it together |
| Wades through reports and analytics | The emphasis of data as the driver of being well-led has reduced. Machine learning, automated notifications and helpful reminders are being leveraged. What‘s important now is the action people take as a consequence of the information – not the information itself. |
| Trust equipment | Use any device, from any location. Put the emphasis on your technology partners to assure you of their security |
| Predefine work | Innovation and contribution. While in highly regulated industries you’ll ALWAYS have to have SOP’s and be compliant, there’s now a real place for ideas & innovation from everyone to drive performance improvements. |
| Has good ideas, or feedback but doesn’t know how to share them | Sharing of critical information more easily, a culture of openness, in a way people can access them in the future. |
| Monthly / quarterly meetings | Real-time, more qualifiable feedback, captured in an engaging way |
| Relies on MS Outlook | Interactive collaboration, video, chat.. in fact, anything that means the Trust can operate internally and externally more efficiently. |
| Structured learning | Adaptive and devolved learning on-demand, when it’s needed and at a lower cost. Upskilling in triage apps is a prime example. |
It’s clear to see that the cultural changes that have happened are dramatic. There is a real sense that people working together to deliver transparent goals in a joined-up way is critical to the future performance of Trusts.
Digitising the process is also now possible, and much more likely to be accepted. Health Management specialists like InPhase, who have seen a dramatic uptake in their software over the last 3 months, offer a nurturing governance, compliance and assurance programme bringing together goals, performance, risk, audit and compliance with cool stuff like ideas and decision capture, motivational employee boosts and encouragement.
This type of holistic work platform is a real opportunity for Trusts to modernise and extend the sense of “in it together” for everyone.
What pops out for SMT? Well, Board Assurance, little captured nuggets of brilliance to drive performance improvements every month, compliance and assurance to statutory frameworks (like CQC and NICE) without the burden, SOP deployment and happier teams who feel like they are contributing.
InPhase report they get systems live in 4-8 weeks, with a notably high user adoption based off the back of health user-driven interfaces, and an approach that actually streamlines to make life easier, rather than just automating the burden.
Drop a line to andrew.bingham@inphase.com for a chat or a demo if you’re struggling with getting the compliance and assurance you need AND your people are your most valued asset.
Robert Hobbs
InPhase’s Chief Executive and Founder, Robert has been the visionary leading InPhase to be one of the UK's leading providers of management, governance and assurance solutions, and helping organisations align their actions and goals more easily and efficiently with InPhase's suite of integrated apps.