RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Driving digital health transformation in hospitals: a formative qualitative evaluation of the English Global Digital Exemplar programme
JF BMJ Health & Care Informatics
JO BMJ Health Care Inform
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP e100429
DO 10.1136/bmjhci-2021-100429
VO 28
IS 1
A1 Marta Krasuska
A1 Robin Williams
A1 Aziz Sheikh
A1 Bryony Franklin
A1 Susan Hinder
A1 Hung TheNguyen
A1 Wendy Lane
A1 Hajar Mozaffar
A1 Kathy Mason
A1 Sally Eason
A1 Henry Potts
A1 Kathrin Cresswell
YR 2021
UL http://informatics.bmj.com/content/28/1/e100429.abstract
AB Background There is currently a strong drive internationally towards creating digitally advanced healthcare systems through coordinated efforts at a national level. The English Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) programme is a large-scale national health information technology change programme aiming to promote digitally-enabled transformation in secondary healthcare provider organisations by supporting relatively digitally mature provider organisations to become international centres of excellence.Aim To qualitatively evaluate the impact of the GDE programme in promoting digital transformation in provider organisations that took part in the programme.Methods We conducted a series of in-depth case studies in 12 purposively selected provider organisations and a further 24 wider case studies of the remaining organisations participating in the GDE programme. Data collected included 628 interviews, non-participant observations of 190 meetings and workshops and analysis of 9 documents. We used thematic analysis aided by NVivo software and drew on sociotechnical theory to analyse the data.Results We found the GDE programme accelerated digital transformation within participating provider organisations. This acceleration was triggered by: (1) dedicated funding and the associated requirement for matched internal funding, which in turn helped to prioritise digital transformation locally; (2) governance requirements put in place by the programme that helped strengthen existing local governance and project management structures and supported the emergence of a cadre of clinical health informatics leaders locally; and (3) reputational benefits associated with being recognised as a centre of digital excellence, which facilitated organisational buy-in for digital transformation and increased negotiating power with vendors.Conclusion The GDE programme has been successful in accelerating digital transformation in participating provider organisations. Large-scale digital transformation programmes in healthcare can stimulate local progress through protected funding, putting in place governance structures and leveraging reputational benefits for participating provider organisations, around a coherent vision of transformation.Data are available upon reasonable request. The raw data are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.