Over the last decade, the healthcare industry has seen various technological advancements. This has led the healthcare industry to become more complex, and achieving growth is becoming more challenging. One way of coping with this competitive landscape is introducing new medtech to improve the quality of medical care.
Adopting the latest medtech and best practices normally reduces the time required for diagnosis and rehabilitation requirements. Additionally, it often provides less invasive treatment options and reduces hospital stay. At the end of the day, these small ‘wins’ stack up fast, and can potentially give a kick to both your growth and overall competitiveness.
If you’re taking this route, properly implementing new medtech can quickly get out of control. In this article, we take a look at the key points to consider for introducing new medtech to the facility.
Eight key considerations when introducing new medtech to your facility
1. Your new medtech should solve a problem
"Improved Quality Care" and "Improved Efficiency" are often cited as reasons for implementing new medtech. Since these are general terms, their assumed benefits are often vague. Results related to specific functions of new medtech are difficult to forecast. This makes it difficult to establish a shared vision among all stakeholders.
Before implementation, plot your existing local processes. This process can help you pinpoint existing problems and possible improvements. Ideally, this groundwork will result in the development of a shared long-term vision.
2. Your new medtech should match your organisation’s vision
A consensus among professionals, managers, and administrators must be built around the organisation’s strategic vision. This entails deciding whether to pursue systemic changes, such as implementing an electronic health record functionality, or to begin by streamlining specific processes and gradually expanding functionality.
It is also critical to engage and get the approval of professional stakeholders - such as doctors, nurses, administrative staff and managers - in order to facilitate adoption.
Consider setting up a high-level strategic group, composed not only of senior managers, but also of clinical and administrative leaders. This will enable you to gauge the impacts on different departments within your workforce, and see if the needs of these sub-groups are met by implementing the new medtech.
3. Consider different options
Once the need for new medtech is established and approved, it is crucial to devote sufficient time to thoroughly evaluate the various options available for solving the same problems. For each of your available options, consider the resources that will be required for implementing and maintaining your new medtech, as well as the benefits and pitfalls derived from each option.
For instance, you should be aware of the different providers, and network with potential suppliers to get a better understanding of the values of the businesses - since this will very likely be a long-term relationship. Visiting other healthcare facilities that have implemented comparable technology can also help you get a real-life example.
The system you choose should meet the majority of requirements on a variety of levels. Not only does it have to be useful to end-users, but must also be cost-effective for your organisation. Most importantly, it should be easy to maintain and update. Ultimately, pick the systems which meet your clinical needs and do not disrupt your supply chain.
4. Choose a supply-chain friendly system
One critical aspect to consider when implementing new medtech is its strong need to be supply chain friendly. Any system that hinders your supply chain may very likely alter the delivery of quality care. Any method slowing clinical tasks is likely to face stiff opposition from end-users as well.
Moreover, you must consider the availability of your suppliers. If your medtech or products associated with it are scarce, you may end up having to wait longer than normal to receive your orders, or looking for other suppliers to fulfill your needs. In an ideal scenario, you would avoid having to change suppliers, since you will already have your hands full with implementing and monitoring your new medtech.
Lastly, keep in mind that everyone linked to your supply chain already has their own processes and workflows. If your new medtech is not user-friendly, instances within your supply chain may refuse to adopt your new processes, which may potentially erode the buyer-supplier relationship. These objectives are often difficult to reconcile. Opting for highly customisable systems can overcome the issue, but the cost can get high. This creates a need for a careful trade-off between affordability and desired functionality.
5. Planning the implementation steps is essential
Planning for transformative organisational upgrades of any kind requires both targeted and reflective efforts. Implement functionalities that can benefit the greatest number of end-users as soon as possible.
Implementation strategies must be tailored to the organisation's structure and systems, regardless of whether you decide to go for a phased or all-at-once approach. The former refers to gradually introducing functionality, whereas the latter refers to rapidly introducing functionality across the organisation.
Avoid parallel implementation (both paper and electronic) whenever possible. This needlessly increases end-user workload, and may inadvertently introduce new risks to patient safety, which is the last thing you want. Customising your implementation strategy to fit your structure will generally result in a smoother transition towards your new medtech.
6. Train your staff
Users who have received the necessary training are keener to adopt - more than those who have not. Effective training methods tailored to users' specific roles should be implemented. Training should allow users to practice ‘hands-on'. This should be done in an environment that is as close to the real thing as possible.
Whether it is surgical training or basic data entry, the best practice is to conduct sessions shortly before implementation. Keep in mind that senior staff members may require additional training sessions. Continuous daily training can also help with systems undergoing regular updates.
7. Ensure regular system maintenance
Maintenance is intrinsically linked to all of the preceding points, and your newly implemented medtech must be revisited on a regular basis throughout the technology's lifecycle. Maintenance deserves special attention since it is frequently underestimated in terms of associated activities and costs.
Keep in mind that forecasted maintenance costs should not only take into account ongoing costs - such as support services from the provider - but also the potential costs linked to system changes, since your organisations' objectives are likely to change over time, requiring upgrades on your newly implemented medtech.
8. See the growth progress
While evaluation is widely recognised as critical when considering new medtech, the reality is that it is frequently an afterthought. Real-time, longitudinal data collection strategies that provide feedback are desirable, because they allow for the incorporation of merging results into ongoing implementation activities, but are often costly and time-consuming.
However, it is critical to collect user feedback on identified issues and respond promptly. Investments in data collection strategies should begin with an assessment of current and anticipated organisational and individual workflows, followed by monitoring the desired and unintended consequences.
Moreover, it is critical that this is carried out over an appropriate period of time, as some benefits and consequences may take years to manifest. At the end of the day, your progress will shape your future growth strategy.
Final thoughts
New advancements are made in the medical technology space each day. The constant pursuit of something novel and beneficial ensures that medical technology continues to advance at a breakneck pace. The medtech industry is currently booming due to its critical nature, and the opportunity it presents to people worldwide. Whenever you are implementing new medtech to your facility, keep the considerations mentioned in this article in mind - these will help you lay out the building blocks for successful adoption and application.
