What is digital transformation?

Digital transformation is the strategic adoption of digital technologies and processes to improve healthcare in a concerted way. It is not only making services digital, but completely reimagining care models to make them more productive, patient-focused and sustainable. True digital transformation harnesses innovative technologies to reimagine how care is delivered, how systems operate and how patients engage with the NHS. 

The NHS faces mounting pressures from an ageing population and a rising number of people living with multiple long-term conditions. This rise in demand has been a key catalyst for digital transformation. Harnessing digital technologies presents a vital opportunity to boost productivity, enable neighbourhood health and to fulfil the promise of prevention by empowering people to co-manage their health in partnership with the NHS. 

In this context, digital transformation is a continuous learning and improvement concept, where the value is in embracing the ever-evolving nature of technology, rather than a final destination of change. While the public increasingly expects the NHS to reflect the convenience and connectivity of other sectors, achieving this requires an acceptance of continuous learning and adapting, and that transformation is the ability to learn and improve from embedding regular change.