Health Infrastructure, an agency within NSW Health that provides infrastructure solutions and services, was set up to review global change management best practices to provide provide digitally supported health facilities in the state.
This study, in partnership with the Australian Institute of Health Innovation at Macquarie University, and partner health services, recently received support from the National Health and Medical Research Council with a grant of AU$1.27 million (approximately $840,000). ).
WHY IT IMPORTANT
According to Health Infrastructures executive director Rebecca Wark, every medical facility requires “some degree of change management” to help hospital staff adapt to new facilities or care models. new.
Wark hopes that their research on change management best practices will guide the implementation of virtual care technologies in their healthcare settings, from initial clinical needs planning, planning, design and construction of medical facilities, to asset reuse.
BIGGER BACKGROUND
The review of global best practices in change management to integrate virtual care is part of Health Infrastructure’s Smarter Hospitals project. After this period, the agency will develop and pilot specialized change management approaches in redevelopment projects across NSW. This, in turn, will provide an evidence-based approach to making change in future virtual care projects.
“Specialized, tested approaches to supporting change management will ensure that our future healthcare facilities are equipped to integrate the use of cutting-edge technology with service direct care aims to provide high-quality care to communities, particularly those in rural and regional NSW,” explains Wark.
The project also aims to develop new approaches that target specific challenges in virtual care integration and can be replicated in future projects.
Integration of virtual care across NSW is being guided by a five-year plan NSW Online Care Strategy. Released earlier this year, the strategy guides the scalability of sustainable virtual care and its comprehensive integration as a statewide safe option. It focuses on six strategic areas: patient interaction, remote care and monitoring, care planning and coordination, clinical collaboration and innovation, patient self-management and autonomy. and a digitally capable workforce. A task force has also been established to oversee the implementation of the strategy.
ON PROFILE
Reema Harrison commented: “By fully integrating virtual care with face-to-face services, health systems will be positioned to deliver better care to patients, achieving efficiency and deliver the ultimate healthcare experience”. Macquarie University associate professor and research leader of the Australian Institute of Health Innovation.
