Posts Tagged innovation
Narayana Hrudayalaya: a lesson for the NHS
Posted by James Gubb in Health on 11/08/2010
Long has this blog argued the benefits of increased specialism in the way health care is delivered; that is, for example, for focused centres for operating on particular conditions and disease-specific networks that treat and help people manage chronic diseases. Evidence, contained particularly in Clayton Christensen’s brilliant book The Innovator’s Prescription, has long suggested such centres offer better and cheaper health care than the 19th century district general hospital model of every hospital trying to do everything. Senior clinicians also appear to agree.
Misconceived market forces
Posted by James Gubb in Health on 21/05/2009
The NEJM continues its focus on Obama’s health reforms this week by carrying an article on ‘market-orientated’ health policy. For me, though, it’s as misconceived as the Department of Health’s latest initiative to ‘legislate’ for innovation.
Read the rest of this entry »
Innovation needs competition
Posted by James Gubb in Health on 04/10/2007
One of Lord Darzi’s key recommendations in his interim report released today is the creation of a Health Innovation Unit – with a budget of £100m ‘to help the NHS develop and deploy hi-tech health care such as medical devices and diagnostics’.
But it is wholly unclear that a new central body is what is required to drive innovation in the NHS. The NHS already has such a body – the National Institute for Innovation and Improvement – and its lack of impact has been noticeable.
A report released today by Civitas argues that a Health Innovation Unit will only help if the NHS follows its reform agenda to the full and embraces diversity and competition; PCTs must be empowered as strong commissioners, providers must be autonomous and patients must have real choice. Central direction needs to end.
Full press release
Full report