Facility will help drive the use of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies
Credit: John Stillwell/PA Archive/PA Images
Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) has opened a new technology innovation centre, with the backing of NHS Digital and several technology vendors.
The aim of the centre is to be able to make use of artificial intelligence and other new technologies in healthcare to improve outcomes for patients at the renowned children’s hospital (pictured above) in central London.
The centre is dubbed DRIVE (Digital, Research, Informatics and Virtual Environments) and NHS Digital claims that it is the first of its kind in the world.
“It is both a physical and conceptual unit and is the result of a unique partnership between us, Great Ormond Street Hospital, University College London and leading industry experts in technology, artificial intelligence and digital innovation,” NHS Digital said.
The idea is for technologists, industry experts and academics to work together and explore the use of technology which can ideally be scaled up to be delivered regionally or locally.
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One of the initiatives that has already come out of the DRIVE initiative is Project Fizzyo, which is helping researchers look at how physical activity and airway clearance relates to changes in the health of children with cystic fibrosis by using chipped sensors inside airway clearance devices.
“The NHS needs a dramatic acceleration in digitisation in order to be able to deliver to its full potential,” said NHS Digital’s chief executive Sarah Wilkinson, who will sit on the DRIVE strategy steering group.
“There is much opportunity in leveraging proven commodity technologies, with little customisation, to address key digitisation challenges and I am certain that when we bring those who understand the need together with those who have already designed and delivered applicable technologies, we will be able to create new fast lanes in our digital programs,” she added.
Dr Shankar Sridharan, clinical director of DRIVE and CCIO of GOSH said the aim was to use technology and data to provide safer, better and kinder care that is clinician focused and patient centred.
“DRIVE is the how and provides the capability to develop scalable solutions to improve healthcare,” he said.
