Some time ago I published a blog post regarding a conference concerning the future of Digital Health (Aspects of Digital Innovation: Digital Health). The event was part of the EPSRC Digital Economy, Sustainable Society Network plus project with Imperial College London, has just taken place!
The conference was held at the University of Salford Campus at MediaCityUK, on 12 February 2015 and was a fantastic success, what a wonderful day! Here are a few highlights just in case you missed it….
Digital Catapult vision
The event covered a range of diverse topics, all related to digital health. First, to set the scene, Chandan Rajah opened proceedings by telling us all about the new Digital Catapult vision to “rapidly advance the UK’s best digital ideas from concept to commercialisation”.
The Catapult will assist businesses with their digital strategy and offer a range of collaboration opportunities under four themes –
- Closed organisational data;
- Personal Data;
- Creative content and
- The Internet of Things.
Aspects of Digital Innovation Conference: Symposium on Digital Health, 12 February 2015, MediaCityUK
Regional case study
Salford Lung study talk
Having set the national context, the second speakers, Ian Everall, of the University of Salford ThinkLab & Director, Mirrorworld Technologies Ltd and Dr. Sue Collier Head of Medical Operations, Salford Lung Study, Glaxo Smith Kline, presented a regional case study drawn from Salford and Greater Manchester.
Working with Dr. Kuo Cheg Wu, Ian presented work regarding a SLS Visualisation Platform that can display statistical information regarding for example “Troubled Families”. Ian told us that “the Platform has created a virtual model of the City of Salford over which social and health data can be displayed interactively.”
Working with Glaxo Smith Kline the Salford Lung Study Mirrorworld Platform forms an interdisciplinary collaboration between several institutions in the region such as – the University of Salford, GSK, North West e-Health (NWeH), the University of Manchester, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Salford, local GPs and local community pharmacists.
These first two sessions provoked considerable useful discussion regarding ethics in digital health and digital health studies.
The role of digital communication
Suitable refreshed after a frothy cappuccino and a Viennese whirl (biscuit, not a dance!), we were ready to listen and participate in the next session (Eleni Karasouli, University/ of Warwick) which considered the role of digital communication in patient-clinician communication.
In particular, discussion was based around a research project (LYNCS) which aims to evaluate the impacts of digital clinical communications for young people living with long term conditions. This study also involves the critical analysis of the provision and use of digital clinical communications by NHS specialist care providers.
Innovation: the “Artist in the Room”
After lunch the day continued with a new perspective – that of Innovation, the “Artist in the Room” and how digital health could be affected by a range of experiences.
Simone O’Callaghan (University of Abertay) discussed her work on a project known as Coded Moments. The methods used in Coded Moments, such as interviews and video allowed exploration of the ways in which interdisciplinary approaches that include art-practice based researchers, can lead to unexpected and insightful innovation in health related areas.
mHealth and wearable technology solutions
After a day which started with the national digital scene; followed by the regional case studies; the individual as a patient and the various experience of health innovation in different settings, our final speaker, Andy Miah (University of Salford) delivered a fantastic presentation regarding the latest mHealth and wearable technology solutions.
Discussion included the value of the healthcare market –
“mHealth (mobile health) as a major growth area of health care, estimates indicate that the market will be worth £50b by 2020.”
A growth area indeed!
Andy gave us an overview of the current and potential future of this important area, which is indeed one of the very important sectors in terms of the Digital Economy.
Who will ultimately “own” our health information?
We concluded with a discussion about the security concerns and who ultimately will “own” our health information.
And so, the day closed with final remarks as one by one the delegates said their goodbyes having found new colleagues, new contacts and potential research partnerships for our digital health futures!
Would you like to know more see links below:
- Current conference web site – the blog can also be posted here to update this site with the photos http://www.salford.ac.uk/business-school/about-salford-business-school/aspects-of-digital-innovation-conference
- All photos are at http://www.ccet.co.uk/adic.php
- Also a new link on the Salford Business School web page: http://www.salford.ac.uk/business-school/about-salford-business-school/salford-business-school-news/digital-health-futures-conference-success
Who will own health information is an important topic.
However, with information, is the notion of ownership meaningful?
What do we mean by owning information?
In terms of intellectual property, it seems to be about ensuring that the person who did the work shouod get the credit.
But with health info, this is not so relevant.
So, what does ownership mean then?