Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) were established to optimise efficiency, productivity, and the quality of care across the healthcare landscape. The 42 ICSs were formed to bring hospitals, GP surgeries, and mental health services together under one umbrella to work together and foster collaboration.
As the NHS and social care realigned to form ICSs, responsibility for commissioning services and solutions transferred to each ICS. This transition also involved integrating Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs) and Primary Care Networks (PCNs) into cohesive alliances.
Digital Solutions for ICSs
Digital technology can make a substantial contribution to such change management programmes. Technology enables new ways of working but also facilitates the development of innovative new care processes and pathways.
Patient monitoring technology can enable primary and secondary care pathway integration. This technology can be used as an agent of change across the ICS, helping to achieve consistency and a level of commonality rapidly.
This commonality and consistency of technology and processes lays a solid foundation for simplified interoperability.
When implemented well, the technology becomes a platform for rapid improvement and largescale transformation, particularly in the delivery of out-of-hospital care.
