In April 2024 we held a Surgical Innovation Exchange event to create an opportunity for innovators and health and care audiences to hear more about the Digital Innovations that are available.

Following engagement from local stakeholders and our patient focus group we identified three key problems to solve and invited innovators that match to one of more of these themes:

• Enabling patients to be better prepared for their procedure
  Helping patients to understand their procedure in more detail and what they will experience on the day.
  
  Identifying those with potential health issues sooner and providing relevant advice and guidance to ensure patients are optimised for surgery and that there is less chance of either complications or cancellations on the day, giving patients the best chance of a faster recovery.

• Assist our local organisations in providing care which is tailored to the patient and their unique care and support needs
  Including those with learning difficulties, neurodiversity or where English is not their first language.
  Organisations should be able to consider existing conditions, knowledge and experience to create a person-centred approach to care.

• Enabling better, more detailed communication - either
  Between primary and secondary care providers, both before and after surgery and between departments within an acute hospital setting.
  Between care providers and patients, ensuring patients are well informed and kept up to date with their progression towards surgery, their treatment plan and how to access care (including self-care and support groups) following discharge.

There is the potential for local organisations to access Health Innovation East Midlands support to trial or implement one of the innovations showcased at the event. You can read more about the day here.

Watch the recording of the event.