Digital Maturity Assessment 2023 – Section Ten
Some core digital capabilities could benefit from functional upgrades
Across assessment topics covering different aspects of core capabilities such as Orders & Results Management, Medicines Optimisation and Decision Support, our data shows a consistent picture characterised by well-implemented core capabilities and a lack of more modern, recent functionality.
In Orders & Results Management, most core order types (e.g., for laboratory tests or imaging) are handled digitally, but other, less common order types (E.g., nursing interventions) are less consistently digitised. The exception are Primary Care services, where significant progress has been made in this area.
In Medicines Optimisation, electronic medication order records are frequently in use, but automated dispensing or unit-dose systems are rarely available. This circumstance particularly affected Community service operations.
In many organisations, Decision Support systems guide healthcare and social care professionals towards the best evidence available, but do not yet alert them to service user preferences, outstanding actions or missing information. This is especially true for social care services, particularly Children’s Social Care.