Developing the eHealth sector in Cornwall
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2019-04-30Author
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eHealth is one way of addressing capacity and cost problems in health and care and regional development. We aim to improve the economy of Cornwall, a poorer rural UK region, by developing an eHealth innovation ecosystem. We worked with professionals, patients, and SMEs identifying nine stakeholder groups and nine engagement stages to promote ecosystem development through roadshows, workshops, webinars, and individual support. SMEs could apply to our £600,000 Challenge Fund to support innovations. We also sought ways, to sustain the ecosystem beyond the project. Initially there was one larger company and two SMEs focussed exclusively on eHealth, some 100 software companies not involved in health or care, and many SMEs (care services) using eHealth in varying degrees. Some processes were unsuccessful including basing the team’s workplace in care homes and an online region-wide forum. However, most processes ‘worked’; half-way through our three-year project we have 68 SMEs registered including seven start-ups, and 700 stakeholders are forming sub-networks. Half the Challenge Fund is committed, one new product has reached market, and 40 more are developing. A ‘bottom-up approach’ concentrating on awareness raising and activation, has helped achieve our funder-agreed objectives. Creating a sustainable ecosystem is more challenging but our methods provide examples for policy makers.
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