Can technology transform, improve and even simplify the healthcare ecosystem?

I am passionate about change and the importance of adapting to it, particularly in the healthcare industry.

I want to share here what are the current challenges that I have observed during my experience working in the diagnostic laboratory from a biomedical science perspective.

Having worked in the UK in both the private and the NHS laboratories disease diagnosis laboratory, in the microbiology and infectious sciences. I was fortunate enough to have started my career in an automated laboratory.

Automation is the technology by which a process or procedure is performed without human assistance

Technology is playing an important role in disease diagnosis. Although automation was introduced in medical microbiology in 2006, which is considered late compared to other disciplines such as blood sciences.

I can see the benefits that are associated with it. I chose to learn as much as I can and I was keen to get involved in any providing suggestions to help us in the laboratory for us to benefit from automation, at the same time retain our skills as professionals as in infectious sciences this is vital. I never saw it as it is an IT job. I always thought of the bigger picture.

This has inspired me to study healthcare management, and I learned more about robotics and automation. I really appreciate the role of automation, the potential and the challenges that we are facing.

After exploring life outside the laboratory, I realised that we as biomedical scientists are isolated in the laboratory. We are making decisions in saving lives and issuing reports that the doctors are relying on to complete the disease diagnosis process.

Let me explain the disease diagnosis process, it involves both the doctor and the biomedical scientist or the laboratory. The patient goes to the doctor with a health problem, and explains the symptoms, after the assessment, the doctor requests a test accompanied with the form physical or electronic that includes the patient’s details and the clinical details that explain the problem so that the scientist can provide the appropriate tests or investigation and the diagnosis.

I believe that technology now plays a crucial role in disease diagnosis, I practised it from processing until the report is issued and sent back to the doctors and the clinicians with the diagnosis.

For us to use the full potential of automation in the laboratory, we need to appreciate the following:

• Communication

From my observations, being in the laboratory can be isolating. Working with technology and automation I witnessed that only the management team are involved with training and troubleshooting. I totally disagree with that, training with technology should involve everyone who is involved with it.

I also noticed that there is a fear of technology in general for example if I break the machine, I will get into trouble mentality.

I didn’t comply with this mentality; I like to challenge myself anyway and I was always comfortable with technology. We already use it part of our everyday lives, for example, smartphones.

• Collaboration and cooperation

This needs to be applied between team members. Again, I believe that everyone should take part and have their say on how they see technology or automation and, they should be comfortable with giving suggestions. I think this should be encouraged, we need to stop limiting this to the managers and the directors, this should involve everyone at every level that is working directly with automation and the workload.

• Growth mindset

We lack the growth mindset; I believe this is another challenge. As healthcare is going through a huge transformation, I believe this will continue. We need to be comfortable with adapting to changes, flexibility and adaptability are both crucial.

I chose to educate myself and I studied more about automation. I always saw the bigger picture and not restricted myself to what was available to me. This I believe helps me as a healthcare professional.

• Public and Private Partnership (PPP)

I heard this for the first time at a conference in the UAE and then in a workshop also in Dubai, and I am in favour of that. I think this will save costs to the NHS and improve quality.

Why not collaborate by exchanging ideas and skills. This has worked in other industries such as transportation and finance. I have worked in an environment that consisted of both private and NHS staff and I have benefited from it enormously professionally.

The economy is evolving, and so should we in my opinion.

This worked in UAE during the COVID-19 pandemic. So why not try this in the UK

Collaboration is the key.

And finally, to get the full potential of automation in the healthcare setting is the responsibility of everyone, we all play a role in this. Technology is here to stay, and it will be an essential part of healthcare. We even have Artificial Intelligence (AI) Virtual reality (VR) the metaverse and the list continues. I don’t see that far from being part of the healthcare system. I won’t be surprised to see smart laboratories or smart hospitals becoming a reality

We are living longer, and chronic diseases are on the rise. So, we need technology for faster and efficient healthcare services.

What do you think? Share your thoughts are you concerned about healthcare as an individual? Did COVID-19 pandemic increase your concerns?