In this episode I interview Kathryn Church about her journey from social worker to digital strategist and find out why social justice and human factors are so important to her. Kathryn has 20 years’ experience designing and executing digital transformation strategies, digital operating models, products and solutions in companies of all types: from start-ups to global corporates across financial services, utilities telcos and now the NHS. Joining Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care System as chief digital officer she found a yawning gap between expectation and reality and was shocked at the level of technical debt, cybersecurity risk and lack of investment in basic infrastructure. Despite the challenges, Kathryn is hopeful about digital adoption and believes a focus on human factors is imperative if the NHS is to make the step change it needs.
The Digital Ecology podcast creates a window into the backstory of technology adoption in UK’s healthcare system. Through interviews with experts in the field, we shine a light on the inner workings of digital health and uncover a world of complexity and challenge. We are in the foothills of technology adoption, where the hype doesn’t always match the reality.
The metaphor of a digital ecology expresses how we might take an holistic approach to adoption of digital in healthcare, transforming a system borne out of an analogue era into one fit for the contemporary world. Ultimately it is about making things better for patients, staff and the NHS as a whole.
Whether you’re a startup founder, investor, healthcare professional or just curious about innovation in the NHS, this podcast has something for you.
Hosted by Dr Victoria Betton
