Defining digital health & social care
The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) prefers a more inclusive and simplified approach to terminology, by defining digital health and social care innovation as the strategic application of technological advancements to empower individuals to more effectively track, manage, monitor, and enhance their health and care.
Digitising social care
"Digitising” is a better-known term than “digitalising”.
"Digitising social care" refers to converting information into a digital format (e.g. converting a piece of paper into a PDF).
"Digitalising social care" involves using digital technologies to enhance, streamline, and improve social care services. This includes implementing electronic health records, digital care plans, remote monitoring, telehealth, mobile apps for caregivers and patients, and other digital tools to increase efficiency, accessibility, and quality of care provided to individuals in need of social services.
Health and social care - What is it?
In the complex landscape of health and social care, numerous terms such as Telehealth, Telemedicine, and Telecare are frequently employed to describe the integration of technology in healthcare services.
The aim is to make social care more responsive, personalised, and integrated with healthcare systems.
By leveraging insights from these innovations, the DHI aims to facilitate the transformation of health and care services. This includes improving access to services, minimising healthcare costs, enhancing the quality of care, and offering personalised healthcare solutions.
Our approach underscores the importance of integrating technology in healthcare to achieve a more efficient, effective, and patient-centred system.
