CW+ Premium Content/Computer Weekly

In an industry as inherently personable and sincere as healthcare, the idea of technological intervention can often be met with scepticism or fear by patients. Most people in need of treatment are looking for more of a calming human touch. But there are tech companies looking to bridge the two sides by introducing applications and innovations that personalise – or, more aptly, rehumanise – the delivery of healthcare. For those in need of regular care – in any guise –- many are often left in the dark or in danger because of long waiting periods and the sheer volume of those in need. Digital tools have rarely been used effectively by healthcare institutions to mitigate the strains. In the UK, for example, health secretary Matt Hancock hopes to stimulate the creation of new tools and apps that can provide services for and with the NHS. But tech companies in other countries are already taking a lead. Small and slow tweaks to large, incumbent, bureaucratic health organisations will not change the status quo any time soon, and a ...