Committed to improving patient outcomes whilst managing increasing demand, Hywel Dda University Health Board engaged CGI to develop a comprehensive digital strategy that would drive operational efficiencies, supporting improved clinical outcomes and financial strength.
Balancing demand with financial constraints
Hywel Dda University Health Board (HDUHB) is one of seven health boards in Wales, responsible for providing health and social care services across its region.
Faced with increasing demand for services and significant financial pressures, HDUHB partnered with CGI to develop a robust digital strategy that would enhance patient outcomes whilst managing costs effectively. This required a strategic plan to optimise resource allocation and leverage technology to improve operational efficiency.
The benefits
We empowered HDUHB to better manage its challenges and deliver exceptional health and care services with our outcomes-focused, ROI-driven approach to digital strategy.
- Improving patient outcomes by enhancing health and wellbeing through technology.
- Enabling financial stability by identifying service redesign and solutions to help manage HDUHB’s pressures, then prioritising high-impact transformation initiatives.
- Creating operational efficiency by streamlining processes, using technology wisely, and enabling practitioners to operate at the top of their licences.
- Designing sustainable transformation roadmaps for long-term digital transformation and continuous improvement to health and care services.
Developing a comprehensive digital strategy
Working collaboratively with HDUHB, we co-created a visionary digital strategy and aligned it to a multi-year, return on investments-driven (ROI) transformation roadmap. This strategic plan aims to establish a truly integrated, human-centred care service.
Our digital strategy approach included:
- 1. Understanding challenges
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We began by understanding the unique challenges faced by HDUHB through extensive consultations with leadership and operational teams, to ensure our approach was tailored to their specific needs.
- 2. Defining strategic imperatives
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We defined a set of strategic imperatives for the health and care ecosystem. This process included engaging with various stakeholders to align the strategy with HDUHB’s long-term vision and goals.
- 3. Conducting financial value analysis
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We identified key areas where service redesign enabled by technology could deliver high impact and maximise ROI, and established a series of value propositions that quantified the outcomes of these technology solutions.
- 4. Developing whole system enterprise architecture
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We developed an end-to-end enterprise architecture with detailed transition states to guide the digital strategy and implementation plans. This provides HDUHB with a clear roadmap for integrating the new technologies and optimising existing processes.
- 5. Establishing a fit for purpose digital capability model
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We created a digital capability model, outlining the necessary capabilities that HDUHB needs to achieve its strategic goals. This serves as a framework for building the required competencies and skills within the organisation, enabling HDUHB and its people to embrace
new solutions and redesigned ways of working.
- 6. Linking strategy to execution
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A digital strategy is unlikely to succeed without clearly linking it to practical implementation and operational readiness. To support success, we developed an end-to-end strategic model, underpinned by value hypotheses, a change management approach, and a practical implementation and delivery plan. This helps HDUHB focus its resources on high-priority, high-impact initiatives, turning strategic goals into practical, understandable, and actionable steps.
- 7. Supporting a multi-year transformation roadmap
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Using the comprehensive financial analysis, we supported the development of a multiyear, ROI-driven transformation roadmap. This provides a clear pathway for future investments in digital technologies, ensuring HDUHB’s sustainable growth and continuous improvement.
People-focused outcomes
Having worked with us to develop a robust transformation strategy, HDUHB gained executive approval of its strategic case for change. This leadership-level support was crucial in enabling the health board to progress with its strategic transformation programme, enabling:
- Financial positioning: Our robust, ROI-driven roadmap provides a clear pathway for investment in digital technologies. This is essential for HDUHB to manage its financial pressures effectively, prioritising high-impact initiatives to deliver maximum value to staff and patients.
- Operational efficiency: By linking the strategy to execution, we made technology a strategic enabler that will streamline processes and optimise resource allocation, enhancing HDUHB’s ability to meet the increasing demand for its services.
- Long-term planning: We also helped shape HDUHB’s investment for future transformation programmes, positioning it to select a strategic transformation partner for ongoing support and enablement. This supports the health board’s commitment to and ongoing preparation for continuous improvement and sustainable services.
- Enhanced health and wellbeing: Our people-focused, cost-effective approach helps HDUHB understand its problems and prioritise the outcomes needed. By enhancing the use of data, technology and service redesign, we’re enabling better health outcomes and empowering the organisation to deliver high-quality care, despite financial and operational challenges.
- Improved management of financial pressures: Our prioritised approach to high-impact initiatives is supporting the health board to improve and manage its financial pressures effectively.
The foundation laid by this whole system approach to transformation has set HDUHB on a path to long-term success. The organisation is now better equipped to meet its challenges and continue delivering exceptional health and care services to its region.
