There has been increasing attention for health systems research in the world, including in low- and middle-income countries, with recent developments both in terms of its definition, and in the evolution of theory and methodologies. As part of the activities, Oxford MedWell Limited conducts a health data research and innovation landscape mapping review with the following aims:

• To create a broad baseline of current activity in health data research relevant to health/biomedicine and innovation programmes;
• To inform the next phase of investments in this area and in particular the new informatics institute and other related activities, such as opportunities arising from the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy;
• To compile qualitative insights that will help create a common understanding of the purpose, likely direction, and impacts of existing investments in health data research across different stakeholders that will result in strengthened partnerships and closer alignment of common objectives across existing and new initiatives; and
• To present to the policymakers, and the independent Expert Review Group, a body of knowledge to help them develop a comprehensive research strategy, including the selection of the research organization sites that will constitute the institute.

Oxford MedWell also provides healthcare system mapping services including process mapping.  Process mapping is a simple exercise in your toolkit of improvement methods. It helps a team to know where to start making improvements that will have the biggest impact for patients and staff. A map of the patient’s journey will give you:

• a key starting-point to any improvement project, large or small, which is tailored to suit your own organisation or individual style
• the opportunity to bring together multi-disciplinary teams from primary, secondary, tertiary and social care of all roles and professions and to create a culture of ownership, responsibility and accountability
• an overview of the complete process, helping staff to understand, often for the first time, how complicated the system can be for patients. For example, how many times the patient has to wait (often unnecessarily), how many visits they make to hospital and how many different people they meet
• an aid to help plan effectively where to test ideas for improvements that are likely to have the most impact on the improvement aims
• brilliant ideas, especially from staff who don’t normally have the opportunity to contribute to service organisation, but who really know how things work
• an event that is interactive, that gets people involved and talking
• an end product, a process map which is easy to understand and highly visual

Are you looking to improve your healthcare system? You can get in touch with our expert team.