Building sustainable career pathways in the digital health sector is crucial in today's fast-evolving landscape. Clear career paths, continuous skills development, and inclusive work environments are key to personal and professional growth. Recently, our workforce management colleagues, Courtney Campbell and Hisham Eldib, attended the Digital Health Networks Exchange event 'Navigating Career Pathways in Digital Healthcare: A Multi-Disciplinary Dialogue'.
Overall, the event offered a wealth of insights into navigating careers within this dynamic sector and stressed the importance of early career development. Our team has put together some key observations and insights from the event, highlighting the essential strategies for building successful careers in digital health.
Defining Career Paths
Jon Hoeksma kicked off the session by stressing the importance of clearly defined career paths. Such paths provide essential guidance and outline the necessary skills for career advancement, ultimately enhancing job satisfaction. This structured approach to career development is something we can all benefit from in our professional journeys.
During the first part of the workshop, 'Redefining Career Pathways Across Digital Roles,' the speakers highlighted the evolving landscape of digital healthcare and the redefinition of traditional career paths. They emphasised the importance of digital literacy and tailored education in the era of digitalisation. The focus is shifting from merely acquiring more technology to ensuring that healthcare professionals understand how to use it effectively. Research data showed that about 40% of failures in digitalisation within the NHS could have been prevented with better digital education for the workforce.
>> Hear how ongoing EPR optimisation can aid user education and technology adoption
The Power of Mentorship and Networking
Dr Simon Eccles, with whom we had an engaging conversation at the CereCore International stand, highlighted the transformative power of mentorship and networking. Mentorship, particularly in the early stages of a career, offers invaluable support and guidance. Meanwhile, networking opens doors to new opportunities and collaborations.
Tapping into healthcare technology experience through partner collaboration can be a strategy that encourages knowledge transfer and is in a sense a “rising tide that lifts all boats.”
Continuous Skills Development
Di Bullman emphasised the need for continuous skills development amidst rapid technological advancements in digital health. Staying current with trends through online courses, workshops, and industry certifications is crucial. Di also encouraged us to overcome imposter syndrome and embrace non-linear career paths with resilience and determination.
Our company employs many colleagues who worked in direct patient care. They became involved in implementation efforts at their hospital, developed into the go-to resource for their department and now work as consultants who are dedicated to sharing that expertise across health systems.
Strategic Partnerships and Digital Literacy
Andrew Griffiths spoke on the value of forming partnerships with educational institutions, healthcare organisations, and tech companies. Such collaborations broaden access to resources and learning opportunities, significantly enriching career pathways. The speakers also stressed the importance of digital literacy within the NHS workforce, suggesting that investment in digital education should involve both systematic changes and a shift in mentality and approach to technology among NHS staff.
>>Read more on Leveraging Technology Partnerships for Success
Fostering Inclusive and Supportive Workplaces
The panellists collectively stressed the importance of fostering inclusive and supportive workplaces. Promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion, along with supporting mental health and well-being, is essential for personal and professional growth. This resonates strongly with our company values and is a cornerstone for creating a thriving work environment.
Effective Early Career Development Programs
Our workforce manager Courtney Campbell has personal experience with helping her son find digital IT work placement and can attest to the value of early career development initiatives. These programmes provide hands-on experience, mentorship, and clear career progression paths, which are crucial for attracting and retaining talent in digital health. Introducing digital career pathways to young students, nursing, and medical students, and involving clinical staff in fellowship, mentoring, and part-time digital roles can increase awareness and interest in digital careers.
Adapting to Upcoming Trends
The discussion also explored upcoming trends such as AI, emphasising the need to understand and adapt to these advancements. Such trends can significantly shape successful career trajectories in the evolving digital health landscape. The information about available courses and workshops, particularly the Digital Health Leadership Programme, was incredibly helpful. This programme offers various courses to enhance skills and stay updated with industry trends. Explore the NHS Digital Academy learning programmes.
Conclusion
Healthcare and at-home settings, clinical professionals and patients alike, face the need to become more tech savvy. Investing in health IT and implementing integrated clinical systems will not be enough.
To realise the benefit of digital health transformation, healthcare professionals, patients and caregivers will need to develop skills and understanding around how to use health IT effectively.
Those of us working in healthcare IT have the responsibility and duty to create career paths and educational programmes and support the development of today’s and future generations.
CereCore International stands ready as a partner and collaborator in this global effort. We bring decades of healthcare operator experience to health IT services needs from strategic planning to implementation, optimisation and day-to-day IT operations and support.
How can we help you navigate the future?
