BMJ partners in contest to encourage digital innovation

BMJ has teamed up with IC Tomorrow, part of the Technology Strategy Board, in a UK-wide competition to help encourage digital innovation in the healthcare sector.

The Digital Innovation Contest 2013 promotes and supports digital innovation across a variety of sectors. Within healthcare, it aims to promote good practice across the healthcare professions and improve patient engagement and health.

As a partner, BMJ will help fund four UK-based businesses to develop digital prototypes that address some of the key challenges facing healthcare today.

These include: using data to help healthcare organisations share information, reduce duplication of effort and improve outcomes; adapting clinical content for the developing world, while still maintaining quality; and creating games to deliver relevant and engaging health information to patients, while overcoming language and reading age barriers.

The deadline for applications is 5 June. Finalists will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges and the winners will trial their proposed solution with BMJ for a minimum of three months.

Sharon Cooper, chief technology officer at BMJ, said: 'The challenges that health professionals, providers and health systems face today to provide high quality care within finite resources has never been greater, and as technology and the needs of the medical community have changed, we have responded.

'By setting this competition, we hope to facilitate an innovative approach to healthcare, seeking to harness the best in UK software development to bring a fresh look to how technology can transform the delivery of healthcare worldwide.'