AHSN to enhance innovation exchange platform and ‘double’ users

West Midlands Academic Health Science Network (WMAHSN) is looking to double the number of contributors to its health innovation exchange platform to make transformation and collaboration more effective across the region.

WMAHSN will enhance its health innovation exchange platform, Meridian, so that it can better address health issues facing the region and improve the economic prospects of the West Midlands with higher adoption of innovation.

To do so, the Network will move to a new management platform, Idea Spotlight, which will enable it to double the number of contributors to more than 3,000.

Provided by London-based software company Wazoku, Idea Spotlight is used to capture, evaluate and implement ideas, share information and collaborate across organisations.

The platform will bring new features and resources that WMAHSN hopes will make innovation more scalable across the network, supporting the adoption of good practice in health and social care and enabling lessons learned to be shared across the sector.

Tammy Holmes, head of innovation exchange, WMAHSN, said: “Our aim is an active innovation exchange with challenges being matched to solutions and the healthcare ecosystem interacting and working together to improve the health and wealth of the region.

“We want the West Midlands to be healthier and more productive and for the region to be known as the first digitally-enabled health economy in England.”

As one of 15 AHSNs (Academic Health Science Networks) across England, WMAHSN aims to improve the wellbeing of its citizens and improve safe care, to offer better outcomes for those in need.

It hopes that the enhanced health exchange platform will give it “a competitive advantage” for the West Midlands’ academic institutions, tech firms and life sciences industry, while helping to address issues such as low life expectancy and high levels of obesity in the region.

Provided by London-based software company Wazoku, Idea Spotlight is used by public sector organisations including the Ministry of Defence and Worcestershire County Council, as well as international businesses.

Simon Hill, CEO of Wazoku, said: “Health innovation is all about continuous improvement and Meridian is already proving to be a successful innovation hub for the WMAHSN. But with the additional functionality our platform offers and the experience we have in working within health innovation,

“Meridian can make even greater strides to making the West Midlands a healthier and happier place to live.”