NIHR Innovation Observatory: Driving Global Healthcare Innovation and Advancement

NIHR Innovation Observatory manages the world’s largest set of health data, which is vital for supporting businesses in the global health and care sector.

With a team of 80 professionals based at The Catalyst in Newcastle Helix, NIHR Innovation Observatory employs horizon scanning—a method that systematically identifies and analyses signs of significant developments in the health and life sciences sector—to provide data-driven insights that can foster innovation and ensure access to high-quality care.

“NIHR Innovation Observatory is the national horizon scanning centre for health and life sciences. We’re headquartered in Newcastle, but our reach is national and global,” says Dawn Musgrave, Industry Partnership Lead at NIHR Innovation Observatory. “We have the largest healthcare data set in the world.”

The Observatory collaborates with the government, universities, the NHS, and various institutions to examine, interpret, and utilise data to understand emerging technologies and where innovations can be applied more broadly.

For Dawn, data and AI are essential for supporting transformative developments in healthcare: “AI can drive positive change. Consider advancements in health tech: using AI to sift through patient records, extract prompts, and synthesise information. Although heavily regulated and scrutinised, this is just one example of how AI can enhance productivity and efficiency.”

Through horizon scanning, the organisation can make informed predictions about future industry trends, identifying where and when pockets of innovation may lead to global advancements.

In addition to transforming the global healthcare and life sciences landscape, NIHR Innovation Observatory is also addressing one of the major concerns surrounding artificial intelligence: identifying misinformation and inaccuracies.

“One of the methods that the Innovation Observatory excels in is evidence synthesis,” Dawn explains. “This involves verifying the source of data and evidence to ensure it is robust, open, honest, and has integrity.”

“Even though we can’t rely on AI to predict the future, evidence synthesis is a tool we use to support our predictions and horizon scanning.”

Dawn emphasises the significant potential of horizon scanning to support business growth, extending beyond healthcare and life sciences: “If you’re an SME starting out or looking to grow, you can access the reports, analyse them, identify trends and signals, and see what’s being developed in the market and by whom. These insights can serve as a valuable business support tool.”

To find out more about Dawn and the work NIHR Innovation Observatory are doing, follow the link: Who we are – NIHR Innovation Observatory

Original credit goes to Newcastle Helix NIHR Innovation Observatory: Supporting global innovation and advancement in healthcare

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