Disruptive Innovation:
The National Pathology Exchange (NPEx)
Owen Johnson
Senior Fellow
School of Computing
University of Leeds
X-Lab – Disruptive Innovation in e-Health
Disruptive Innovation?
Christensen, Clayton M., Richard Bohmer, and John Kenagy. "Will disruptive innovations cure health care?." Harvard
business review 78.5 (2000): 102-112.
Disruptive Innovation?
X-Lab
Disruptive Innovation in e-Health
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Formed in 2006 as by staff and graduates from the University of
Leeds.
Co-located with the Leeds Institute for Health Sciences on the
University of Leeds campus
Three directors, eighteen staff (11 developers, support, design,
business analysis, management and business development)
Almost all staff have first class degrees from School of Computing
Either a small SME or
one of the most talented teams of software developers
associated with the NHS
Sector
Solution
Backed by
Status
Pathology
NPEx
The Health Informatics Service
Live since 2009.
20% of UK market.
Patient Reporting
QTool
The University of Leeds
Live since 2011.
First to market.
Patient Records
PPMP
Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust
Live since 2013.
First open source.
X-Lab
Innovation Cycle
Deployment
Innovation
Development
X-Lab – National Innovation Awards 2010
Pathology in the UK NHS
800m pathology tests per annum – Department of Health – Digital First (2014)
7 times over capacity – Carter Report 2008… Capacity = 5,600m
Demand is rising BUT…
Local Buyers are “locked in” to inelastic local supply so market forces cannot achieve best value
Rivalry is limited to local geographic region
Processes are expensive, slow and clinically unsafe when use paper
How to Disrupt?
Processes
A single National Digital Hub for the NHS
Every lab digitally connected to every lab
Processes
User skills
User skills
Coding standards
Coding standards
LAB
A
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LAB
C
LAB
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A national lab to lab exchange for
all laboratory disciplines.
From any lab, to any lab.
2009
Laboratory to laboratory exchanges within Greater Manchester Pathology Network
Dave Johnson ,Trafford General Hospital
“X-lab’s system is extremely effective and efficient. We have been using it for processing Chlamydia
tests and the reduction in turnaround has been dramatic – in fact, now in a best-case scenario we can
get test results back within a day. The reporting process is seamless, largely automated – and paperfree. It has increased efficiency and accuracy and is of great benefit to clinicians and patients.”
www.NPEx.nhs.uk
Disruptive?
Where we would like to go:
A Digital Stock Exchange for UK Pathology
The ability to buy and sell pathology capacity
across the UK to give the best value, finest
quality service to the NHS
NPEx Roadmap
•Transport Integration
•Laboratory Results Portal
•Benchmarking
•Exchange – buying and selling capacity
•RFID in Sample Tubes
Disruptive Innovation:
The National Pathology Exchange (NPEx)
Owen Johnson
Senior Fellow
School of Computing
University of Leeds
X-Lab – Disruptive Innovation in e-Health