New Collaboration Expands to Include AI, Enhancing Speed, Efficiency, and Compliance for Digital Health Innovators
We are excited to introduce the ORCHARD Health Alliance, a dynamic collaboration between ORCHA, Acorn, and Blum. This alliance provides certification for NHS schemes and supports market access via the Digital Health Compliance Portal, offering comprehensive assistance to digital health innovators navigating the complexities of NHS regulations. By incorporating advanced AI-driven solutions, the alliance enhances speed, efficiency, and compliance throughout the innovation process.
Addressing Regulatory Challenges with AI-Driven Support
The development of healthcare technology in England has always been challenging due to strict NHS regulations, clinical safety standards, and cyber/data privacy requirements. The ORCHARD Health Alliance tackles these challenges head-on by offering end-to-end support—from innovation and development to compliance and market access—ensuring products meet all NHS requirements. With the integration of artificial intelligence, the alliance accelerates the development and regulatory processes, allowing digital health solutions to reach the market more quickly and efficiently.
DTAC and Key NHS Certifications
A cornerstone of the ORCHARD Health Alliance is its support for certification under key NHS schemes, including the NHS Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC). This ensures that digital health innovators meet the highest standards in clinical safety, data privacy, interoperability, and cybersecurity. The alliance not only assists with certification but also facilitates distribution, instilling trust among healthcare providers and patients.
In addition to DTAC, the alliance supports compliance with other regulatory schemes, enabling innovators to expand into new markets with confidence, knowing their solutions are safe, secure, and deployment-ready.
End-to-End Support and Market Access
The Alliance offers innovators comprehensive support at every stage, from ideation and development to compliance. With the added power of AI, innovators can streamline their compliance process and bring market-ready products to the NHS faster than ever before. A standout feature of this collaboration is being placed across all Digital Health Libraries and formularies, and with integration across many Electronic Health Records, this provides a crucial gateway to the NHS market. Healthcare systems can confidently select and recommend compliant digital health solutions that have been thoroughly vetted and certified.
Leadership Insights
“By integrating AI into the compliance and development processes, we are revolutionising how digital health technologies enter the NHS market,” said Liz Ashall-Payne, CEO of ORCHA.
Michael Bell, CEO at Acorn, emphasised, “The ORCHARD Health Alliance is now faster, more efficient, and fully equipped to support innovators at every stage, from compliance certification to market access through our Digital Health Compliance Portal.”
Michal Watts, CEO of Blum, added, “Our expertise in digital health innovation combined with this AI-powered alliance allows us to deliver compliant solutions that seamlessly integrate with NHS frameworks. This partnership accelerates innovation while ensuring that safety, data privacy, and clinical standards are never compromised.”
About ORCHA
ORCHA (the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps) is a trusted leader in assessing digital health technologies for the NHS and global markets, ensuring they meet the highest standards in clinical safety and data privacy.
About Acorn
Acorn provides expert guidance to healthcare innovators navigating the complex NHS regulatory landscape, helping them meet critical compliance, safety, and cybersecurity standards.
About Blum
Blum is a leading developer of digital health technologies, with extensive experience in creating innovative, compliant health solutions that integrate seamlessly into the NHS framework.
Are you a digital health supplier looking to access the NHS market?
Get in touch today to discover how the ORCHARD Health Alliance can help you navigate compliance, certification, and market entry efficiently. Contact us at hello@orchahealth.com for more information!