Digital vigilance: Learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 forced the Danish healthcare system to quickly implement digital changes in such a way that the governance model and standard change procedures had to be altered or abandoned. Three real-world example cases are presented and analysed using digital vigilance as the empirical theme to indicate the unpredictable situation caused by COVID-19 and to explicitly focus on the perspectives of the practitioners who have driven the changes and the conditions that have enabled and constrained their ability to identify and quickly act upon the need for change. The following questions were asked: (a) What human, technological, and organisational preconditions were present for the unforeseen rapid development and adoption of digital solutions across clinical specialities? (b) What can we learn from this? (c) How can digital vigilance be maintained to meet future needs for urgent digital change? Based on the case examples and the insights, learning and implications drawn, this chapter discusses how the conditions for digital vigilance can be improved in the event of future crises.