Optimising regional data insight to respond faster to system pressure
- Healthcare
- Interopability
- Data
Executive summary
Integrated Care Systems are expected to manage demand, improve access and reduce waiting times across organisational boundaries. That is only possible when leaders have a clear, real-time view of activity, capacity and flow across the whole system.
This case study shows how creating a shared regional view of diagnostic activity enables better decision-making, faster response to pressure and more effective collaboration between trusts. The same principles apply across health systems and other regulated environments where coordination at scale depends on trusted, joined-up data.
The problem we solved
North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System needed to increase diagnostic capacity across eight NHS trusts serving a large and diverse population.
Diagnostic data sat in multiple systems and local integration engines, with no single, real-time view of referrals, appointments or utilisation across the region. This fragmentation made it difficult to understand where capacity existed, identify bottlenecks or respond dynamically to changes in demand.
Without regional visibility, planning was reactive rather than proactive. Opportunities for mutual aid between trusts were harder to spot, and system leaders lacked the insight needed to manage diagnostics as a single, coordinated service. The ICS needed a solution that could operate across all trusts without disrupting existing clinical systems.
What we did
Answer Digital worked with North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System and local integration teams to design and deliver a regional Referral and Booking Management service.
We created a centralised integration and analytics capability that connects each trust’s existing systems into a shared regional view. The approach allowed trusts to retain their current clinical and integration technologies while contributing data into a single, trusted dataset.
Alongside integration, we designed robust processes for patient matching and pseudonymisation to ensure data accuracy and privacy. We then delivered a set of regional dashboards that provide near real-time insight into diagnostic referrals, capacity, utilisation, turnaround times and cross-boundary patient flows across services such as MRI, CT and non-obstetric ultrasound.
The long-term impact
The region now has a single, shared view of diagnostic activity across eight trusts.
ICS leaders can monitor referrals, appointment conversion and turnaround times in near real time, enabling faster identification of bottlenecks and more informed decisions about where to intervene. Visibility of cross-boundary patient travel supports collaboration between trusts and encourages shared accountability for system-wide performance.
Dashboards refresh hourly and the architecture is designed to scale, creating a foundation for future expansion into additional diagnostic services and more advanced analytics. While rollout is still in its early stages, the system has already improved regional visibility, coordination and the ability to manage diagnostic capacity proactively.
How we can help your organisation
If your system needs to coordinate services across multiple organisations without replacing existing platforms, we can help.
Answer Digital works with Integrated Care Systems and regulated organisations to design regional data services that improve visibility, unlock capacity and support better decision-making at scale. We focus on solutions that respect local autonomy while enabling system-wide insight and control.