This year we are thrilled to have launched our new Patient Entrepreneur Programme.
In this series we speak to our new patient entrepreneurs and find out why they decided to innovate. This week we are pleased to welcome Tim Benson, CEO at R-Outcomes Ltd.
Tell us a bit about yourself
In 1980, I set up one of the first GP computer suppliers – Abies Informatics Ltd. We developed problem-oriented patient records for use in consulting rooms and the Read Codes, which later evolved into SNOMED CT. Later, my focus shifted to health interoperability, and in particular, HL7 and FHIR.
Name: Tim Benson
Occupation: CEO at R-Outcomes Ltd
The question arose: “Why don’t we measure the benefits to patients?” In the mid-2000s, I started to create short, generic health outcome and patient experience measures, which led to R-Outcomes Ltd. Our mission is to improve patient care, streamline healthcare processes and to help patients, staff, and managers.
Tell us about your innovation
Our approach covers patient-reported outcome and experience measures, cutting-edge software, and strategic implementation strategies. Specifically, I have developed and tested 25 patient-reported measures and 21 staff measures, all of which are generic. These are copyright-protected. Each measure is short and easy to use.
Our software is accessible world-wide. Our reporting tools offer clear presentation through tables and charts, mean scores on a 0-100 scale, comparisons across time periods and patient events (e.g., before and after), and insights into patient types. In addition, advanced analytics, color-coded thresholds, and comprehensive profiles based on location, patient demographics, and free-text comments enhance the user experience.
Why did you apply to join the programme, and what are you most looking forward to?
I submitted my application for Cohort 1 of the Patient Entrepreneur Programme with the goal of expanding our business and connecting with fellow patient entrepreneurs who share a passion for making a positive impact. Thus far, I’ve found the monthly educational events and networking opportunities to be both enjoyable and valuable.
What motivates you?
If you have a promising idea, you naturally want to see it put into action. It is essential to collect feedback from both patients and staff using a standardised approach.
What are your ambitions for the next year?
We want our measures, which are our “crown jewels” to be used much more.
What is your key piece of advice to aspiring patient entrepreneurs?
Maintaining persistence and patience is crucial. Innovation in the NHS is a gradual process—don’t anticipate immediate results, although sometimes progress can be surprisingly swift.
Focus on implementation, not just innovation. We tend to be good at innovation but bad at Implementation.