A critical evaluation of the National Innovation Accelerator programme: comparing eHealth and medical device-based innovations

Background/Aims The National Innovation Accelerator was developed in 2014 to increase the uptake of innovation across the NHS by providing strategic funding to candidates. This study aimed to critically evaluate the success of the National Innovation Accelerator in supporting innovation in the NHS. Methods Innovations that were supported by the National Innovation Accelerator were categorised into ‘eHealth’, ‘healthcare centre medical devices’, ‘mobile medical devices’ and ‘other’. Peer-reviewed literature was used to assess all innovation types. For eHealth innovations, organic website traffic and app store reviews were also used to assess patient engagement and popularity. Results The majority of innovations supported by the programme were categorised as eHealth; however, these were also more likely to be unsuccessful in terms of patient engagement. Meanwhile, healthcare centre and mobile medical devices were likely to be supported by peer-reviewed studies and clinical trials. Conclusions The success of the National Innovation Accelerator in supporting healthcare innovation varies depending on the type of innovation, with innovations in medical devices achieving greater success than eHealth innovations.