NHS England has launched a 拢100million prize fund to back NHS trusts that want to become centres of global digital excellence.
The trusts have been invited to bid to win up to 拢10m each to invest in digital infrastructure and specialist training.
NHS England envisions 10-16 of the 26 trusts becoming centres of digital excellence to 鈥渓ead the way for the entire system to move faster in getting better information technology on the ground鈥�.
The chosen centres of excellence will be partnered with 鈥渋nternational sister organisations鈥� to maximise benefits across the NHS.
NHS England鈥檚 head of technology, Paul Rice, said the UK has a 鈥渟et of acute鈥� providers that are leading the way in digital technology.
Rice added: 鈥淭his benefits their clinicians, their patients and the wider community they serve.
鈥淏y stepping up to become world class, they can join the most digitally advanced healthcare organisations across the globe and help deliver a sustainable and transformed NHS.鈥�
The first centres of excellence will be selected only from acute trusts, but in due course, NHS England plans to establish centres across the health and care sector.
The NHS has partnered with artificial intelligence聽research lab聽Google DeepMind聽聽on two projects in London.
The first is a kidney monitoring app called Streams which seeks to assist clinicians at three hospitals in detecting early signs of acute kidney injury. The second at Moorfields Eye Hospital aims to detect early signs of eye diseases which could lead to blindness through machine learning.
However DeepMind must win the public over to the controversial partnership聽after concerns over data.
Wearable devices could save NHS billions every year by creating 鈥榯he missing gear between hospital and home鈥�.
That is the view of Dr Jack Kreindler, who is also using technology to battle cancer.