The world of healthcare IT is constantly changing. One moment the problem is unsolvable, and the next moment a new technology is created and the problem is solved. One minute no one is talking about something, and the next it’s the hottest topic of the year. Or on the contrary, one moment we are all talking about his one topic, and the next moment we forget about it and everyone moves on to something new. In some cases, you can even get so focused on one topic that you forget to broaden your horizons to the many techniques needed to properly support that topic. However, as with any scenario, the flip side of the coin is that you can only talk about the small details of a topic and ignore the big picture. In this constant movement of change, it’s important to take the time to stop and take stock of your direction and notice what you’re focusing on and what you’re ignoring.
That’s exactly what we did at the recent CHIME23 conference. While approaching old friends and making new ones, we decided to stop and get our bearings. We asked some of our great friends and members of the Healthcare IT Today community what issues, technologies, opportunities, and challenges do they think aren’t being discussed enough? The video below summarizes their responses.
Jennifer Johnson, Director of Healthcare Sales and Strategy, Connections – I think it’s staff burnout. Staff burnout is occurring at all levels. Even the people here, how many of them are tired, working 18 to 19 hours a day doing what they love, are exhausted, and their own people are exhausted, too. We know that clinicians are exhausted. So it’s not just front-line caregivers. I think a lot of attention has been paid to the mental health of caregivers, but less attention has been paid to IT staff who are working weekends, working nights, and missing birthday parties. Talent shortages occur throughout the entire talent supply chain within a hospital.
Clay Ritchie, Verato CEO – One of the big areas of under-investment that we see is really understanding that when garbage goes in, garbage comes out. When you do analytics or patient engagement, you need to know who the person is so you can treat the whole person, not the pieces. So really investing in identity and having a comprehensive enterprise identity and management solution and platform is one of the biggest things that I think the market needs.
Kel Pults, DHA, MSN, RN-BC, MediQuant Chief Clinical Officer – From our side, this is a single patient ID. This is a clear area of discussion, and I think our clients are now really starting to surface the need for the Cure Act and interoperability. We’ll need that identifier to ensure we’re submitting the correct data and to ensure privacy when patients begin accessing their accounts.
Robbie Hughes, Lumeon CEO – I think the area that people are missing, but that is coming up more and more often, is the fact that you need to have a stable foundation from an operational standpoint before you start putting these things on top. think. I think of this as a bit like a pyramid of needs, like Maslow’s hierarchy. At the center of this pyramid is the need for a stable understanding of business processes. Adding this kind of icing on top of a cake won’t help you if you don’t have something solid to base it on. It just adds to the confusion and, frankly, a lot of mystery where the icing shouldn’t be.
Aditya Bansod, co-founder and CTO of Luma Health – We talk about the consumer, the patient as a consumer, the consumer with the right to choose, but in reality, what we see in words and actions, as a healthcare ecosystem, is still I don’t think it’s set up. In other words, are we making it easier to schedule online, make a call, text a provider, and all the different parts of the consumer experience from the moment they request care to the moment they receive it? Please, I think we chronically pay a certain kind of lip service. that. We’re talking about how to make that happen, but when it’s actually deployed and actually operational in a health system, that experience will be a true consumer experience that patients expect from the service providers they engage with. It does not provide a personalized experience. .
Sean Kelly, Chief Medical Officer, Imprivata – Patient misidentification – Huge patient safety issues, huge revenue issues, cost avoidance liability issues, hospital reputation and brand issues. People are now getting used to things like facial recognition, and the market is ready for it. I think state laws are pretty difficult right now when it comes to privacy, regulation, and biometrics, but technology is constantly advancing. Throughout our lives, we have become accustomed to this at airports and other uses. In healthcare, I think it’s time for us to really start paying attention and investing.
Jeff Fuller, VP of Data Analytics, Divurgent – For me, it’s data strategy and how you leverage a comprehensive data strategy to solve real problems. The ownership of the data that resides within the enterprise is currently up for debate, and I think it’s our responsibility to extend that ownership throughout the organization.
Steve Cagle, CEO of Clearwater – Cybersecurity in healthcare continues to be a big issue, and we’re talking about it, but I don’t think it’s being discussed enough. Looking at the number of infringement records in the past year, the number of infringement records is approaching 100 million. Additionally, a record number of ransomware attacks continue to plague hospitals, health systems, and digital health companies, causing significant damage to healthcare from both a financial and, most importantly, patient safety perspective. I am.
Clint Drawdy, iMethods CEO – I really focus on people, culture and leadership. I think that’s exactly what will help solve all these problems. We’re all trying to figure out how to make that technology happen. To be honest, I think technology can solve it, but it’s going to take really good leadership. As we continue to challenge ourselves from top to bottom, from the board of directors to the final hire, we need to focus on culture, spend more time on culture, spend more time on talent development, and unlock the technology problem. I think it will be solved.
Alok Sharma, Chief Operating Officer, 314e Corporation – Well, everyone is talking about generative AI, but what we need to talk about is how it will impact clinicians, doctors, nurses, and other health IT resources. I think. How do they relate to it? How will generative AI impact them? How will clinical and operational workflows change? How will patient interactions take place? I think we need to start thinking about these things as well.
Jennifer Johnson, Director of Healthcare Sales and Strategy, Connection, Clay Ritchey, CEO, Verato, Kel Pults, DHA, MSN, RN-BC, Chief Clinical Officer, MediQuant, CEO, Lumeon Robbie Hughes, Aditya Bansod, co-founder and CTO of Luma Health, Sean Kelly, chief medical officer of Imprivata, Jeff Fuller, VP of data analytics at Divurgent, Steve Cagle, CEO of Clearwater, Clint Drawdy, CEO of iMethods and 314e Corporation, for taking the time to speak with us! And thank you to everyone who took the time to read this article and watch this video. We couldn’t have achieved this without your support.
what will you do you Do you think there’s an issue, technology, opportunity, or issue that people aren’t talking about enough? Let us know in the comments below or on social media. We look forward to hearing from you.
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