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Patient Experience Drives Digital Transformation in Healthcare Organizations

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Most tasks, these days, can be achieved with a click of a button. Goods can be purchased online, banking done virtually, all without having to leave home. While many industries have embraced digitalization, healthcare organizations have been slower in making the transition and are only now – fueled by consumer expectations and further propelled by the pandemic – prioritizing digital transformation.

A panel of healthcare industry experts on the webinar “Transforming Digital in Healthcare,” discussed how healthcare organizations at the forefront of change are adapting to end-to-end digital transformation. While they see the importance of digital transformation and innovation, the panel consensus was that ultimately, patient experience takes precedence in digital health.

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Hosted by Freed Associates, the panel-style webinar included:

The experts kicked-off the discussion by sharing what digital transformation meant to each of them and their organizations. Dr. Neinstein likened digital transformation to a vehicle and digital health its destination. He talked about CDHI’s focus on the patient experience and compared UCSF’s digital transformation as progressing from Blockbuster Video to Netflix. That is, advancing from getting service in a physical location toward a service that delivers at a time and location convenient for the customer.

Key Highlights from the Discussion

COVID-19 accelerated where digital transformation was headed, but we are not there yet.

According to Zweig, the pandemic was an inflection point that sped up where we were headed. With the pandemic came the realization that digital solutions are powerful for everyone in the ecosystem. This translated into increased financial investments in digital health startups, which in turn has helped drive innovation and transformation in how care is delivered.

Raia agreed that we are not done with transformation. She sees technology as an enabler that prompts and supports ways of delivering services, forcing the healthcare industry to look at different ways of engagement.

Artificial intelligence (AI) doesn’t replace humans but empowers them to be more effective.

By leveraging data and modelling, Raia believes that AI can and should be used to accelerate and increase efficiency in research. In agreement, Dr. Neinstein cited CDHI’s partnership with GE Healthcare where AI algorithms reduced turnaround time for x-rays at the point of care. The now FDA-approved algorithm helps identify suspected pneumothorax (collapsed lung) that can result in death if not found quickly.

The healthcare industry has a “risk-averse culture resistant to change.”

Start small, stay positive, find executive support, develop cross-functional teams, and build some early wins, are just some ways to create cultural change, according to Dr. Neinstein. Though being risk-averse has benefits can prevent negative outcomes, Dr. Neinstein also believes that there is a need to change that mindset and to shift to a culture that encourages experimentation and learning. By applying the lean startup methodology, faster cycles of iteration can push ideation forward and empower teams.

Adding to the conversation, Raia’s experience in big health plan companies have taught her that clear outcomes need to be laid down when it comes to driving change. Additionally, everyone needs to understand the “why” behind its importance. Other lessons learned include prioritizing business outcomes before technology, and to keep in mind that culture change can be more difficult with the need for new skills and behavioral change.

Mergers and partnerships trajectory are in the foreseeable future.

Several healthcare companies consolidated recently, such as Livongo and Teladoc last year and Doctor on Demand and Grand Rounds Health this year. Zweig sees this as an exciting time for investors. As more companies build infrastructures, partnerships mean organizations don’t necessarily have to “go at it” on their own and can leverage each other. This equates to more opportunities for partnerships to deliver end-to-end care, something that would not have been possible five to 10 years ago. Frager agrees, citing Carbon Health’s own acquisition which pivoted them from being a software platform to being a tech-enabled provider. He continues to see the organization scaling as they continue future partnerships.

In the webinar, we also learn about CDHI’s mission to create effective digital solutions that transform health and enable compassionate care delivery for all. In a large and complex organization like UCSF, to includes making it easier for patients to navigate the health system, and to access and receive care.

To learn more about how the UCSF Center for Digital Health Innovation transforms digital health in patient access and virtual care:

  • Visit the Center for Digital for Digital Health Innovation (CDHI) blog

  • Follow @UCSFCDHI on Twitter

  • Subscribe to the quarterly CDHI newsletter (from the footer of this page)

  • Subscribe to the monthly Digital Patient Experience (DPE) newsletter (available to UCSF subscribers only)