Healthcare Global Summer/Autumn 2020

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S UMME R /A U T UMN 2 0 2 0

Navigating the new normal with healthcare tech

A strategic digital transformation Andy Lehman, CIO and Senior VP, shares his insights on digital strategy, COVID-19 and the future of healthcare

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Transforming clinical systems

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FOREWORD

W

elcome to the summer edition of Healthcare Digital magazine.

In our cover story for this issue, we speak with Andy Lehman, CIO and Senior VP of Kettering Health Network.

Founded in 1964, the company has been enthusiastically committed to the spirit of technological innovation that its namesake, inventor Charles F. Kettering, embodied. Furthermore, the hospital combines this attitude with a faith-based system of values that prioritises complete patient welfare. “We believe that caring for patients and their families in our hospitals, physician offices, imaging centres and emergency rooms is sacred work.

We take care of the whole person, not just the physical element,” says Lehman.

He goes on to say that the company’s IT strategy is shaped by this ongoing mission: “It is all about improving the quality of life for the people in the communities we serve. There’s a lot of work many IT organisations do that may not add value; our vision of ‘Only Value’ emphasises value delivery, which ultimately achieves the Kettering Health Network mission.”

Elsewhere in the issue, we speak with

AltaMed Health services on transforming clinical systems, Mental Health Center of Denver about trying to become the healthiest state in America, and Cerner Middle East on its end-to-end healthcare transformation. This edition also includes a special report on LTTS; Jyotirmay Datta, EVP and Business Head, describes the important role LTTS is playing in helping healthcare navigate the new normal.

Our editorial takes this month explore the many ways in which healthcare is being augmented by new technology, including surgical robotics, digital healthcare apps and IoT-enhanced capabilities in hospitals. We also find out how pharmaceutical supply chains are changing post-COVID-19.

Additionally, this month’s Top 10 takes a look at the leading healthcare brands in the market today, such as Johnson & Johnson, UnitedHealth Global and Amerisource Bergen.

Stay safe and enjoy the issue.

Will Girling william.girling@bizclikmedia.com w w w.he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

03

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PRODUCTION DIRECTORS

PROJECT DIRECTORS

Georgia Allen Daniela Kianickovรก

Thomas Livermore MANAGING DIRECTOR

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Will Girling EDITORAL DIRECTOR

Scott Birch

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Owen Martin

MEDIA SALES DIRECTOR DIGITAL VIDEO PRODUCERS

Kieran Waite Sam Kemp

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Billy Kabubi

James White DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Jason Westgate

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

Leigh Manning

CREATIVE TEAM

Oscar Hathaway Erin Hancox Sophia Forte Sophie-Ann Pinnell Hector Penrose

Lewis Vaughan

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

Stacy Norman

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER

Shirin Sadr

PRESIDENT & CEO

Glen White

DIGITAL MARKETING EXECUTIVE

Kayleigh Shooter w w w.he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

10 A strategic digital transformation

26 Hospital robotics: democratising global healthcare

40 Mobile Apps: Streamlining Healthcare

54 IoT: Enabling next-gen healthcare services

70 Reorganising pharmaceutical supply chains post-COVID-19

82 Healthcare Brands

106 L&T Technology Services

You see 165 households.

We see the 8 families that will have a new case of diabetes diagnosed this year.

C3.ai transforms Healthcare.

118

132

AltaMed Health Services

Mental Health Center of Denver

146

162

MED-EL

Cerner Middle East

10

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

Kettering Health Network’s strategic digital transformation WRITTEN BY

LEILA HAWKINS PRODUCED BY

CAITLYN COLE

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

11

KETTERING HEALTH NETWORK

Andy Lehman, CIO and Senior VP of Kettering Health Network, shares his insights into digital strategy, COVID-19, and the future of healthcare technology

K

ettering Health Network is a non-profit, faith-based healthcare network of eight acute care hospitals, one behavioral

health hospital, more than 120 outpatient facilities, as well as freestanding emergency centers, on-demand care clinics, and urgent care locations 12

in southwest Ohio.The company’s first hospital opened in 1964, named after Charles F. Kettering.

An enthusiast of technology and inventions, he held over 300 patents, including the first reliable battery ignition system for automobiles. Charles F. Kettering’s vision was to use the latest technology to care for patients in a community hospital setting.

Fast forward to the present day, and this vision is still very much part of the company’s mission.

Its digital transformation has enabled it to make advances in the care it provides, meeting its mission while retaining its Christian values. “We believe that caring for patients and their families in our hospitals, physician offices, imaging centres and emergency rooms is sacred work. We take care of the whole person, not just the physical element, but the spiritual side as well,” explains Andy SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

13

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

KETTERING HEALTH NETWORK

“ We believe that caring for patients and their families in our hospitals, physician offices, imaging centres and emergency rooms is sacred work” 14

— Andrew Lehman, CIO and Senior VP

Lehman, Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President.

He explains that this mission drives the IT strategy of the organisation. “It is all about improving the quality of life for the people in the communities we serve. Within Kettering Health Network’s Information Systems division, we have a vision statement of ‘Only value’, which speaks to the need for us to maximize value delivery. There’s a lot of work many IT organisations do that may not add value, for example fixing broken computers or resolving a network outage.

Obviously, we’ve got to spend time resolving those problems, but if we didn’t have those kinds of issues, we could be deploying our resources on priorities to advance the strategies of the organization. Our vision of ‘Only value’ emphasizes value delivery, which ultimately achieves the Kettering Health Network mission. “ Over the last four years, Kettering has implemented several important new solutions, both internally, such as how it transforms data from across the network into actionable information, and externally with its

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

Changes that Covid19 has made to healthcare CLICK TO WATCH

|

3:24

15 “direct to guest” technology. “We’re

This includes telemedicine in vari-

very intentional about the word

ous forms, a service that became vital

‘guest,’ because when patients

when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

come into our facilities, they’re

“When the COVID-19 crisis hit, we

typically with somebody, whether

rolled out our direct to guest telemed-

that’s a spouse, a significant other

icine solution across 800 employed

or a family member. We believe it

providers throughout Kettering

is as important to engage the sup-

Health Network. We saw the number

port team as much as the patient,”

of virtual visits go from 1% to over

Lehman explains. “Our direct to

40% in about two weeks, because

guest technologies are those that

our guests didn’t want to travel and

we’ve put in place to try and engage

were concerned about going to the

with guests – whether they are

physician’s office. We put in place a

patients or family members--to cre-

solution that gave our patients and

ate a great healthcare experience.”

their family members the opportunity he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

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When any attack attempt happens, PARANOID blocks it in real time and provides deep and precise visibility into the attack.

The solution works with a company’s AV or NGAV systems to provide industry-leading defense in depth that enables greater threat detection and enhanced protection.

This level of protection is invaluable for customers worldwide, including Kettering Health Network, a nonprofit health organization based in the US. “Kettering is at the forefront of care and technology,” says Manor, “and we’re very proud to have them as one of our key customers. They’re an early adopter of our technology that truly believes in the defense in depth strategy that we provide. Actually, we proved our worth in the early stages of our relationship - Kettering was looking for an endpoint detection and response solution but, during our proof of concept work, we detected and prevented malicious activity, and the rest is history.”

KETTERING HEALTH NETWORK

18

to engage with their providers and do it in a way in which they felt safe.”

As well as these consultations,

These represented a huge step forward, as Lehman explains: “It’s not just about, ‘hey, we’ve got a

Kettering implemented physician-to-

telemedicine solution.’ It’s about

physician telemedicine solutions in

discovering what the right technol-

hospitals, where it installed COVID

ogy is, and how we bring it across an

units with strict protocols to ensure

entire employed physician group to

the environment is safe for the

make sure they’re comfortable using

patient, their family members, and

it. There’s a number of parts and

the caregiver. It also launched a ser-

pieces that have to be put into place,

vice to keep patients and their loved

which we did very quickly, and it was

ones connected in cases where

a tremendous success story.”

someone was unwell with COVID-19 and unable to see visitors.

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

Kettering Health Network’s Information Systems division also

successfully moved 3,000 staff

was call center staff, marketing and

members to working remotely in the

human resources, the people who

space of 10 days. “It sounds easy,

document and bill for services, all

but it was hard,” Lehman says. “We

those core network teams needed

had to ensure they had the connec-

to be set up to work from home. We

tivity, the equipment and the access

basically figured out how we could

to the applications they needed to

get as many people to work remotely

do their job. This wasn’t just for IT, it

as possible, whether that was just

E X E C U T I V E P R O FILE :

Andrew Lehman Title: CIO and Senior VP

Company: Kettering Health

NetworkIndustry: Healthcare

Location: Kettering

Andy Lehman is Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President at Kettering Health Network in Dayton, Ohio. Kettering Health Network is a not-for-profit network of nine hospitals, Kettering College, and over 120 outpatient facilities serving southwest Ohio. With more than 12,500 employees and 2,100 physicians, Kettering Health Network is committed to transforming the health care experience with world-class health services for every stage of life. Kettering Health Network has been recognized as one of IBM Watson Health’s 15 Top Health System network and named one of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For. In his role, Mr. Lehman oversees the development of the overall strategic plan and financial goals for Information Systems, as well as their daily operations. He has a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia, and an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University. he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

19

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“ We believe it is as important to engage the support team as much as the patient” — Andrew Lehman, CIO and Senior VP

years positioning ourselves from an analytics standpoint to be ready for this, and from a digital guest experience, to provide direct to guest technologies. We had put in place platforms to enhance collaboration across the enterprise, like Microsoft Teams. It wasn’t like we woke up one morning in March and said, ‘oh, we’ve

individuals or whole teams, as well

got to deploy Microsoft Teams.’ We

as move entire support centers to

actually started that within the past

be able to work from home.”

year. All of these things that we were

Additionally it had to build the IT

doing around digital transformation

infrastructure for testing centers, the

didn’t start the day the pandemic was

COVID units in hospitals, and that of an

announced, and I’m glad they were in

entire command center that oversees

place to meet the challenges.”

how the network responds to the

Strong partnerships were key

COVID crisis. They also created supply

to implementing solutions like

inventory solutions to assess the num-

physician-to-physician consulta-

ber of masks, ventilators and Covid

tions via telemedicine in the COVID

testing reagents they had, and where

units, which In Touch Healthcare

these were located. “We had to move

provided. The Doxy.me platform

so fast,” Lehman says. “So much of the

enabled the rapid deployment of

COVID response was dependent on

telemedicine visits for guests across

information systems and IT.”

our employed provider network.

IT overcame the clear challenges,

Asparia delivered a text messaging

having been prepared for some

service to check whether patients

aspects of the crisis because of its

have developed COVID-19 symptoms

ongoing process of digital transfor-

before coming to an appointment; this

mation. “We have spent the past few

is then followed up by the option of a he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

21

KETTERING HEALTH NETWORK

22

The rapid change in technology when fighting against COVID-19 CLICK TO WATCH

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2:37

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

have to be able to connect, and our backbone performed flawlessly. All of those vendors played key roles and helped us navigate the waters to do what we did with COVID.” Looking ahead, Lehman believes the changes the company has made will remain long term. “Although the pandemic has had catastrophic impacts across the world, the challenges we faced ultimately led us to meet our mission in innovative ways.

COVID was a catalyst that accelerated the digital transformation of Kettering’s operations. Through telemedicine, collaboration platforms, telemedicine consultation if appropri-

analytics, and direct to guest solu-

ate via Doxy.me. Nyotron provides

tions, Kettering is transforming the

Kettering with endpoint security

healthcare experience.”

solutions at a time when health care

All of this is happening at a time

networks are besieged by bad actors

when the US healthcare sector

and hackers. Microsoft not only ena-

overall is undergoing huge change,

bled collaboration via Teams when

moving away from the fee-for-

face to face meetings were elimi-

service system – where the more

nated, but also provided a health bot

tests, studies and other services are

which allowed guests to determine

carried out, the more the healthcare

the right level of care based on symp-

network gets paid, regardless of out-

toms. Lehman identified Cisco as the

come – towards fee for value. It’s a

company’s networking backbone.

move that’s driving a vast amount of

“When you send people home, you

innovation and investment. he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

23

KETTERING HEALTH NETWORK

Kettering Health Networks digital transformation

24

CLICK TO WATCH

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2:08

“ We'll make sure people stay healthy as opposed to just treating them when they're sick. That's a huge change for the United States' healthcare system, and Kettering has to evolve like everybody else to be successful” — Andrew Lehman, CIO and Senior VP

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

1964

Year founded

12,000 Number of employees

25

“In the next five years, we’re going to see this shift accelerate, and it’ll start driving initiatives like wellness and keeping people out of the hospital. We’ll make sure people stay healthy as opposed to just treating them when they’re sick. That’s a huge change for the United States’ healthcare system, and Kettering has to evolve like everybody else to be successful.”

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

H O S P I TA L S

26

Hospital robotics: democratising global healthcare WRITTEN BY

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

WILL GIRLING

27

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

H O S P I TA L S

Christophe Assenmacher, Head of Urology at Clinics of Europe and Trainer in Robotic Surgery at Intuitive Surgical, discusses healthcare robots

R

obotics and digital automation are beginning

to sweep through several major industry segments, but perhaps one of the most fas-

cinating is healthcare. Whilst advanced machinery capable of performing the most delicate surgeries

was once the domain of science-fiction or simply 28

a goal to aspire towards, the reality is that we are now living in an era where health services are on the verge of being transformed in very exciting ways. The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the necessity for integrating digital technologies such as robotic process automation (RPA) and artificial intelligence (AI) software into everyday business operations and it is in this regard that hospital robotics forms a timely focus. Far from being a competitor to human workers, robots in healthcare are a unique opportunity to combine the abilities of both humans and people to achieve significantly better outcomes for patients.

In addition to featuring insights from McKinsey, PwC and Deloitte, we spoke with Christophe Assenmacher, Head of Urology at Clinics of Europe (Cliniques de l’Europe) St Elizabeth’s and Trainer in S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

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CHRISTOPHE ASSENMACHER

Christophe Assenmacher has worked at Clinics of Europe since 1991, becoming the Head of the Urology department in 1999.

He became Proctor and Trainer in Robotic Surgery at Intuitive Surgical in 2007.

Assenmacher’s son, Gregoire, is a junior surgeon in urology and has also been gaining a high level of proficiency in robotic surgery.

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

H O S P I TA L S

“ Far from being a competitor to human workers, robots in healthcare are a unique opportunity to combine the abilities of both humans and people to achieve significantly better outcomes for patients” 30 Robotic Surgery at Intuitive Surgical, to

surgeon,” he explains. “While they

get an informed perspective from the

spend years studying, their ability

frontline of this topic.

to function under pressure, make precise movements and many

HOW IS ROBOTIC AUTOMATION BENEFITTING HOSPITALS?

other skills can be augmented by a

Assenmacher states that hospitals

whilst some patients might still feel

are demonstrating the key advan-

hesitant to undergo surgery that is

tages of robotic automation, namely

entirely automated, having a highly-

the enhanced service level which

trained and competent surgeon at

comes from combining the consist-

the helm aided by a robot’s precision

ent, tireless and fast operational

could reassure them they are receiv-

pace of machines with the creativ-

ing optimal treatment throughout.

ity, empathy and quality controlling abilities of human staff. “Take the S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

robot to significant impact.” Indeed,

Costs for protracted hospital stays, the unavailability of hospital beds and

31 the overall effectiveness of treatment

the standard of care for our patients,”

are all aspects which can have a dele-

Assenmacher states. Furthermore,

terious effect on healthcare generally.

of particular relevance during inci-

Making improvements to patient care

dences of highly infectious disease

is obviously the name of the game,

such as COVID-19, robots can be

yet the benefits to robotic-optimised

deployed to perform essential tasks

surgery go beyond the operating

that would otherwise place people at

theatre and ultimately impact the

risk, such as disinfecting rooms and

entire hospital: “From my own prac-

dispensing medication. Assenmacher

tice, I’ve seen that robot-assisted

intimates that these capabilities could

surgery typically halves the length of

simply be the tip of the automation

hospital stays, reduces bleeding and

iceberg: “We certainly expect to see

blood transfusions, shrinks the risk

an evolution of nanorobots in the

of infection, lessens the requirement

bloodstream, digital pills and social

for painkillers and ultimately improves

companion robots.” he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

H O S P I TA L S

“ Ma iminto queli simendi cipitat eculpar uptalio tur?

Slaceptur aceaquami vo loreium sed quiam iqu veliquu derum oli Abore.”

— Name of Person, Position and company DA VINCI

32

Assenmacher states that he personally uses the da Vinci Surgical System when performing specialised urological procedures, although the same equipment can be used for general surgery as well as cardiac, colorectal, gynaecological, head and neck and thoracic procedures too.

The company’s website points out that a common misunderstanding of current surgical robotics is that machines carry out procedures independently of surgeons. This is incorrect: the da

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Vinci system functions as a tool or instrument by which the operator carries out the procedure using a control panel.

“The da Vinci system translates your surgeon’s hand movements at the console in real-time, bending and rotating the instruments while performing the procedure.

The tiny wristed instruments move like a human hand, but with a greater range of motion. The da Vinci vision system also delivers highly magnified, 3D high-definition views of the surgical area.”

da Vinci Robot Peeling at Grape Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake CLICK TO WATCH

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1:44

33

HOW COULD ROBOTICS CHANGE HEALTHCARE?

patient care and reduce costs in the long-term, meaning both public and private healthcare systems will benefit

COST

in terms of patient care and finances.”

Although it might seem counter-intui-

This isn’t to say that efforts won’t need

tive to spend significant sums of money

to be made in order to effect such

on robotics in healthcare with the aim of

change: the initial capital expenditure

making healthcare universally cheaper,

on equipment, ongoing maintenance

Assenmacher states that this is exactly

and training will still need to be factored

what could happen given investment,

in, as well as upgrading the robots

both in public and private healthcare

themselves, “I also believe that there

settings. “There may be short-term

will need to be dramatic reductions in

dislocations or discrepancies but I think

size and a shift from cable-driven elec-

it’s unlikely that these divergences will

tromechanical systems to more purely

remain,” he posits. “Robots can improve

digital systems.” he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

H O S P I TA L S

Further to this point, Deloitte points

innovative work, but many of these

out in ‘Taking the robot out of the

have aspects that are routine and

human: Meet the health care work-

repetitive.” It is through automating

force of the future’ that “labour is a

the latter that Deloitte believes health

major part of healthcare costs. Among

service professionals will finally be

hospitals, labour is typically the larg-

able to focus on the strictly qualitative

est line item in any hospital’s budget

aspects of business - “robots could

and accounts for almost 60% of non

make us less robotic”.

capital costs. companies also employ many people,

ACCELERATED PERFORMANCE THROUGH IMPROVED DESIGN

with a variety of jobs. Some of these

In its article ‘The era of exponential

are highly focused on complex and

improvement in healthcare?’, McKinsey

“Health plans and life sciences

34

“ [On surgeons] Their ability to function under pressure, make precise movements and many other skills can be augmented by a robot to significant impact” — Christophe Assenmacher Clinics of Europe & Intuitive Surgical S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

listed robotics and RPA as among

complex and more intuitive when used

the nine technologies most likely to

by surgeons: “Seamlessly integrating

transform the financial and opera-

robotic and laparoscopic processes

tion standards of health services by

also lowers the barriers to mastering

generating “between USD$350bn and

robot-assisted surgery. Historically,

$410bn in annual value by 2025 (out

learning robotic surgery has meant

of the $5.34trn in healthcare spend-

needing to be well-versed in all aspects

ing projected for that year.” Also, in

of robotics. When the switch between

‘How a McKinsey co-designed robot is

robotics and manual laparoscopy is

creating a better future for minimally

quick and easy, the threshold for feel-

invasive surgery’, the organisation

ing comfortable is much lower, making

found that development on a surgical

the adoption of the robotic system

robots’ instrumentation to make it less

faster.” Indeed, Assenmacher verifies that the increasing sophistication of surgical robots in conjunction with easier controls makes them a highly practical solution. “The required training time for competency on the use of a robot makes them very attractive because a talented junior surgeon can expect to reach a high degree of proficiency in just a few months,” he says.

SANITATION Perhaps one of the most important aspects of robotics-based healthcare is the reduced incidence of transmitted infection between patients and healthcare professionals. This applies not just to surgery he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

35

H O S P I TA L S

INSIGHTS

PwC’s eight highlights of how robotics and AI are transforming healthcare: •H elping people maintain a healthy lifestyle.

• Early detection capabilities.

• Enhanced diagnostics.

• I mproved healthcare decision-making.

• Better therapies and treatments.

36

•E nd of life care and the capacity for vulnerable people to remain independent for longer.

• Streamlined research.

• Advanced training.

but also to more routine procedures like dispensing pharmaceuticals and disinfecting medical devices and equipment. Assenmacher adds, “Robots have reduced the role of fomites (inanimate objects which can lead to infection) in the spread of disease while maintaining the quality of the healthcare system. These are an indispensable part of a modern healthcare system.”

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE In ‘No longer science fiction, AI and robotics are transforming healthcare’, PwC presents an interesting benefit of robotics within health services that is easy to overlook: enhanced end of life care. Enabling people to remain in their own homes for longer by automating core tasks or even being programmed with AI to ‘converse’ with patients to ease their loneliness, this application of robotics could reduce the need for hospitalisation in many instances, thus opening up availability for beds and lowering operational costs for hospitals and care facilities.

Assenmacher summarises this by stating that advanced robotics will simply lead to better yet lower-cost health services in hospitals. In fact, he claims, the effect could be of such a magnitude that it dramatically alters how average people receive healthcare. “Lower-cost healthcare enabled by advanced robotics will have a democratising effect for the entire world’s population,” he concludes. By making complex surgical procedures easier and faster, reducing the spread of infection which leads to even he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

37

H O S P I TA L S

38

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

“ There should be no question of who deserves a complex or expensive surgery.

By virtue of being a human being, we are all deserving and robotics will help us get there” — Christophe Assenmacher Clinics of Europe & Intuitive Surgical further associated costs and by liberating medical staff from repetitive tasks in order to refocus on valueadding services, applying robotics in hospitals could herald the beginning of a dramatically more affordable system of healthcare for everyone.

“There should be no question of who deserves a complex or expensive surgery. By virtue of being a human being, we are all deserving and robotics will help us get there.”

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

39

D I G I TA L H E A LT H

MOBILE APPS:­ 40

WRITTEN BY

WILL GIRLING

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

41

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

D I G I TA L H E A LT H

Exploring four different mobilebased apps, Healthcare Digital examines how they can benefit patients, medical professionals and health institutions

IN

many ways, the usage of mobile apps

within healthcare is a natural progression of both the technology and health sectors.

Combining digital innovations like smartphones, IoT networks, data analytics and cloud computing

42

with healthcare processes in dire need of streamlining has led to an abundance of convenience for patients, medical professionals and health authorities; specialised apps designed to fit seamlessly into the user’s daily digital experience have started to gain prevalence, momentum and popularity as they solve the logistical problems of their legacytech or manually-based forebears.

Healthcare Global takes a closer look at mobile apps designed by Cerner, Medic Creations (supported by BT), Navenio, and Doctorlink to find out how they’re laying the foundations for truly digital healthcare.

PERSONAL HEALTH MONITOR Mobile apps provide users with a direct and tangible link to their healthcare process; instead of merely S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

43

being a passive agent, patients can take a far more active role and understand in greater detail why certain decisions or courses of action are followed. Heather Owen, Manager and Senior Solution Leader for Cerner, says, “Cerner’s Well-being app engages individuals to understand their current health risks and opportunities while also connecting them to their care team. Through this app, people can view health data, connect wellness trackers, participate in health-related challenges, register for events, learn about health topics, he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

D I G I TA L H E A LT H

“ Cerner’s Well-being offering breaks away from the siloed approach of traditional standalone wellness apps and puts the person at the centre”

securely message health coaches and more.” All of this is built on the idea that prevention is better than curing; if a user’s individual goals can be guided and engaged with specific activities, Cerner hopes to create, maintain and improve lifestyle behaviours.

Centred on a Big Data platform capable of aggregating data from multitudinous sources, including aspects

— Heather Owen, Cerner 44

such as clinical claims, payer data and social determinants of health insights, Owen says that Cerner’s app creates a detailed longitudinal record for each user. “Intelligence runs within the platform to provide insights and suggest next steps to the individual, coach and the broader care team via the longitudinal plan,” she continues. “Analytics dashboards within our app also enable proactive management of wellness-related campaigns and metrics within and across cohorts.” Essentially, Cerner’s app integrates an extensive framework of functions and capabilities created in-house, as well as third-party and partner

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Doctorlink Rapid Video Consultation CLICK TO WATCH

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1:11

45 developers, to provide a simple, unified

Owen. With modern wellbeing compris-

experience for the user.

ing health coaching, care coordination,

Perhaps the most significant aspect

benefits administration, pharmacies

of Cerner’s app is its ability to both

and much more, this app-based method

empower the individual and incorporate

for integrating a complex ecosystem for

the collective: rather than simply be a

users is a strong model of contempo-

mobile app which a patient uses alone,

rary patient-centric care.

Cerner’s solution connects patients “Cerner’s Well-being offering breaks

ENABLING EFFICIENCY IN PATIENT ASSESSMENT

away from the siloed approach of tra-

Another application for mobile health-

ditional standalone wellness apps and

care apps can be to streamline the

puts the person at the centre, connect-

patient assessment process and

ing them and their associate data with

accelerate triaging. One such example

the broader healthcare team,” states

is Doctorlink, currently used by 12mn

with their carers in a direct manner.

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

D I G I TA L H E A LT H

H E AT H E R O W E N

Heather Owen is a Manager and Senior Solution Leader for Cerner.

Leading a team of specialists, Owen oversees the roadmapping and development of the company’s customer-facing solutions.

patients via the NHS in England. Its creator, Rupert Spiegelberg, defines 46

two principle advantages it provides: “Firstly, it enables patients to get access to their local health service 24/7. The app can then help them determine what’s wrong, how serious it is, where to go for treatment and so on, in addition to offering users the ability to book appointments and get sick notes,” he explains. “Secondly, Doctorlink can help to free up NHS capacity by 30% through reducing the number of appointments GPs need to make: sometimes 20mn fewer!”

What differentiates Doctorlink from its contemporaries is its online triage capability: a clinically-approved set of algorithms assess (based on questions) S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

what someone’s health situation or condition might be, determine the acuity of the user’s problem and then recommend a course of action, whether it be a GP or nurse appointment, pharmacy recommendation, or simply to rest. “This is one of the best ways of generating capacity in a crisis situation, such as we’ve seen with the COVID-19 pandemic,” Spiegelberg adds. “The advantage is that algorithms can be updated very quickly to identify people with specific symptoms, even if the disease is relatively new.”

IMPROVING MEDICAL STAFF’S COMMUNICATIONS Despite their crucial importance to a hospital’s operations, research by British Telecom (BT) indicates that the communications networks used by doctors and nurses have room for greater efficiency. To address this, BT supported software company Medic Creations in the development of Medic Bleep, which it likens to a “dedicated WhatsApp for doctors”. Citing a peerreviewed study in which the app was found to save nurses 21 minutes per shift and doctors 48 minutes, Medic he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

47

D I G I TA L H E A LT H

Creations believes that this kind of

Messaging at BT, commented, “Medic

efficiency could save the NHS £1.35bn

Bleep [...] can be scaled at pace across

per annum. “Frontline staff currently

the NHS to help nurses and doctors

waste much of their time standing by

to work more efficiently and securely.

the phone thanks to antiquated pager

“We are excited to be partnering with

and switchboard systems,” says Dr

Medic Creations to offer Medic Bleep

Sandeep Bansal, Founder and CEO.

as a messaging solution to our cus-

“The NHS has been using pagers since

tomers, complementing the existing

it was founded 70 years ago. I’m pas-

portfolio of BT solutions on offer to our

sionate about our healthcare system

NHS customers.”

and want to make sure it sustains itself

48

for the next 70 years. Technology is

HOSPITAL MAPPING

going to be a key part of that; health-

Following on from the pursuit of

care must evolve and embrace this

greater efficiency in hospitals, other

digital age to ensure medical professionals can continue to give the best possible care.”

The utility of this optimisation would be important at any time, but it is especially important now when COVID-19 restrictions and strains continue to pressure hospital capacity. Unlike WhatsApp or other common, non-specialised communication-based apps which doctors and nurses might use to alleviate the problem, Medic Bleep is a self-contained app which doesn’t include any distracting or unnecessary features. Describing its innovation and potential, Robert Jones, Head of S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

RUPERT SPIEGELBERG

mobile apps seek to make use of

Rupert Spiegelberg is the CEO

automation to reimagine infrastructure

at Doctorlink.

altogether. Navenio provides indoor

Earning a BA in French and Philosophy from the University of Bristol (1990-1994) and an MBA from INSEAD (1999), Spiegelberg has enjoyed a varied career, including roles at Bloomberg, Investis Inc

location solutions - the equivalent to GPS - which can power a range of apps and platforms in the healthcare sector. Niki Trigoni, Chief Technology Officer, states that Navieno is an “AI-led ‘Intelligent Workforce Solution’ which assigns tasks to hospital teams based on their location. This helps prioritise

and IDnow before joining

workloads in real-time on the basis of

Doctorlink in late 2019.

‘right person, right time, right place’.”

Critically, the app’s secure system

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

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D I G I TA L H E A LT H

NIKI TRIGONI

50

Niki Trigoni has been the CTO at Navenio since 2019. Trigoni is currently a Professor of Computer Science at Oxford University and has also been a lecturer at Birkbeck, University of London and a researcher at Cornell University.

Trigoni earned recognition as ‘CTO of the Year’ at the 2020 Women in IT Awards. Regarding this honour, she said: “Although it is intended to be a personal award, what I see under the hood is a reflection of the unbelievably talented technical team that

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

I have had the luck to work with at Navenio. They are the true culprits for the technical innovation, research and product development underpinning this award.

“This award also bears a strong symbolic meaning; it is a constant reminder for me to encourage women and other underrepresented groups into lead technical roles, and support their initiatives for transformational change in the workplace.”

“The advantage is that algorithms can be updated very quickly to identify people with specific symptoms, even if the disease is relatively new” — Rupert Spiegelberg, CEO, DoctorLink 51 uses smartphones and doesn’t require

positioning infrastructure. “Our indoor

investment in new infrastructure, some-

positioning system comprises a

thing Trigoni highlights as a significant

plethora of smartphone and cloud-

benefit. “One of the most common

based algorithms that enable

alternatives is installing beacons which

location-based services in a scalable

trigger when someone passes them.

and infrastructure-free manner. At

Unfortunately, when installing beacons

the core, we have developed robust

around a large building (such as a

signal processing and deep learn-

hospital), you’ll need hundreds, if not

ing algorithms for human and asset

thousands, to create an accurate map.”

motion tracking using inexpensive

Navenio circumnavigates this issue.

inertial sensors on smartphones and

Describing the tech which drives

IoT devices.” What is perhaps more

the app, Trigoni states that a complex

impressive is that when floorplans

network of IoT, cloud and artificial

are unavailable, Navenio’s smart

intelligence (AI) algorithms generates

algorithms can collect anonymised he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

D I G I TA L H E A LT H

52

smartphone data to gain insights

services of tomorrow. “Mobile apps

into building architecture in order to

put information and engagement at

function. It’s a powerful tool and one

your fingertips – having your health

which emphasises how mobile apps can

goals and progress right on your

solve problems which would have been

phone will keep it accessible and top

impractical with previous technology.

of mind,” Owen says. “Engagement of the individual is critical to the pro-

HOW WILL MOBILE APPS HELP SHAPE HEALTHCARE?

gress of healthy behaviors impacting

As we have seen, mobile apps for digi-

well-being goals alike.” More than

tal healthcare can have myriad uses

simply bringing further convenience for

and it’s conceivable that they have an

patients, mobile apps have the poten-

even larger part to play in the health

tial to streamline entire hospitals and

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

goals; clinical condition and holistic

“ Mobile apps can remove many of the burdens which currently slow medical teams down, but they won’t (and shouldn’t) replace medical professionals” 53

— Niki Trigoni, CTO, Navenio allow doctors and nurses to provide a

to work to their full potential. However,

consistently better service. Following

she also adds a caveat: “Covid-19 has

on from the COVID-19 crisis, which

shown health teams across the world

forced the issue of finding tech-based

that their processes need to be water-

solutions to logistical challenges, the

tight and also that the accuracy of data

health sector is now primed to explore

on patients, staff and visitors is para-

what else can be done. “Now the ice

mount,” she concludes. “Mobile apps

has been broken, more patients will

can remove many of the burdens which

likely be introduced to such systems

currently slow medical teams down,

and the benefits they bring,” states

but they won’t (and shouldn’t) replace

Spiegelberg. Trigoni agrees with this

medical professionals.”

assessment of mobile apps’ potential: they can empower doctors and nurses he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

TECHNOLOGY | IOT

54

IoT

Enabling next-gen healthcare services WRITTEN BY

WILL GIRLING

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

55

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

TECHNOLOGY | IOT

Healthcare Global considers the applications and benefits of IoT with insights from Vodafone, McKinsey, Altran, Syniverse and more

N

ow that cloud computing is enabling vast streams of information to be integrated at a single point, the rising utilisation of Internet

of Things (IoT) equipment has subsequently blossomed. Capable of gathering valuable data regarding practically any quantifiable metric using

56

cameras, sensors and other smart devices, IoT is a vital part of any digital transformation journey seeking increased efficiency, cost reduction and enhanced levels of service.

Helping Healthcare Global to understand how this highly important technology is reshaping modern health services, representatives from Vodafone, Altran, McKinsey & Co, Syniverse and other organisations spoke with us on the paradigm-shifting topic of IoT.

WHAT EFFECT HAS THE DEPLOYMENT OF IOT HAD ON‌ PATIENTS According to Jon Lee-Davey, Global IoT Healthcare Lead at Vodafone Business, IoT “has the potential to drastically improve the patient experience, providing greater freedom and offering better overall S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

57

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

TECHNOLOGY | IOT

IoT is a vital part of any digital transformation journey seeking increased efficiency, cost reduction and enhanced levels of service

access to healthcare.” Fundamentally, this benefit comes down to the advent of wearable devices which can then relay information to hospitals, medical professionals, etc. In addition to the convenience of enabling patients to live their lives normally whilst still measuring their health, Lee-Davey emphasises that moulding a patient’s treatment to their lifestyle allows them to take greater ownership of it and therefore increases its likelihood of success.

“As the technology evolves, we will

58

see greater portability of devices which means patients can be monitored from anywhere, not just their homes,” he adds. “An example of one of these developments could be adding IoT devices to clothing, which would make the experience as seamless as possible for the patient; they wouldn’t have to do anything.” The net effect, then, is comfort and convenience for a patient without mitigating their health needs. Michael Chui, Partner at McKinsey Global Institute, largely concurs with this assessment, although he clarifies that the best is yet to come: “In many ways, it is still early days in terms of achieving S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

The Internet of Things: New insights from the McKinsey Global Institute CLICK TO WATCH

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3:02

59 the full potential IoT deployment in healthcare,” he states. “Some of the most transformative potential benefits, such as proactively managing chronic conditions that account for a large percentage of the disease burden in many countries (diabetes, heart disease and chronic lung disease) have yet to be achieved.” In addition, challenges such as ‘closing the loop’, or ensuring that patients being measured remotely can adequately respond if equipment detects the need for the administration of a drug, for example, have yet to be fully resolved.

MICHAEL CHUI

Michael Chui has been a Partner at McKinsey Global Institute since 2002.

In addition to previous career experience at IBM and working for the City of Bloomington, Minneapolis, Chui holds a BSc in Symbolic Systems from Stanford University (1986-1991), an MSc in Computer Science (1991-1994) and a PhD in Computer Science & Cognitive Science (1994 - 2002) - both from Indiana University Bloomington.

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

TECHNOLOGY | IOT

DOCTORS The convenience of IoT technology isn’t just for patients: doctors, too, will benefit from the enhanced level of insight afforded to them. “IoT will allow doctors to track their patient in real-time, not just when they visit the hospital for an appointment,” says Lee-Davey. “This means that a patient can be measured in a realworld environment, which gives a much more accurate insight into their health. In turn, this leads to bet60

ter decision-making when it comes to things like adjusting medication or altering treatment, which means improved outcomes for the patient.”

Moreover, doctors’ workflows can be streamlined, granting them flexibility and a level of engagement hitherto unachievable. “As we have seen with lockdown, people have grown accustomed to digital interfaces and are more open to being treated virtually,” Lee-Davey continues. “IoT can be used to enhance things like video appointments, by providing even more context for both doctor and patient.”

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

HOSPITALS For Chui, IoT’s benefit to hospitals can be summarised succinctly: efficiency.

“In this arena, IoT has most often been used to achieve operational benefits for facilities management and asset tracking,” he explains. “It can also be used to monitor patients by sending data about a patient’s pulse and oxygen levels to central stations and into electronic health records, or even tracking the location of patients within the building - such as if a child is about to leave a pediatric area.”

However, since doctors’ will be able to treat patients at home using IoT devices such as those aforementioned, another critical advantage will be the reduced burden on hospital capacity. The precious but limited resources of hospital beds and doctors’ time will subsequently be unencumbered and remain available to those who truly need them most. “This is particularly the case with patients that suffer from chronic illnesses who have previously needed to visit the hospital on a regular basis,” says Lee-Davey. “All of this results in increased efficiencies and cost-saving for hospitals; a massive benefit.” he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

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TECHNOLOGY | IOT

J O N - L E E D AV E Y

Jon Lee-Davey is the Global IoT Healthcare Lead at Vodafone Enterprise.

Trained as an engineer with a BEng from the University of Portsmouth (1994-1999) and an EngD from Cranfield University (1999-2004), LeeDavey gained experience in the healthcare sector by working for Johnson & Johnson prior to joining Vodafone in 2011.

62

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF IOTENHANCED HEALTH SERVICES?

this possible both within the medi-

According to David Hassman, Head of

With a stable, robust and integrated

Corporate Development and Strategy

network firmly in place, hospitals can

at tech services company Syniverse,

prepare for a patient’s assessment

IoT could be the secret ingredient to

or treatment schedule before they

achieving a difficult long-term goal

have even arrived at the building. “For

for healthcare: consistent quality of

example, ambulance units equipped

service. “One of the critical challenges

with IoT devices remotely connect

faced by the healthcare industry is

doctors and first responders, enabling

the ability to consistently deliver gold

early diagnoses and implementation

standard care to patients, regardless

of treatment plans. This type of inter-

of their location. IoT devices make

vention could improve the prognosis

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

cal facility and remotely,” he states.

63

“ [IoT] has the potential to drastically improve the patient experience, providing greater freedom and offering better overall access to healthcare” — Jon Lee-Davey,

Global IoT Healthcare Lead, Vodafone Enterprise

for patients in emergency situations.”

Hassman adds that administrative functions (such as bed assignment) can be automated, whilst low-latency IoT networks increase the possibility of remote surgery as a standard practice, “leveraging expertise from the global medical community to achieve the best outcomes for patients.”

In fact, networks of sensors could be arranged so meticulously that monitoring no longer became an exhaustive concern for medical staff, even in large he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

TECHNOLOGY | IOT

64

hospitals with a challenging employee-

patients with a chronic condition that

to-patient ratio. It is this capacity

don’t want to visit a hospital because

generating quality of IoT which Naveen

of COVID-19 will be spared an uncom-

Kumar, Vice President of Technology

fortable situation via IoT-enabled

in the Research and Innovation group

healthcare, which can monitor them

at Altran, says will be the most overt

remotely and accurately in the safety

gain. “The enablement of new use

of their own home. “This also means

cases which were previously not pos-

that doses of medicine can be more

sible, such as continuous monitoring,

accurate, more effective and ultimately

treatment adherence, etc, will now be

drive greater efficiency.” Indeed, Kumar

possible. These will be based on true-

also claims that data collected and

to-life evidence to drive better patient

analysed can be accurate enough to

outcomes.” An example he gives of

preempt the worsening of symptoms

this principle in action is a recent one:

up to three days in advance.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

D AV I D H A S S M A N

David Hassman is the Head of Corporate Development and Strategy at Syniverse.

Starting with the company in 2013, his previous roles have included product management at Motorola, Vice President at Livingstone Partners and VP at BTI Systems.

HOW ARE CONCERNS RELATING TO CYBERSECURITY AND DATA INTEGRITY ADDRESSED? The rise of IoT and smart health devices has not been without its disadvantages; increased reliance on digital technology engenders a parallel rise in cyberattacks and their associated damages. “Healthcare facilities are very attractive to cybercriminals due to the sensitive and valuable nature of patient data,” says Hassman. “In addition, hospitals form part of a country’s critical infrastructure and disruptions caused by cyberattacks can have devastating consequences. Apart from intentional attacks by cybercriminals, accidental data exposure can also be damaging, both in terms of patient privacy and the reputation of the facility.”

Therefore, a comprehensive risk management framework encompassing technical consideration, people and processes needs to be developed.

Kumar references Altran’s contribution (one of 26 consortium partners) to the S3P platform - smart, safe and secure - as an example of end-to-end protection for data streams generated by multiple sources. Collaborative he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

65

TECHNOLOGY | IOT

projects like this will be useful in accelerating solutions to the ongoing threat of cyberattacks. Running IoT devices on private networks which are kept separate from the public internet can also be beneficial as each asset will require individual authentication, thus stemming the spread at isolated points should the equipment become compromised.

Although a complicated issue, it does appear that healthcare providers are aware of the need to protect their IoT networks. Hassman states that, accord66

ing to Syniverse’s research, “almost two-thirds of healthcare providers cited protection against data theft and financial loss as the top priority for their IoT security strategy.” Nonetheless, whilst many are prepared to face an attack from the outside, fewer hospitals might consider human error as a cybersecurity weak point, although it is far more likely. “Healthcare providers should be mindful of the cyber literacy of their staff as a simple mistake could put the entire network at risk,” he continues. “In addition to implementing a secure network, education should be a core part of the security strategy to keep patient data safe.”

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

N AV E E N K U M A R

Naveen Kumar is the Vice President of Technology in the Research and Innovation group at Altran.

Naveen leads the ‘Future of Healthcare’ program, focussing on Digital Operations, Clinical Studies, Personalised Medicine and AI in life sciences. Naveen’s team is helping to improve the patient journey by applying the latest digital technologies including cloud, containers, microservices and IoT.

WHICH IOT-COMPLEMENTARY TECHNOLOGIES WILL FACILITATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF HEALTHCARE?

AI can then be used to provide input

As previously stated by Chui, the

“The lower latency provided by 5G

healthcare sector may have barely

(estimated to conceivably exceed the

realised the scope of what an opti-

fastest 4G by 20 times) can enable

mised IoT network could achieve.

hospitals to use robotics for diagnosis

When considering what might pair

or surgical procedures, which can

with it drive the industry’s future, both

have great benefits to more effi-

Chui and Lee-Davey cite artificial

cient use of clinical expertise,” adds

intelligence (AI) and 5G as augmenta-

Lee-Davey.

with low error rates. Analytics and into clinical decisions,” says Chui.

tions which could yield a significantly

For Ana Maria Giménez, Partners’

improved service. “Electronic health

Solutions Sales Director at network

records are being combined with IoT

specialist Sigfox, enhanced IoT could

to enable seamless data collection

revolutionise the diagnostics of

Running IoT devices on private networks which are kept separate from the public internet can also be beneficial as each asset will require individual authentication he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

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TECHNOLOGY | IOT

68

illnesses by coordinating atmospheric conditions with a patient’s symptoms: “IoT could enable the low-cost capture of much more data from both patients and their environment (air quality, temperature, humidity, etc.) to correlate specific health problems with other elements that could not be measured before.” Antonio Espingardeiro, a member of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and software expert, takes this one S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

“ It is still early days in terms of achieving the full potential benefits of deploying IoT in healthcare” — Michael Chui, Partner, McKinsey Institute

69

step further by envisioning healthcare

in the health services’ future, it is an

wherein IoT sensors are no longer

interesting vista onto the possibili-

external by dispersed within the body:

ties being opened by IoT. With data

“They would be able to track everything

harvested from unique locations and

from glucose to oxygen to tempera-

analysed using state-of-the-art AI

ture. With the broader adoption of IoT

and ML software, clinicians and doc-

devices, daily health measurements

tors will be able to identify emerging

will generate vast amounts of biometric

health patterns faster and with greater

readings and, naturally, we will require

accuracy. The results can then be

more advanced machine learning (ML)

presented to the patient and reviewed

algorithms to make sense of this data.�

regularly, allowing for truly comprehen-

Although this concept might still lie

sive healthcare cover. he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

S U P P LY C H A I N & S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

Reorganising pharmaceutical supply chains post-COVID-19 WRITTEN BY

70

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

WILL GIRLING

71

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S U P P LY C H A I N & S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

The COVID-19 pandemic served as a wake-up call to the industry’s supply chains, but what lessons should be learned and what is the roadmap forward?

Perhaps one of the most notable revelations of the COVID-19 pandemic was the hard reality that supply chains were fragile, easily disrupted and difficult to 72

adjust within the time-conscious environment they operate in. Providing adequate supplies of pharmaceuticals has taken on accelerated precedence in order to satisfy demand, not just domestically but also internationally to countries without the facilities to manufacture certain drugs in sufficient quantities.

As other sectors adjust to operating in the ‘new normal’, pharmaceutical companies will be no different in examining ways that individuals, authorities and the industry as a whole can help to transform its supply chains for a new era.

Despite some room for optimism that current supply chains can simply be augmented to function in a new operational era, there are those who consider that the fundamental relationship between pharmaceutical companies, laboratories and the market needs to be redefined. PwC S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

73

states in ‘Pharma 2020: Supplying the future’ that far from simply needing ‘quick-fixes’, the industries’ supply chains are “complex, under-utilised, inefficient and ill-equipped to cope with the sort of products coming down the pipeline.” Although written before the COVID-19 pandemic took place, PwC’s observations are no less applicable: products have shorter lifecycles, there is an increased emphasis on outcomes, stricter environmental controls and the value of patient data is growing. he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

S U P P LY C H A I N & S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

P WC ’S SEVEN FO RCES

PwC’s seven forces governing the need for a reimagined pharmaceutical supply chain:

• I nnovative modes of delivery based on demand and available to a wider network.

•N ew products involving complex manufacturing and distribution processes.

•T he growing significance of emerging markets bolstering supply chains and integrating diversity.

•P hased product launches and the ability to scale business quickly.

•A focus on outcomes centred on granular cost control at each stage of development.

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S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

• I ncreased regulation resulting from public scrutiny and the desire for transparency.

•P ressure to balance eco-sustainability and the availability of products to meet demand.

The Role of the Pharmacists During COVID-19 CLICK TO WATCH

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55:33

75 In its article ‘Pharma operations: The path to recovery and the next normal’, McKinsey notes that at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, contrary to the industry’s historically slow reaction to market changes, the pharmaceutical sector proved itself to be not only responsive but proactive, with many subsequently

“ The fundamental relationship between pharmaceutical companies, laboratories and the market needs to be redefined”

taking the step of establishing special units to bring about supply stability.

“Given the shifts that have taken place seemingly overnight in response to the immediate crisis, companies are also turning their attention to recovery and the path to the next normal,” it says. he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

S U P P LY C H A I N & S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

“ As the pandemic has reinforced, supply chains can be at significant risk when there is over-reliance on a location that may be vulnerable to disruption” — McKinsey

Costing paradigms have also made certain weaknesses more apparent: 76

“As the pandemic has reinforced, supply chains can be at significant risk when there is over-reliance on a location that may be vulnerable to disruption. Shifting production locations so that production is closer to end markets or in lower-risk countries that are less subject to disruption are now routine considerations in risk mitigation.” Consequently, the sector has realised that no long-term solution can be brokered by companies acting in isolation; a coordinated effort combining collaboration with regulators and new technology will help to overcome barriers not only to recovery but to rejuvenation.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

McKinsey

Technological development will also be a key stepping stone, opines McKinsey, because the nature of pharmaceutical supply chains has fundamentally altered; they are “becoming more patient-centric due to the increased adoption of digital tools, telehealth and app-based ecosystems.� Digital tools such as blockchain and digital twin have the net benefit of increasing transparency and boost a company’s ability to accurately forecast demand by assessing contingency situations in a controlled environment in preparation for the actual event. he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

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S U P P LY C H A I N & S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

“ It is critical that companies activate sophisticated analytics and scenario modelling to fully understand their supply chains” — BCG

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S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

BCG concurs with this position in ‘Critical Priorities for Pharma and Medtech in Response to COVID-19’: companies must build on their initial success at handling disruption by introducing more technologically-based processes. “While many pharma and medtech supply chains have been able to largely meet demand, it is critical that companies activate sophisticated analytics and scenario modelling to fully understand their supply chains and identify the top products facing potential supply issues,” says the article. This can be achieved by focused investment on artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) data analytics software to underpin a manufacturing network strategy.

As such, companies will gain a more fully-rounded perspective on inventory levels, be able to ramp up production at alternative sources to keep the supply flowing and grant themselves a longer timeline in which to find additional producers of critical materials and gain regulatory approvals.

The Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA), observing how demand could he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

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S U P P LY C H A I N & S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

C GPA’S REPO RT

CGPA’s report - ‘Blueprint for a sustainable supply of prescription medicines for Canadians’ - outlined several measures that the organisation identified as essential to bolstering sustainable supply chains in the country.

Taken generally, however, they represent broadly applicable measures which other national sectors and individual agents can use as a guide: 80

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

• Strengthen and improve the pharmaceutical industry through investment in new infrastructure, convergence with regulatory alignment, sustainable pricing and developing new markets.

• S eek to improve domestic standing in the international pharmaceutical market.

• Identify medicines that are frequently in high demand and create a stockpile for future crises.

easily have outstripped the supply of essential medications were it not for exemplary real-time decision-making, compiled a new report outlining how it would ensure Canadians had access to a sustainable resource of generic medicines. The measures suggested include the further development of R&D facilities for drug manufactur-

“ The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a wake-up call for governments, health-care professionals and the broader public” — Jim Keon, President, CGPA

ing, increasing warehouse capacity and maintaining sufficient domestic quantities of essential pharmaceutical ingredients. The pandemic, therefore, 81

has helped the CGPA and many other pharmaceutical organisations accelerate reform in areas which were already flawed. Perhaps the silver-lining of the disruption has been the rallying effect on the industry to combat supply chain weaknesses which seemed unurgent prior to this global test. “The resilience of Canada’s generic pharmaceutical industry has been tested,” said Jim Keon, President of CGPA, in a press release. “The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a wake-up call for governments, health-care professionals and the broader public on the importance of having a robust and resilient domestic pharmaceutical industry.” he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

T O P 10

82

Healthcare Brands WRITTEN BY

WILL GIRLING

Ordered by market cap in USD, Healthcare Global counts down 10 of the top healthcare brands in the world (based on Investopedia’s list)

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T O P 10 | H E A LT H C A R E B R A N D S

Healthcare brands — innovation, collaboration and community

H

ealthcare is a topic of unwavering impor-

tance and relevance to our daily lives, but no recent global event has made us so acutely

aware of it as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

The unprecedented state of emergency has put 84

government administrations, scientific and research staff, healthcare companies and professionals through one of the greatest logistical challenges of the 21st century, yet lockdown measures are beginning to be eased through a combination of innovation, collaboration and community.

It is with these three qualities in mind that Healthcare Global explores 10 outstanding healthcare brands currently operating today.

ABOUT HEALTHCARE GLOBAL’S TOP 10 PICKS… Using Investopedia’s list as a basis, we have compiled our Top 10 healthcare brands according to their market capitalisation to highlight each brand’s net worth. In addition to highlighting the general success and history of each company, close attention was paid to their emphasis on community, the S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

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T O P 10 | H E A LT H C A R E B R A N D S

welfare of individuals and a continual

‘new normal’ of economic and social

spirit of innovation. From pharmaceuti-

activities will continue.

cals to clinic management and benefits administration, these companies offer

“We greatly value the U.S. govern-

superlative services in ways which aim

ment’s confidence and support for

to mitigate costs for the consumer and

our R&D efforts. Johnson & Johnson’s

build trust with providers.

global team of experts has ramped up our research and development

86

EXECUTIVE TAKES ON COVID-19

processes to unprecedented levels,

The COVID-19 pandemic has been one

and our teams are working tirelessly

of the most taxing healthcare chal-

alongside BARDA, scientific partners,

lenges of recent times, with experts

and global health authorities. We are

not only searching for a potential vac-

very pleased to have identified a lead

cine but also guiding policy on how the

vaccine candidate from the constructs

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What healthcare will look like in 2020 | Stephen Klasko | TEDxPhiladelphia CLICK TO WATCH

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20:28

87 we have been working on since Janu-

return to the workplace, employers

ary. We are moving on an accelerated

need clear guidelines to ensure a safe

timeline toward Phase 1 human clinical

environment and a robust process for

trials at the latest by September 2020

employees to screen themselves for

and, supported by the global produc-

COVID-19 symptoms.

tion capability that we are scaling up

“We are pleased to collaborate with

in parallel to this testing, we expect a

Microsoft to launch ProtectWell™, a

vaccine could be ready for emergency

simple and effective tool to ensure

use in early 2021.”

employers and employees have the

— From Johnson & Johnson; Paul Stoffels, MD, Chief Scientific Officer

information and resources they need to keep themselves, their colleagues and the public safe and healthy.”

[Regarding the launch of UnitedHealth Group’s ProtectWell app]

— From UnitedHealth Global; Ken Ehlert, Chief Scientific Officer

“As we plan for a safe and careful he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

T O P 10 | H E A LT H C A R E B R A N D S

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“Our most complex and pressing healthcare challenges require solutions that are as multi-faceted as the issues themselves. At the AmerisourceBergen Foundation, we believe philanthropic organisations play a critical role in addressing global health emergencies at a local level, which is why we have partnered with like-minded nonprofits to share resources and positively impact communities across the globe during this unprecedented time.

“Working hand-in-hand with organisations embedded in our communities will ultimately allow us to act quickly by expanding access to quality care and implementing targeted programs that will lead to change and sustained impact.”

— From Amerisource Bergen; Gina Clark, President of the AmerisourceBergen Foundation

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T O P 10

1971 YEAR FOUNDED

CEO

MIKE KAUFMANN

90

10

Cardinal Health Inc. $12bn

Starting the list strong, Cardinal Health (CH) boasts 50,000 employees across 46 countries and is a top 25 Fortune 500 company.

Officially headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, the company has built an impressive reputation for delivering healthcare services and products, designing hospital-ready solutions, providing clinical laboratories and more. With significant experience in logistics, products, business and patient solutions, CH is a true expert in its field and constantly seeks out new challenges, determines industry trends and emphasises quality at every stage of its operations.

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09

AmerisourceBergen Corp. $15.2bn

Formed from a merger which saw Bergen Brunswig and AmeriSource become one entity, AmerisourceBergen has pioneered a system of drug distribution and associated services which aims to reduce costs and improve the customer experience.

Moreover, the company is dedicated to improving product access, developing the efficiency of its supply chains and enhancing patient care by investing in the infrastructure, technology and partnerships which make it happen.

On the company website, Steven Collis, CEO, states that, “Together with our associates, I’m proud to be embedded in our industry-wide work of helping improve the way we all experience healthcare.”

2001 YEAR FOUNDED

CEO

STEVEN COLLIS

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Know Your Patient Automated identity verification powered by AI.

Streamline patient registration

Prevent medical identity theft

jumio.com

Verify patient identity

T O P 10

1835 YEAR FOUNDED

Founder BRIAN S. TYLER

08

93

McKesson Corp. $18.7bn

Taking a holistic approach to healthcare, McKesson prides itself on its ability to improve services and products end-to-end, leaving no stone unturned in its quest to deliver better outcomes for patients.

A highly influential and successful legacy brand founded in the early 19th century, it is the seventh-largest company currently operating in the US today. Despite its roots in the past, McKesson’s status as an innovator has been established historically through its early adoption of bar-code scanning, pharmacy-based robotic automation and use of RFID tags to enhance logistics and distribution. In the last 10 years, it has made several notable acquisitions, including US Oncology and Celesio.

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T O P 10

1984 YEAR FOUNDED

CEO

MICHAEL NEIDORFF

94

07

Centene Corp. $26.7bn

Primarily comprised of its healthcare lines Medicaid, ACA Health Insurance, Medicare and Tricase, the Missouri-based Centene offers a wide range of products and services, recognising both the uniqueness of individuals and the value of communities. Keen to differentiate itself from other companies in the sector, Centene is dedicated not just to healthcare but also sustainability initiatives, charitable causes and community outreach schemes. “Our local approach enables us to provide accessible, high-quality, culturally sensitive services to more than 23 million members in all 50 states,� said Michael Neidorff, Chairman, President and CEO.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

06

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. $38.6bn

Formed in 2014 following Walgreen’s purchase of the remaining 55% of Alliance Boots (at a cost of $4.9bn), the resulting company has become one of the most successful leaders in retail and wholesale pharmaceuticals in the world. WBA (or its predecessor) has even been included in Fortune’s list of the ‘World’s Most Admired Companies’ for 27 consecutive years.

Proactively seeking the best ways to help the public throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, WBA joined the Government, Disease Control and Prevention and Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services in an initiative to expand testing for coronavirus.

2014 YEAR FOUNDED

CEO

STEFANO PESSINA

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T O P 10

05

Anthem Inc. $44.1bn

A leading provider of health benefits, Anthem strives to make exceptional healthcare accessible and simple. With an impressive customer base of 108 million people and roughly one in eight American receiving care through the company or its affiliations, Anthem is able to offer a diverse spread of products and services.

Conscious of its importance during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gail K. Boudreaux, President and CEO, said, “Guided by our mission and values, Anthem is engaging across the country and in our local communities to support our members, customers and partners with relief and care during this challenging time.� Support provided includes a $50mn pledge from the Anthem Foundation and matching associate contributions to select charities by 200%.

2004 YEAR FOUNDED

CEO

GAIL K. BOUDREAUX

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T O P 10

1982 YEAR FOUNDED

CEO

DAVID CORDANI

98

04

Cigna Corp. $48.4bn

Placing an emphasis on 24/7 care, Cigna seeks to distinguish itself as more than a health insurance company; it is a valuable resource for customers to draw a wealth of benefits from their physical and mental wellbeing. Previously honoured by Gartner with a ‘1to1 Customer Experience Excellence Award’ for its superlative service strategy and delivery, Cigna continues to maintain a high standard and emphasise the importance of community in its operations.

Acquiring pharmaceutical company Express Scripts in late 2018 for $67bn, Cigna continues to find new ways of bolstering its acclaimed brand and deliver better outcomes for patients.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

03

CVS Health Corp. $69.2bn

Possessing a diverse suite of assets, including walk-in clinics, cost management, HealthHUBs, care management, retail pharmacies, benefits administration and more, CVS Health is able to offer patients a truly all-encompassing range of healthcare services.

Starting out as a small business which managed retailers’ lines of health and beauty products, the company gained momentum by first including pharmacies and then joining the Melville Corporation. After accruing notable success in the proceeding years, CVS broke away from Melville in 1996 to operate independently again. The business now serves almost 10,000 locations and employs over 300,000 people.

1963 YEAR FOUNDED

CEO

LARRY J. MERLO

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

99

YEARS

30

IN HEALTHCARE

Our legacy as an OEM: Designed and Engineered Class I, II and III medical devices including SaMD (Software as Medical Device) Manufactured, sold and serviced 200,000+ medical devices across three continents Digital health solution expertise across – telehealth, chronic care management and clinical decision support areas Knowledge of the latest regulatory requirements like HIPAA, FDA, MDR, other country specific regulations

‌enables us to create the next frontier of healthcare Solve complex health problems using technologies like AI/ML, Digital Twins and Predictive Analytics Ensure patient safety and minimize risks of denial of service, therapy manipulation and patient data theft from Cyber Attacks on medical devices Bring Digital Front Door solutions to life by stitching together solutions and platforms for connecting patients, providers, pharmacies and insurers Stay on course with the latest interoperability requirements for patient access to health data anytime and anywhere

LEARN MORE

L&T TECHNOLOGY SERVICES HELPING ITS CUSTOMERS TO STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE

L&T’S TECHNOLOGY & IT SERVICES BUSINESS

65,000+ Employees

+

$3B+ Annual Revenue

T O P 10

UnitedHealth Group Inc. $184.8bn Currently ranked as the largest healthcare company in the world by revenue ($242.2bn), although second-place by market cap, UnitedHealth is truly a modern success story in business.

Committed to improving the healthcare quality of communities and 102

the lives of people within them, UnitedHealth is on a mission to create a thoroughly innovative, modern and successful health system. It does this by reducing costs to the consumer, fostering relationships between patients and their carers, utilising data to distinguish optimal care quality and promoting better daily health habits generally.

1977 YEAR FOUNDED

CEO

DAVID S. WICHMANN

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J&J is a take-care-of-youyour-whole-life company CLICK TO WATCH

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1886 YEAR FOUNDED

Johnson & Johnson $293bn

CEO

ALEX GORSKY

The largest company by market cap and the second-oldest on this list, J&J’s goal to improve the health of the world has remained unchanged for 134 years.

With 250 subsidiaries in 60 countries and servicing 175 via more than 130,000 employees, the company’s well-known brands include Band-Aids, Tylenol, Neutrogena and, of course, Johnson’s Baby products. A company which truly values innovation, J&J actively assists promising individuals and businesses in fulfilling their ambitions. It does this through close collaboration, resource sharing and expert guidance. “We aim to build value-creating partnerships with biotech, med tech, and health tech startups, entrepreneurs, academics and other partners around the world to change the trajectory of human health,” said William Hait, MD, Global Head at J&J Innovations.

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106

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

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HEALTHCARE TECH TO NAVIGATE THE NEW NORMAL WRITTEN BY

JONATHAN CAMPION PRODUCED BY

CAITLYN COLE

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

L&T TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

Jyotirmay Datta (JD), EVP & Business Head at LTTS, tells us about his company’s place in the new, post-Covid medical industry

T 108

he Covid-19 pandemic has brought about a paradigm shift in the healthcare industry. All players, from medical device

manufacturers to healthcare providers to medical practitioners, have been forced to rethink the very fundamentals of how their work is performed. In a wide-ranging interview, Jyotirmay Datta (JD), EVP and Business Head at LTTS, speaks about the ways that his organization can play an important role in the positive changes that healthcare businesses are enacting, to prepare the medical industry for the post-Covid world.

GETTING THE PRODUCT MIX RIGHT FOR THE POST-COVID WORLD JD explains that due to postponement of elective procedures, much lower visits to Outpatients departments and low utilization of ER, every part of the Healthcare industry is disrupted by COVID19.

However, the level of disruption is different for SUMMER/AUTUMMN 2020

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Listen to the Podcast here

L&T TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

“ We have a role in the life-cycle of each product, from its design to the time it is introduced to the market” 112

— Jyotirmay Datta, EVP & Business Head, Healthcare Industry Vertical, L&T Technology Services Ltd (LTTS)

SUMMER/AUTUMMN 2020

different players. One consequence is that hospitals are reducing their spend on medical equipment to conserve cash while significantly increase allocation of funds to upgrade their telehealth capabilities. This is affecting all device OEMs to varying degrees depending on their product mix, but all of them are trying to reduce their expenditure in the short term. This is where LTTS comes in: to help organizations to adapt their product mix to suit hospitals’ new requirements, and to do so in a cost-effective way. He pinpoints accelerating R&D, particularly

A Day With L&T Technology Services CLICK TO WATCH

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1:47

113

fight against Covid-19, as a key space

WORKING TOGETHER TO STREAMLINE DIAGNOSTICS

for LTTS to grow in, as well as sup-

One of the biggest demands on the

porting their manufacturing and supply

medical industry in recent months has

chains, and supporting the producers

been to improve the speed of diagnosis,

with regulatory approvals.

while not compromising on the accu-

for the products in demand for the

“The top medical device companies

racy of tests. JD is confident that the

all reflect a very similar sentiment,”

healthcare industry can accomplish

says JD. “When we look at the pharma

this - and is certain that LTTS can help.

and health insurance companies, there

He mentions that effective diagnos-

have been very little impact on them.

tics requires effective collaboration

So, they are continuing to perform

between OEMs, clinical trials organiza-

well, revenues are growing and bottom

tions, regulatory agencies and different

lines are still very healthy”.

healthcare bodies. With wide-ranging he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

L&T TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

Telehealth Product Transformation for a leading OEM CLICK TO WATCH

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2:12

114

experience in diagnostics and regula-

the testing and the validation process

tory affairs, LTTS is well placed to

for some of this equipment that is being

expedite testing and validation of the

tested by the OEMs. We also are helping

new solutions that are tabled, can offer

with the manufacturing capacity as well.

services for regulatory submissions,

We have a role in the life-cycle of each

and can help to enhance their manufac-

product, from its design to the time it is

turing capacity.

introduced to the market.”

“The OEMs, clinical trials organizabodies, healthcare bodies - to make

IMPROVED REMOTE CARE THE SILVER LINING

sure that R&D happens in a very efficient

Another key area for LTTS is remote

manner they all have to coordinate and

patient care. This issue is even more

collaborate very well,” continues JD. “In

essential considering the challenges

the near term, LTTS is helping expedite

posed by Covid-19. JD feels that here,

tions, regulatory agencies, government

SUMMER/AUTUMMN 2020

too, LTTS has a role to play in supporting healthcare providers.

“Now, as a result of Covid-19, regulations have been eased by CDC and

“If there is one positive outcome of this

HHS for more than 80 telehealth-based

life-changing event, it is the massively

procedures. CMS has approved them

increased adoption of telehealth and

for Medicare, and other insurance

remote care solutions,” he says. “If we

companies have agreed for reimburse-

were to rewind the last six months, some

ments. As a result, providers have rolled

of the major issues standing in the way

them out in greater numbers. Patients

of greater adoption of telehealth were

have adopted them like never before:

regulatory approvals for most of the

in some of the larger health systems,

procedures, insurance reimbursements

telehealth transactions have gone from

for telehealth-based treatments, and

a few thousand per month to tens of

security concerns.

thousands per week.”

115

E X E C U T I V E P R O FILE :

Jyotirmay Datta Title: EVP and CBO

Company: L&T Technology Services

Industry: Healthcare Jyotirmay Datta (JD) is the EVP and CBO - Healthcare at L&T Technology Services and heads the Medical Devices Business with P&L responsibility for LTTS’ businesses across Med-Tech, Lifesciences and Healthcare customers. With 30 years of experience in the Technology and Healthcare industries, JD specialize in shaping, nurturing and leading businesses that serve the needs of Med-Tech & Lifesciences companies and Healthcare providers in improving access, efficacy and outcome of Connected Care across the care pathway. he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

L&T TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTION: A PROBLEM OR AN OPPORTUNITY? One challenge to the healthcare industry that is still causing anxiety amongst its stakeholders is disruptions to the supply chain. LTTS is one of the companies that is helping medical device manufacturers to relocate their manufacturing plants, adding new manufacturing lines, and enabling higher operational efficiency to ensure supply of critical medical equipment to the healthcare providers is continued.

116

“I n some of the larger health systems, telehealth transactions have gone from a few thousand per month to tens of thousands per week” — Jyotirmay Datta, EVP & Business Head, Healthcare Industry Vertical, L&T Technology Services Ltd (LTTS)

Finding alternative sites and adapting to a new supply chain is complex: medtech manufacturing locations, JD explains, are spread across the USA, Europe and Asia. As per JD, Medtech companies are seriously evaluating their strategy for expansion in South

for the company’s iBEMS platform,

Asia including India. This is offering

an innovative, cloud-based building

opportunities for LTTS.

experience management system of systems that allows individual systems

THE IBEMS PLATFORM: THE SHIELD TO KEEP PATIENTS AND HEALTHCARE STAFF SAFE

to each other. This solution can also

JD also sees an opportunity for LTTS

spaces healthy for air quality, social

to make hospitals a more harmoni-

distancing and temperature monitor-

ous place in the post-Covid world. He

ing. JD paints the picture of a hospital

explains that it is the perfect moment

experience that is entirely touchless.

SUMMER/AUTUMMN 2020

in the hospital to intelligently connect now upgraded to keep the hospital

117

“Let’s try to visualize how this may

in the pathological and imaging labs,

play out,” says JD. “A patient enters

information can be communicated

the hospital and is greeted by a robot.

via gestures. Technologies that guide

A thermal detection is done; their face

the patient without requiring any con-

image is captured, their symptoms are

tact have become so important for

entered using IT, and then the patient

making sure the environment is safe

is directed by the wayfinder to the

and healthy.”

relevant medical officer. Medications are then ordered online and delivered to the patient’s home. Touch screens can be replaced by voices; he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

118

AltaMed’s digital healthcare transformation S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

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WRITTEN BY

LEILA HAWKINS PRODUCED BY

GLEN WHITE

h e a l t h c a r e gl o b a l . c o m

A LTA M E D H E A LT H S E R V I C E S

Raymond Lowe, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at AltaMed Health Services, discusses clinical system transformation and remote working

N 120

on-profit healthcare company AltaMed Health Services was founded as the East Los Angeles Barrio Free Clinic in

1969, with a mission to provide healthcare to the underserved Latino and multi-ethnic population of east Los Angeles. There was a lack of healthcare available in this area and today they’re one of the largest community health centres in the country, serving nearly 300,000 patients with more than 1,000,000 visits a year.

AltaMed serves everyone and anyone independent of their ability to pay or their immigration status. “We welcome everyone at AltaMed and we are here to help them with primary care and their health concerns, providing quality care without exception” Lowe says. “At our core is social justice.”

Lowe joined AltaMed in January 2018. The company had been going through a decade of “explosive growth”, with the number of patients they serve having increased tenfold.

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A LTA M E D H E A LT H S E R V I C E S

“ Through our digital transformation, our patients will have access to healthcare through mobile devices, when and how they want it” — Raymond Lowe, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, AltaMed Health Services 122

He launched its digital transformational journey with a focus on healthcare’s quadruple aim: improving quality, improving patient experience, improving provider satisfaction, and lowering costs. In order to do this Lowe set about developing a comprehensive plan that was rapid, agile and included input from business stakeholders in clinical and financial operation areas. “A DevOps initiative or technology without operational buy-in will likely not deliver the right outcomes,” Lowe says. “I always keep in mind what the corresponding workflow is and what the KPIs are that we need to meet for the organization, thinking not just in terms of technology, but from an operational perspective.

“Digital transformation is not easy,” he adds. “Aligning the organization requires flawless delivery of operations.

Good IT requires detailed planning and strong operations to ensure the organization will be successful. Ultimately, I think IT needs to run like magic.”

The last two years have certainly produced many benefits. AltaMed has hardened core services, particularly uptime and critical services,

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

AltaMed Health Services CLICK TO WATCH

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1:00

123 implementing cyber solutions to

make our data centre to UTI tier III,

address threats that arise with

and we’ve added 350 new virtual

increased remote working and tel-

machines and 33 hosts in the last

ehealth solutions. The company has

two years within the VMware envi-

further been able to extend meeting

ronment,” Lowe explains.

services so remote workers can col-

To upgrade its network and cyber-

laborate seamlessly regardless of

security AltaMed has relied heavily

location and the number of attend-

upon its partners. Lowe explains that

ees. As well as managing televisits

there was technical debt when he

and increased traffic to their patient

first joined, and he needed to bring

portal, they’ve deployed the Epic

the corporation to an enterprise class.

electronic medical record system, a

“Fortunately I have a good partner

new managed care software solution.

network with Cisco and Presidio,

Virtualization has also been a key element. “We’ve been able to

having worked with them previously at Dignity Health, and Red8 is an h e a l t h c a r e gl o b a l . c o m

A LTA M E D H E A LT H S E R V I C E S

124

existing partner at AltaMed. We

cybersecurity. My entire digital, video

did a baseline gap analysis to plan

and telehealth strategy is built upon

how to correct the environment so

this framework and we are able to

we could be at an enterprise level.

work fast - taking the time to lay the

This involved collaborative working

proper foundation allows you to move

both with my technology team and

fast and perform transformation at

my partners, and through that we

the speed of light. We also entered

developed a remote multi-phase

into enterprise licensing agreements

programme. Ironically, most of it was

in the Collaboration (Webex) and

actually completed prior to COVID-19.

Cisco’s Security Umbrella.”

“The partnership with Cisco and

A partnership with NetApp and

Presidio allowed AltaMed to trans-

Red8 allowed AltaMed to simplify data

form the network, switch route,

management and non-disruptively

hyper converged infrastructure and

scale capacity, while cost-effectively

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

supporting its general-purpose business applications. Red8 also worked with Lowe’s team consolidating fragmented infrastructure, allowing it to stabilize and grow the core of its managed care business. They also assisted in overall design and deployment of data protection, retention, and encryption.

“Partners really help to shorten the time to market. No organization has all the talent that’s necessary, and great organizations are built on great opportunity. I’ve been very fortunate to have a very strong partner network that has been an extension of my team.” Lowe says.

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Raymond Lowe Title: Senior Vice President / Chief Information Officer Company: AltaMed Health Services Industry: Healthcare Location: Los Angeles, USA Ray Lowe serves as the Senior Vice President / Chief Information Officer of AltaMed Health Services. Ray started at AltaMed Health Services in January of 2018. Ray currently resides in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

The COVID-19 outbreak has substantially changed the way the company works. In keeping with social distancing guidelines, AltaMed has expanded video and telephonic appointment it opened nine outdoor testing sites including in some places where there was no power or network services. “We had to figure out how to deploy corporate wireless out into a parking lot to support a clinic,” Lowe explains. “From an application and DevOps perspective, in days h e a l t h c a r e gl o b a l . c o m

125

CLOUD FIRST PARTNER

ACCELERATING HEALTHCARE’S DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Automate the routine, focus on health Today’s modern IT organization is being asked to do more than ever before in an IT enviroment that is more complex than ever before. Red8, alongside NetApp, is dedicated to solving these critical technology challenges through modern infrastructure solutions. Delivering flexible and scalable cloud, cybersecurity, devops, advanced analytics and data center solutions; transformation starts here.

Start your digital transformation today by partnering with Red8 and NetApp.

NETAPP AND RED8: POWERING ALTAMED’S TRANSFORMATION NetApp’s Dave Nesvisky and Red8’s Eric Sarraf, Luke Lederman and Brandon Kaier discuss their partnership with AltaMed and the services they provide.

Red 8 and NetApp have played a crucial part in non-profit healthcare company AltaMed Health Services transformation.

Red8 is a system integrator and consulting firm, specialising in areas such as data centres, cybersecurity, DevOps and operations. For more than 20 years, it has helped customers streamline operations and roll out new technologies.

NetApp is a specialist in data management and storage, dedicated to helping customers solve their data challengers whether on-premise, in the cloud or hybrid. It serves organisations of every size in the context of healthcare, from community access hospitals to national health systems.

Working together with AltaMed and its CIO Raymond Lowe, the two companies have helped to simplify data management and scale capacity in a nondisruptive manner, while cost-effectively supporting AltaMed’s general-purpose business applications.

“Our relationship with AltaMed started around eight years ago,” says Eric Sarraf, Senior Account Executive at Red8. “We deployed their very first data storage systems, and since then we have rolled out a number of NetApp systems. Once Ray joined the organisation, we were really able to expand our services.”

Accordingly, Red8 has worked to consolidate fragmented infrastructure, allowing AltaMed to stabilise and grow the core of their managed care business. They also assisted in overall design and deployment of data protection, retention, and encryption systems.

NetApp, meanwhile, provides the crucial data management and storage infrastructure, as Dave Nesvisky, Executive Director - Healthcare, explains: “As the relationship has matured and as the use cases have expanded, AltaMed has enjoyed the benefit and the simplicity of being able to manage all of their data using a common interface - instead of having islands of information and a large portfolio of disparate

NetApp & Red8

products. It takes risk out of the equation, and ultimately also saves considerable training costs in different technologies and platforms.”

The work they’ve done together has had the effect of streamlining operations, and freed up employees to spend less time managing the day-to-day.

“Before, several people were dedicated to just infrastructure,” says Red8’sSenior Systems Engineer, Luke Lederman. Today, they’re in a position where not only can they spend less time managing it, but also where they can scale much more easily as the business grows.”

According to Red8 Field CTO Brandon Kaier, It’s a relationship born of a keen understanding of the ways technology is transforming the industry. “Digital transformation for organisations is, at the end of the day, pretty simple. It’s gaining unrealised value out of a physical asset through the use of technology. Why the partnership with NetApp and AltaMed is so important is the rise of cloud and cloud applications. Everybody, not just born-digital companies, is trying to figure out how they can accelerate their application development.”

The partnership, then, has brought reliable, scalable benefits to the mission critical healthcare environment in which AltaMed operates, doing more with data and freeing up its employees’ time.

Red8.com/Healthcare

A LTA M E D H E A LT H S E R V I C E S

“ Taking the time to lay the proper foundation allows you to move fast and perform transformation at the speed of light”

128

— Raymond Lowe, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, AltaMed Health Services

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

we deployed a brand new build for COVID-19 to support the testing sites”.

We needed increased infrastructure uplift for virtual meetings to provide rich video experience for our patients, providers and employees.

For social distancing and remote work we deployed 800 laptops over a three-week period. Working with Cisco and Presidio helped us accelerate the implementation of a thousand remote workers, which happened in a matter of days.”

Lowe says this was a real test as to nimbleness and agility. “Our teams excelled during this crisis, meeting the needs of our employees and continuing to care for the underserved population of Southern California.”

Looking ahead, he says some of these changes will remain in place.

“Social distancing is now the norm, and certain jobs may not return to the office. From a technical perspective we need to ensure that we have a highly reliable network, connected in a secure manner, allowing employees to be productive either on site or remotely.”

“From a patient perspective, many h e a l t h c a r e gl o b a l . c o m

129

A LTA M E D H E A LT H S E R V I C E S

people are very concerned about being in crowds, so we are looking at shifting the way we provide care with a much heavier emphasis on video and telephone services.” We are deploying patient-centric care with flexible walls, meaning our patients won’t have to come to a clinic to see a provider. They will be able to obtain care from their location on their schedule. Also for COVID-19 testing we are deploying temperature kiosks that prompt patients and employees 130

to answer CDC guideline questions to ensure the safety for everyone.”

AltaMed’s digital journey has already

“ A DevOps initiative or technology without operational buy-in will likely not deliver the right outcomes” — Raymond Lowe, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, AltaMed Health Services

seen it expand into these areas and they are prepared to continue this digital transformation. For patients enroute to an appointment, AltaMed has enabled them to check in to their appointment on their phone, and wait in their car until someone is ready to see them. They will then receive a text message reminder to let them know when to enter the medical building. To improve the quality of care in the home for chronic disease

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

1969

Year founded

3,170 Number of employees

131

management, AltaMed is also work-

organization that lives its mission

ing on remote patient monitoring

and values providing healthcare

for people with chronic diseases, for

to the most vulnerable and under-

instance by sending out glucometers

served communities. “Through our

to track weight and blood pressure

digital transformation, our patient

in patients with diabetes, conges-

will have access to their providers

tive heart failure, hypertension and

from their mobile device or home

COPD. For moms, it is deploying an

when and how they want it.�

application that will provide education, tracking and support during their pregnancy journey.

AltaMed Health Services is an h e a l t h c a r e gl o b a l . c o m

132

WRITTEN BY

JONATHAN CAMPION PRODUCED BY

RYAN HALL

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

Emerson St. for Teens & Young Adults provides a supportive community for individuals age 15 – 26 seeking connection and belonging.

133

The Mental Health Center of Denver: The human side of tech he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

MENTAL HEALTH CENTER OF DENVER

Dr Wes Williams, Chief Information Officer of the Mental Health Center of Denver, tells us how technology could make Denver the healthiest city in America Dr Wes Williams wants Denver to be the healthiest city in America. His role in this, as Chief Information Officer of the Mental Health Center of Denver, is to lead on technologies that play an instrumental part 134

in supporting the city’s most vulnerable. But in the course of a wide-ranging interview, Williams also speaks enthusiastically about how innovation has benefited the people who work at the organisation.

MAKING TELEMEDICINE WORK: THE TRANSITION TO REMOTE TREATMENTS In Colorado, the COVID-19 pandemic has not only taken a toll on people’s mental health; it has also created unprecedented challenges for the clinics that provide them with care. Even for an organisation that prides itself on its innovative approaches, the transition from in-person therapies to telemedicine hasn’t been easy. Dr Williams admits that when the organisation was forced to bring all of its services online – which it managed to achieve in two days – putting the technology in place was SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

The Mental Health Center of Denver’s Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services team provides specialized outpatient mental health care for deaf and hard of hearing children, families and adults.

135

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

MENTAL HEALTH CENTER OF DENVER

“ You can get sucked into thinking that the tech itself is the solution. But the reality is that it’s only the easy part” — Dr Wes Williams, CIO, Mental Health Center of Denver

136

Dr Williams feels that in some ways the upheaval could have been a bless-

only the start of the process. “You

ing in disguise. “The takeaway for me

can get sucked into thinking that

is that if you practice something, you

the tech itself is the solution. But the

can figure it out. We’ve had the chance

reality is that it’s only the easy part.

to really practice and learn how to do

It took a lot more work to figure out

this well. That’s been the silver lining.

how to really do that work – how to

And from a telemedicine standpoint,

make everything happen”.

I’m optimistic that even when it’s safe to go back into clinics, some folks are going to choose to continue to receive their care via telemedicine, because it’s more convenient”. To illustrate his idea, he mentions that since patients have been attending appointments remotely, the number of no-shows has decreased by almost a third.

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

Benefits of VR Treatments CLICK TO WATCH

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2:49

137 C OM C AST P ART NE RSH I P A vital partner for the Mental Health

“Modern medical facilities like MHCD

Center of Denver has become Comcast

require fast, flexible and secure network

Business, which provides broadband

connectivity that ensures the integrity

connectivity at 35 locations across the city,

and availability of health data when

critical redundancy for multiple residential

treatment teams need it,” said Robert

and walk-in facilities and supporting a

Thompson, vice president of Comcast

widespread shift to telehealth services.

Business for the company’s Mountain

During the Covid-19 crisis, thanks to Comcast

West Region. “Comcast Business was

Business, the Center’s workforce was able to begin telecommuting on the same day that the service delivery line shifted to telehealth.

The throughput is now able to support

proud to help the MHCD team quickly get the network up and running, so staff could continue to provide the highest quality care to outpatients and residents.”

multiple concurrent video sessions – from five telehealth sessions a week before the

For more information, please visit

pandemic, now about 4,000 are possible.

https://business.comcast.com/denver.

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

“ If you practice something, you can figure it out. We’ve had the chance to really practice and learn how to do this well” — Dr Wes Williams, CIO, Mental Health Center of Denver

truly make a difference to people’s lives. Before its clinics were closed, it had introduced virtual reality (VR) into its therapy sessions and mindful-

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENTS

that VR is a perfect fit for what the

The Mental Health Center of Denver

sessions are aiming to achieve:

harnesses technologies in ways that

“What’s great about VR compared with

ness classes. Dr Williams believes

139

E X E C U T I V E P R O FILE :

Wes Williams Title: Chief Information Officer Industry: Mental Health Care Location: Denver, Colorado Dr. Wes Williams joined the Mental Health Center of Denver in 2007 and now serves as vice president and chief information officer.

In 2020, Wes was awarded the Colorado CIO of the Year Corporate ORBIE, honoring chief information officers who have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership. Wes opened Mental Health Center of Denver’s Innovation Technology Lab in 2019, using humancentered design to find digital health innovations to improve access, engagement, and treatment efficacy. Wes is currently serving a threeyear appointment by the governor to Colorado’s eHealth Commission, representing behavioral health interests.

Wes is a licensed psychologist in Colorado.

© 2018 Guerrero, LLC/Photo by Cassandra Davis he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

Mental Health Center of Denver Pairing social workers with police to provide added resources for working with the mentally ill - saving lives and diffusing situations.

Flexential empowers this mission with IT infrastructure and data security.

Customer Story - Mental Health Center Denver Flexential.com

Colocation | Cloud | Connectivity | Managed Solutions | Professional Services

Sanderson Apartments features permanent supportive apartment homes and is designed to provide a safe, open and inviting environment that minimizes the effects of trauma, avoids any sense of confinement and ensures residents feel safe.

141

any other cognitive behavioural ther-

Dr Williams talks passionately about

apy is that it’s so immersive. It sort of

the benefits that this brings. “I think

tricks your mind into being right there.

that it’s a special part of our organisa-

And I think that is especially impactful

tion. There’s a lot to be said for going

for things like mindfulness, and expo-

back to work, and having that sense

sure therapy”.

of meaning in your day”. The Centre

Another of the Center’s ambitious

is involved in the IT aspects of the pro-

projects is a supported employment

gramme, and developed an app that

programme, which helps people

helps staff cultivate new placements.

suffering from serious mental illness

So far, over 160 people have found

to find work. The Center liaises with

work through this scheme.

both patients and potential employers

The Center has also used IT to make

in order to set up placements, and

the programme work more efficiently he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

MENTAL HEALTH CENTER OF DENVER

1989

Year founded

$100Mn+ Revenue in US dollars

900+ 142

Number of employees

The Mental Health Center of Denver’s 2Succeed in Education program offers a wide variety of trainings, including computer classes.

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

Using Technology to Treat Health CLICK TO WATCH

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143 for the people who coordinate it.

hasn’t gone unnoticed. In July he

Dr Williams explains: “Previously the

received an ORBIE award at the

staff working on our supported employ-

Colorado CIO of the Year Awards, for

ment programme had to spend a lot

his work at a corporate organisation.

of time just doing reports. But we have

Talking about the lessons that larger

been able to automate a lot of the

organisations could learn from how

bureaucracy and paperwork – and that

the Mental Health Center of Denver

feels good, because it means that they

manages its resources, he stresses

have time to spend actually working with

that clear-headedness counts for

people, instead of filling out forms”.

more than deep pockets. “In order to really do something unique and

MAXIMISING THE POTENTIAL OF HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGIES

finished everything else. It’s about tak-

Dr Williams’ success in making a dif-

ing that vision and figuring out: given

ference with healthcare technologies

my limited resources, how should I

innovative, we can’t wait until we have

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

MENTAL HEALTH CENTER OF DENVER

“ We have been able to automate a lot of the bureaucracy and paperwork – and that feels good, because it means that [our staff] have time to spend actually working with people” 144

— Dr Wes Williams, CIO, Mental Health Center of Denver

line things up?” But he is most keen to credit the people who have allowed the Center to be a pioneer in innovative solutions: “I really like the staff here. They have a culture of innovation – they’re used to doing things differently clinically; used to figuring out what works. When we have good people, we can take that same innovative approach to technology, and how might that help with healthcare”.

When it comes to new innovations, the Centre looks outwards as well as inwards; but Dr Williams points out

Lessons for Innovative IT CLICK TO WATCH

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2:30

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

145

that it doesn’t have to look far. “One

time. What I’m hoping is that everything

of the things that’s really special about

we’ve learned about telehealth during

Colorado is there’s a lot of collaboration

the pandemic takes root in healthcare,

within healthcare. Every other month

and really explodes”.

there’s a meeting of hospital and healthcare CIOs. We talk about the different challenges we have faced, and how we handled the situations. And this feels special, because in this landscape our organisations are all sort of competing, but people are still willing to share”.

How will we see telemedicine develop in future? “This is a really interesting he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

146

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

MED-EL: digital transformation for quality of life WRITTEN BY

WILLIAM SMITH PRODUCED BY

BEN MALTBY

h e a l t h c a r e gl o b a l . c o m

147

MED-EL

Martin Hairer, Chief Digital Officer of medical technology (medtech) firm MED-EL, on the company’s use of technology to improve customer outcomes

M

edtech company MED-EL is a leader in the field of implantable hearing systems, as the company’s Chief Digital Officer Martin

Hairer explains: “Our core competency is to develop hearing implant solutions. That’s where our expertise is – developing implants, surgical tools, stimulat148

ing nerves and adapting sound in a way that the brain can interpret it as close to the experience of natural hearing as possible.” Of course, underlying and enabling that central competency is a raft of different business functions, but Hairer is clear that the business as a whole is inspired by this mission.

“We are very research driven – that’s how the whole company works. We are pioneers. We are challenged by nature, by the human body, and what we all have in common here is the question: ‘What can we do as a company that leads to better outcomes for our customers?’. This is always the number one priority. It’s not profit. Of course, we need to make money, but it’s much more important the customer has the best outcome, which itself leads to increased profits.”

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

149

h e a l t h c a r e gl o b a l . c o m

MED-EL

“ We are very research-driven – that’s how the whole company works. We are pioneers” — Martin Hairer, Chief Digital Officer, MED-EL 150

As Chief Digital Officer (CDO), his role at the business involves overseeing the company’s internal technological progress. “I am the senior technology executive here at MED-EL, responsible for creating and implementing plans, ensuring they align and driving them. We support our critical line of business, develop customer-centric solutions and streamline business operations through the use of technology and continuous improvement processes to fulfil our customer’s needs.” Hairer’s approach involves finding new solutions, for the benefit of all stakeholders. “I try to motivate people to innovate, to think outside the box and find better solutions, not only from a technology perspective but also one that fits the needs of the customer.”

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

AudioLink Hands-On: Listening to Music | MED-EL CLICK TO WATCH

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151 As CDO, Hairer has overseen the implementation and utilisation of several technologies. Cloud is one

to concentrate more on our core competencies and processes.”

As a global company, operational

such area, with the organisation rely-

excellence is crucial, an area where

ing on a selection of cloud providers.

automation technology has proved a

“We are a worldwide company, so

boon to MED-EL. “Robotic process

connectivity’s always a huge topic

automation is heavily used here. New

for us, not only internally but in terms

processes are automated every day,

of connecting to our customers. With

allowing us to avoid mistakes from

the cloud, we now have the option

human errors, and so on. Of course,

to scale much faster, while also

automation is also crucial in the direction

increasing IT security tremendously,

of manufacturing – answering the ques-

all while handling this across different

tion of how we can develop and produce

continents. For us, it was the helping

more of our implants with the same

hand giving us the possibility

setup of human resources, for example. h e a l t h c a r e gl o b a l . c o m

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MED-EL

154

MED-EL is exploring a number of

feedback immediately. In the past,

new directions to empower its cus-

that’s something you could only get

tomers. One is a mobile application

specifically with professionals offering

known as ReDi App. “Artificial intel-

speech therapy. Now, we can further

ligence (AI) is now heavily used by us

support our customers to be able to do

to help and self-enable our customers.

this in addition to the speech therapy

One example is the ReDi App, a prod-

at home or on the train and so on.”

uct we’ve launched already in several

Another innovation has seen the

countries. It helps the user to train

launch of a platform known as MED-EL

language skills, meaning we analyse

& more, the capabilities of which

speech and give advice on how you

Hairer explains: “We’ve been working

can improve your language develop-

for a couple of years to onboard part-

ment, and you can get real-time, live

ners and develop service into

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

a platform that would be helpful for our

audio processor, or training to hear

customers. MED-EL & more is the first

phone calls in a noisy environment,

club model we have for our custom-

for instance.”

ers, fully equipped and facilitated by

Various partners have been sup-

our myMED-EL portal. It is fascinating

porting MED-EL on its ongoing digital

how fast-growing the demand is to

journey. “We use the big players like

not only get exclusive offers in terms

Amazon Web Services, of course, as

of discounts, but get services that fit

well as Microsoft Azure. We use a lot

perfectly for someone in a specialist

of SaaS solutions. For example, we

situation, like a person who lives with

use Auth0 as our central authentica-

a cochlear implant and has additional

tion mechanism for our customers.

needs like support to maintaining the

We have a huge set of partners we’re 155

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Martin Hairer Title: Chief Digital Officer

Company: MED-EL

Industry: Medical Device

Location: Austria

I’m an incurable optimist who believes in a bright future and our ability to enable everyone through technology. I like to solve problems. Throughout my career, I have been driven by my intellectual curiosity to find answers to the most pressing questions. Whether it’s finding a use-case for new technologies or finding a unique technique for a special use-case, I’ve been able to quickly uncover a customer’s pain point and identify a strategic solution.

With my refined skill set, I bring customer-centric mindfulness that enables me to innovate and thrive. My intellectual curiosity also drives me to be a lifelong learner. h e a l t h c a r e gl o b a l . c o m

MED-EL

156

“ There is so much more potential to improve the quality of life for our customers” — Martin Hairer, Chief Digital Officer, MED-EL

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

working with – there is not one set

It’s horrible to do this on your own.

of products from one company you

You need an army of cybersecurity

can buy to become fully digital.”

specialists who keep only one tool

One crucial partnership is with

up and running safely, and that’s

secure collaboration provider Box,

exactly where Box came in. It provides

as Hairer explains. “As you can imag-

us a really nice way to collaborate

ine for us with our business partners

across the company and partners.”

and clinics, data and information,

Aside from internal evolution,

exchange and collaboration is a very

MED-EL is also witnessing a change

important topic. Everything we can

in the expectations of customers,

improve in that regard has a tremen-

which it endeavours to address. “It’s

dous impact on cost savings and

fascinating to see the patient culture

quality and outcomes for the users.

change. As far as I can recall, it was

Before our cloud transformation

always that inventors and professionals

here at MED-EL, we tried to maintain

pushed something into the med-tech

everything with data exchange tools.

industry, and patients received it.

Now, patients are more seen as

DID YO U KN OW ?

• 2,200 employees from around 75 nations with 30 locations worldwide • Enable people in 124 countries to enjoy the gift of hearing • Its systems have restored hearing to more than 200,000 individuals worldwide.

customers and can influence future products and solutions. That’s a shift you can see in a lot of other industries, of course, with customercentricity and building products based on customer feedback. “With digital-savvy customers expecting a certain level of offering, Hairer and his team are rising to meet the demand. “Customers are now saying: ‘I know that this is a great device or solution, but why does it need to be more complicated h e a l t h c a r e gl o b a l . c o m

157

MED-EL

AudioKey Hands-On: Creating an Account | MED-EL CLICK TO WATCH

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158

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

“ AI is now heavily used by us to help and self-enable our customers” — Martin Hairer, Chief Digital Officer, MED-EL

than ordering something on Amazon?’.

It’s challenging us to find better ways to make things more customisable and to engage with our customers much more deeply.”

Like all companies around the globe, MED-EL is finding it has to adapt to a changing world, but Hairer is cautious of predictions of a so-called ‘new normal’. “We often hear this from politicians and governments all around the world, but I don’t know what the ‘new normal’ is. It implies that there is an old normal. Of course, we have a roadmap, but this is not a new road we’re going

h e a l t h c a r e gl o b a l . c o m

159

MED-EL

1990

Year founded

200,000+

Systems used to restore individuals hearing

2,200 160

Number of employees

down.” Accordingly, Hairer sees the

we need to deal with a lot of different

chief outcome of the pandemic for

government regulations and laws

MED-EL as being an acceleration of

around the globe. Every country is

existing programs. “It’s reprioritised

dealing with the pandemic in their

our thinking. The stage we thought

own way, making their own rules,

we’d be at in a year is already here.

and that means we need to make

And I’m really glad to see that this

sure that we fulfil all these require-

is the pace we change things, and

ments, with social distancing being

move forwards.”

number one. “It’s like Charles Darwin

That ability to react with agility

said. It’s the most adaptable species

comes despite the company’s scale.

on this planet that survives. And this

“We operate in 124 countries, with

is something that fits perfectly with

our offices in 30 countries, meaning

MED-EL.”

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

“ It’s fascinating to see the patient culture change” — Martin Hairer, Chief Digital Officer, MED-EL 161

As for the future, Hairer believes

implants and non-implantable devices

MED-EL is well equipped to thrive

and accessories, but also real digital

despite the challenges presented

services. We have seen that there

thanks to new avenues of exploration.

is so much more potential to improve

“We are a technology company, an

the quality of life for our customers

engineering, research-driven firm and

and this will play a huge part for the

it means we adapt to new challenges

company in the next couple of years.”

quickly. For that reason, I believe that this current situation is a catalyst, not only for the whole healthcare industry, but for us as a company to put digital technologies much more into our product portfolio. That’s not only h e a l t h c a r e gl o b a l . c o m

162

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

163

THE JOURNEY TO HEALTHCARE TRANSFORMATION WRITTEN BY

MATT HIGH PRODUCED BY

LEWIS VAUGHAN he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

CERNER MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

KARIM ABD-ELHAY, GENERAL MANAGER OF CERNER MIDDLE EAST, DISCUSSES THE COMPANY’S END-TO-END HEALTHCARE TRANSFORMATION

A

lthough Karim Abd-Elhay has only held the position of General Manager of Cerner Middle East and Africa since the turn of

2020, he has been with the company for 15 years.

This has both given him a wealth of experience upon 164

which to base his approach to leadership, and a unique insight into the digital evolution of the broader healthcare industry.

Abd-Elhay began his Cerner journey as a finance controller – a role that he says gave him a firm understanding of dealing with clients, structuring and building out financial strategies and contracts, and a general sense of the intricacies of the healthcare information system. He subsequently worked his way through several positions, including Operations Manager for the Middle East, where he actively drove expansion into other countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar, and Strategic Business Executive.

In the latter position Abd-Elhay became immersed in business development and operational strategies, working more closely with clients and partners.

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

165

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

CERNER MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

“ CLOUD IS A JOURNEY THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT THERE ARE HUGE BENEFITS FOR OUR CLIENTS AND US FROM EMBARKING ON THAT JOURNEY” — Karim Abd-Elhay, General Manager (Saudi & Egypt), Cerner Middle East

“It’s a journey that absolutely let me understand Cerner and how the business operates,” he explains. “Navigating your way through the core areas of the business, particularly at a strategic level, and gaining that really diverse business and industry knowledge has helped me to hone the ability to focus on the bigger picture. Each of those roles involved understanding the long-term implications of strategy or investment, or any other decision-making, and that’s certainly shaped my approach to lead-

166

ing – I’m driven by long-term outcomes for me and the business, not only shortterm achievements.”

Cerner is an organisation built on a strong culture. The company, which alongside its Middle East operations has its headquarters in the U.S., provides intelligent, technology-driven solutions for the healthcare industry.

This includes a suite of digital solutions designed to streamline clinical workflows, network and security services, technology and consulting, end-to-end revenue management cycle technology and more. Each of these is underpinned by a philosophy that drives the business and is centered around SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

Innovating for a healthier population together CLICK TO WATCH

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1:23

167 a belief in a world without medical

in an industry that is increasingly being

error that is underpinned by an inte-

driven by technology and digital trans-

grated, patient-focused system that

formation. “Innovation is really important

allows information to flow across the

– in our business, it has to be – but equally

health economy.

so is the simplification of that technol-

“We pride ourselves on our culture

ogy. A lot of our work involves looking

and vision,” says Abd-Elhay, “and every

at our client processes and delivering

person in Cerner, regardless of his

smart and innovative ways of getting

or her position or level in the business,

more out of them to improve both their

is expected to be driven by core pillars

business and the healthcare sector.”

that we all follow: respecting each other

Somewhat unsurprisingly, given

and collaborating together, delivering

his experience in the industry, Abd-

on our commitments, behaving with

Elhay is well versed in the pace of

integrity, innovation and simplicity.” The

change sweeping across healthcare.

latter, he notes, is particularly important

Technology is, he explains, playing a key he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

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“ EVERY PERSON IN CERNER, REGARDLESS OF HIS/HER POSITION OR LEVEL IN THE BUSINESS, IS EXPECTED TO BE DRIVEN

BY CORE PILLARS THAT WE ALL FOLLOW” — Karim Abd-Elhay, General Manager (Saudi & Egypt), Cerner Middle East

A counter to the second point is that, as with countless other industries, the implementation of advanced digital technologies does bring efficiency both in terms of operations and cost. To this end, Abd-Elhay points to machine learning and artificial intelligence, and the greater use and understanding of data, as being primary drivers of change for the industry. These technologies, as he explains, are influencing every aspect of the healthcare chain.

role in the shaping of the future industry.

“Some are ripping up the traditional

However, the sector has been slower

processes entirely, such as machine

on the uptake of some innovative solu-

learning algorithms that support cli-

tions than others. “It’s not as advanced

nicians to deliver the best care,” he

as some other sectors, like banking for

says. “Others are more patient facing.

example,” he explains. “And that’s really

Much of that is focused on engaging

because of the complexity inherent in

the person to take an active role in

providing healthcare. Any decision you

preventative care rather than treat-

make, any new technology you imple-

ing illness once it has happened, so

ment can have the ultimate impact on

technologies that aid a more proactive

a patient and there are so many factors

approach to offering healthcare.”

that must be considered in any new

This approach – to create a healthcare

adoption. Another concern around tech-

environment in which technology allows

nology implementation is cost; there

institutions, clinicians and caregivers, as

is a lot of discussion around how to

well as patients, to proactively improve

achieve all of the necessary objectives

health is a fundamental aspect of Cerner

with less resources, or certainly smarter

Middle East and Abd-Elhay’s vision.

use of resources.”

The company is in the midst of its own he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

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“ DATA IS TRANSFORMING THE SECTOR IN A NUMBER OF AREAS, SUCH AS PREDICTION AND THE ANALYSIS OF PATTERNS OR BEHAVIOURS THAT WILL ALLOW A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF CERTAIN DISEASES OR ILLNESSES” — Karim Abd-Elhay, General Manager (Saudi & Egypt), Cerner Middle East

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

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digital transformation, he says, that is

and the patient and helps the clinician in

seeing it embed these new innovations

the documentation and ordering, giving

into its own products and services. “On

more quality time for clinicians to spend

machine learning and AI, for example,

with the patients.”

we have our own algorithms that can

More broadly, Abd-Elhay explains that

help for identifying possible diseases

Cerner is focusing its efforts on ‘popula-

at an early stage and which are easy to

tion health’. “There’s a lot of data out

treat at that point. We also have a similar

there, but no one is aggregating it,” he

technology for analysing patient data

says, “whether that’s from information

and highlighting the possibility of sepsis;

available with healthcare organisations

this has seen a lot of success in reducing

perspective or the patient’s side (like

mortality rates. Similarly, we are working

physical activity, sleeping patterns,

on an AI-driven solution that analyses

diet, and many more). We realise that

the conversation between the physician

the percentage of patient health data

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

E X E C U T I V E P R O FILE :

Karim Abd-Elhay Title: General Manager for Saudi & Egypt Industry: Information Technology & Services Karim Abd-Elhay, General Manager for Saudi & Egypt, responsible for maintaining a successful business relationship between Cerner and its clients, increasing client satisfaction, and growing Cerner’s business in Saudi & Egypt. Karim is a strong client advocate who focuses on value creation for Cerner’s clients, including client satisfaction and success measures. He has been successful in creating partnerships towards industry performance excellence. Through his previous clients’ assignments, Karim was able to help multiple clients to succeed in overcoming their challenges and excel in showing their success stories. This has been reflected in clients’ success metrics, improved efficiency and strategic changes.

Throughout his Cerner career, Karim has held several positions and contributed to the success of Cerner Middle East in different roles. He joined Cerner in 2006 during the initial setup of Cerner Middle East as a Finance Controller. His role exceeded the internal accounting and financial side to build relations with Cerner clients and help them in their financial planning and contracting needs.

Also, he held the role of the Operations Manager where he contributed to the growth of Cerner by building strategic relationships with Cerner’s partners and opening Cerner branches in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt. Before taking the General Manager responsibility, Karim was Strategic Business Executive for Middle East, through which he delivered great results for Cerner business and clients in the region. Prior to joining Cerner, Karim held several accounting/ finance roles with Americana Group. He also held several voluntary roles with the Institute of Management Accountants including the President of UAE Chapter.

he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

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SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

175 available within healthcare organisa-

Of course, traditional business

tions are much less than what can

models and previous approaches to

be captured outside it. So, the focus

technology have been disrupted by

right now is on using that data to see

the impacts of the global COVID-19

how we can monitor the health of the

pandemic. For the healthcare sector,

population to actively keep everyone

Abd-Elhay recognises a quickening

healthy and to interact with people

of the trend towards remote health-

before they become patients. It’s an

care, telemedicine and limiting visits

area, due to our expertise, that I see

to hospitals unless absolutely necessary.

Cerner really excelling in and provid-

“There has been some resistance to

ing great value in our region. Data is

it previously,” he explains, “but COVID-

transforming the sector in a number

19 has just changed the landscape.

of areas, such as prediction and the

So, video conferencing with your

analysis of patterns or behaviours that

clinician, mobile visits and diagnoses,

will allow a better understanding of

telemedicine – all of these things that

certain diseases or illnesses.”

limit contact are just becoming more he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

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“ I’M DRIVEN BY LONGTERM OUTCOMES FOR ME AND THE BUSINESS, NOT JUST SHORT-TERM ACHIEVEMENTS” — Karim Abd-Elhay, General Manager (Saudi & Egypt), Cerner Middle East

SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

important. There’s also a noticeable shift in the importance of organisations being flexible in terms of their day-to-day operations and processes, how they adapt their environments to suit the needs of patients, how they can repurpose physical spaces and so on.”

Countless industry sectors continue to debate what the ‘new normal’ will look like post COVID-19. For Abd-Elhay, the increased use of technology and shift in approach to that technology will be permanent. Those organisations that have embraced innovative solutions have reacted better to the crisis and positioned themselves at the forefront, he explains. Cerner is one of those organisations. The company very quickly recognised the extent of the COVID-19 crisis and responded rapidly so as to fully support its clients. From updating its website with relevant information to actively being involved in the development of field hospitals built specifically to deal with the pandemic, the company has supported customers and the broader industry with its technology.

Naturally, to successfully deliver such measures and to keep ahead in the transformation of the sector, he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

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Cerner works with several technology

Also the business has a strong partner-

companies on developing impactful

ship with Amazon Web Services (AWS)

solutions . Abd-Elhay recognises the

to facilitate its migration to the cloud.

importance of strong collaboration with

“Cloud is a journey that doesn’t happen

partners, stating “there’s no need to

overnight, but there are huge benefits

reinvent the wheel while we can work

for our clients and us from embarking

with experts in their respective fields”.

on that journey, and from working with

For example, Cerner partners with

AWS. It eases the technology manage-

Imprivata to streamline and simplify the

ment for our clients and provides the

secure access of the caregivers to the

required computing power for the Big

system which leads to a more satisfied

Data and analytics tools that we need

end users and more efficient operation.

to apply to each client, and ensures

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that we are able to provide the maxi-

us forwards and it’s certainly an area

mum value in our services.”

that I see Cerner dominating in the

Cloud forms only part of the future

future. The future of healthcare lies

journey of the business. This road-

in data and how to use that data to the

map, as Abd-Elhay explains, will be

best effect and I think we have a big

technology-driven. “That move to the

advantage in that regard.”

cloud will really power our clients and us into the next stage of our journey and enable many of the new and innovative solutions we intend to implement.

In terms of my vision, I think that the population health concept will drive he a l t hc a re gl o b a l. com

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