JUNE 2019 | FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH.COM
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HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION
Ann Mond Johnson
Find out why the technology we use every day may be the future of healthcare
Discover how the healthcare industry is adapting to an ever-changing landscape Learn how professional development benefıts both caregivers and patients
in Virtual Health
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Avera eCARE® is using innovation and technology to find new ways to connect our providers to health systems 24/7.
An Industry Expert Weighs in on Developments in Healthcare Mark Crockett, CEO of Verge Health, discusses innovative healthcare solutions and the challenges ahead. How has technology helped healthcare administrative professionals to better implement patient safety? Which would you rather have, one fixed patient experience, or an entire fixed delivery process to prevent future errors? Technology from outside of healthcare is making “manufacturing clinical excellence” a reality through rounding, compliance technology, and accountability. What is one question healthcare administrative professionals should be asking their risk management provider? “Where are the brown M&M’s?” A risk management provider needs to be able to provide not just information on risk, but what questions can be asked to spot problems in advance. How can healthcare administrators take the steps to create a culture of safety? Safety Culture requires everyone to be transparent and act. Cascading information focused on communication, proactive risk management, and continuous learning emphasizes transparency and excellence.
Providing a Professional Home for Healthcare Leaders As the healthcare industry continues to experience radial changes, ACHE provides a solution for staying on top of innovation.
David Bartholomew Senior Vice President of Learning, American College of Healthcare Executives he healthcare industry is changing at an unprecedented pace; care is shifting from inpatient to outpatient settings, advances in technology are changing how and where care is delivered, and we are seeing new entrants like CVS, Walgreens, and other disrupters competing with traditional providers on convenience and cost. To navigate this change, the healthcare management
field needs strong leaders at all career levels and in a variety of healthcare settings.
and advance health through the delivery of safe, highquality care.
What lies ahead As the healthcare environment continues to transform, traditional roles will change and new roles will emerge. It is imperative that leaders adapt and develop new competencies to be successful. Skill sets that include data analytics, population health management, and informatics will be increasingly in demand.
Leadership development and continuous learning Beyond providing direct patient care, careers in healthcare management offer individuals the opportunity to care for communities and improve health. A positive patient experience depends not only on the quality of care delivered by one caregiver or within a single setting, but also on individuals and organizations throughout the healthcare system working together. Become a transformational leader, explore a career in healthcare management, and consider ACHE as your professional home. Visit ache.org to learn more. n
Professional community ACHE offers networking and mentoring opportunities for healthcare leaders to interact with and learn from one another. It also provides strategic partnerships to help increase the ranks of diverse healthcare leaders
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EXECUTIVE MBA HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM A concierge approach to accredited executive education in healthcare management. uttyler.edu/emba 2 • FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH.COM
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processing promise to help overwhelmed physicians more effectively support their patient populations, allowing more time for oneon-one interactions — virtually or in person.
Avera eCARE CEO Discusses the Telemedicine Revolution Advances in remote care technology are giving more people than ever access to important healthcare services.
Adapting new methods The organization was formed by trailblazing researchers, clinicians, and academics over 25 years ago, but much has changed since then. There are more uses for technology in healthcare than we can imagine today. Its widespread adoption will ensure that location no longer defines Americans’ access to healthcare.
Telemedicine is all about access to care. Through Avera eCARE, we leverage telemedicine to extend specialty care across the miles. We’re providing care where our patients are — at home or on the go via our mobile app, and in schools, prisons, senior living communities, and more. How has telemedicine revolutionized traditional healthcare? Telemedicine eliminates the barriers of time and travel. Specialty care can be offered in a given community without having to recruit a specialist to physically practice there. The same high quality of care can be delivered at a lower overall cost. Is the security and privacy of the patient protected? Yes. Avera eCARE uses a closed network via buried T1 lines as well as a secure virtual visit platform that are compliant with HIPAA to ensure patient privacy. To what heights do you see telemedicine advancing? Telehealth kits will allow more care at home. We’ve already done pilots with virtual prenatal visits and management of gestational diabetes. Augmented reality could allow assistance and support through a difficult procedure. We will soon use telemedicine to enter into crisis scenarios with behavioral health expertise. We’re just beginning to scratch the surface. 4 • FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH.COM
The Intriguing Opportunities and Obligations of Telehealth In the United States, our health and wellbeing are directly tied to where we live. But that doesn’t have to be the case. The practice of medicine can take advantage of the same kinds of technologies that allow us to stay in touch with friends and relatives around the world or let us manage our money and purchase goods at any time, from anywhere. These capabilities and more are creating intriguing opportunities for telehealth and its ability to reduce and eventually eliminate variations in accessibility to healthcare, improve cost efficiencies, and advance the quality of care for all. Telehealth tools include artificial intelligence (AI), virtual care, remote monitoring, digital therapeutics, and mobile health,
PHOTO: ALLISON SHELLEY
What are some advantages of telemedicine?
as well as “store-and-forward” or asynchronous technologies that securely transmit data collected from wearable devices, sensors, or other devices to help inform clinicians’ decisions during diagnosis and treatment. Creating new opportunities The same technologies that support web-based business meetings enable virtual exams and care coordination with providers or specialists who are located anywhere in the world. The sensors that power consumer smartwatches and fitness bands enable remote health-monitoring devices to help patients and their doctors manage chronic health conditions efficiently and cost-effectively. Expanding technologies such as big data, AI, and natural language
Looking to the future There are still challenges, including reimbursement and an array of federal and state regulations. And just as regulations and payment models need to catch up with technology, the ATA is working hard to keep up with the industry. We’re eager to help our members reimagine healthcare, and as we do that, we’re expanding the definition of who our members are. As the only organization completely focused on advancing telehealth, the ATA is working to change the way the world thinks about healthcare. We are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to safe, affordable, appropriate, and effective care when and where they need it. We’ll know we’ve accomplished our goals when everyone has access to clinically appropriate care regardless of where they live, using the best technologies the industry has to offer. I hope you’ll join us in that mission. ■ Ann Mond Johnson, CEO, ATA
Dr. Jason Doctor on the Importance of Empowering Patients
The director of health informatics at the USC Scaeffer Center, discusses changes in healthcare, his current research, and ways to innovate the field.
requires we give patients skills to manage their own health. What inspired your recent research regarding opioid prescription stewardship?
What are the top challenges that public health professionals face today? To implement treatments and policies that are supported by evidence. Many medical treatments are justified because they are plausible from a biomedical standpoint. Later for many of these treatments, we find they do not work or are harmful, and this has negative public health consequences. How can healthcare providers better prioritize patient-centric care?
Jason Doctor PhD, Director Health Informatics USC Schaeffer Center
The idea of patient-centeredness is more revolutionary than people think. It is more than listening to the patient; it really means treating patients as agents of their own health instead of passive recipients of treatment. To prioritize it
What is a piece of advice you would give to a student who is pursuing a career in health administration? Think about your job as one of coach. You can make a great impact on health if you can coach the clinical team in a way that motivates them to provide safe and effective care to patients. n
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Long-term opioid use was rare before 1996. Then, pain specialists and pharmaceutical companies promoted the idea that opioids were safe. This became the dominant view. Seeing the rise in deaths that followed made me wonder why clinicians would continue to believe in opioid safety. I developed some ideas of clinician “blind spots” and tested them.
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How Risk Management Plays a Vital Role in Healthcare Bill Schwacke of Origami Risk describes how risk management software is integrated into the healthcare system to help provide better patient care. Why integrate enterprise risk management (ERM) and other governance functions? Integrating ERM and governance into a risk solution completes the picture of risk for an organization. It allows for a deeper understanding of risks and potential risks while ensuring industry compliance. ERM facilitates a proactive risk and compliance approach to risk management activities. What are the benefits of software as a service (SaaS) solutions versus those traditionally installed? True SaaS solutions means users always have the current solution version with all functionality. This allows for constant process and workflow improvements, allowing providers to grow and improve over time. True SaaS solutions will reduce both IT costs and IT risks commonly seen with installed solutions. Risk management software is used in various industries. How is it applied to healthcare? Risk management software is at the center of a healthcare organization’s approach to risk, safety, claims, and insurance. The software can define the provider’s approach to risk by linking, organizing, and distributing data from independent, critical functions to provide an organizational view of risk. Can you elaborate on the correlation between patient safety and risk management software? Patient safety and risk management software are often linked due to the nature of the data involved. While they often work independently, there are insights that can be discovered when linked together. These insights can improve quality of care and reduce claims/insurance costs for the organization. 6 • FUTUREOFPERSONALHEALTH.COM
10 Ways Investing in Employees’ Dreams Transforms the Workplace Whether it’s a long-time goal or a professional ambition, everyone has a dream. One way to channel employee aspirations into workplace skills is through professional development programs. Continuing professional development is a cornerstone of employee and employer success, regardless of the employee’s time, tenure, or position in an organization. It’s a learner-driven journey that doesn’t need to start with a formalized education and doesn’t end when coursework is over. Because it occurs when professionals are most likely to be aware of their needs, it is better positioned than other stages of learning to affect change. Here are some ways in which professional development transforms a workforce: 1. Employees keep pace/ exceed standards of practice among market competitors Professional development activities keep workforces up-to-date on relevant industry trends and help individuals and their companies stay
current in rapidly changing environments. 2. Workforce knowledge base is strengthened Training ensures individuals frequently expand their knowledge and skills needed to provide high-quality customer service. 3. Employees hone and diversify skills New skills can bleed into status quo business practices to create new efficiencies and effectiveness. 4. Strong bonds form among employees and management Individuals connect with others who share interests and become mentors to one another to contribute to each other’s success. 5. Employee retention and satisfaction improve According to Work Institute’s 2018 Retention Report, the top reason employees gave for leaving was a lack of opportunity to learn or develop skills. 6. Confidence and credibility spread Allowing individuals to identify and showcase
their achievements allows confidence and credibility to flourish. 7. Employees are engaged in their work Continuing professional development reengages the workforce and can foster a more positive, general commitment to job roles. 8. The body of knowledge in the profession grows Individuals participating in development activities help their profession mature and stay relevant amid evolving customer expectations. 9. Staff morale improves Promoting and maximizing staff potential improves overall sentiment and can provide benchmarks for performance/satisfaction evaluations. 10. Employees advance to new careers and positions Development activities can benefit employees’ career progression and advancement. Employers become known as developers of top talent, creating a positive reputation for the overall company and brand. n Denise Hines, DHA, PMP, FHIMSS, Chief Americas Officer for HIMSS MEDIAPLANET
Photo credit Tatyana Perreault
Simplifying risk management in healthcare Origami Risk provides an integrated, end-to-end solution for everything related to risk, safety, and claims, including workow tools, document management, analytics, reporting, and dashboards. Origami Risk’s secure, easy-to-use, mobile-friendly software allows healthcare providers to better manage their critical safety, quality, claims, insurance, and risk data through improved data collection, communication, healthcare analytics, and strategy tools.
The only SaaS platform to provide integrated solutions to the entire insurance value chain: Risk Managers, Brokers, TPAs, Carriers www.origamirisk.com