Recently, Interlace Health had the privilege of hosting and presenting with a group of health IT executives from MEDITECH, Salesforce, and CereCore. The exclusive virtual roundtable discussion focused on their experiences leading through the pandemic, strategies for ensuring a safe return to work, and thoughts on what the future of care delivery might look like. It was a remarkable “inside look” into how several leading organizations are responding to the unprecedented challenges we’re facing in the healthcare IT industry.

In reflecting on how much we rely on data, it’s possible to say that we have become physical representations of it; people, companies and industries can be reconstructed as ever-expanding archives of information.

Putting trust in the digitized, invisible realm of data can have unintended implications — while data can bring confidence in thought and action, universal connectivity also carries with it the undertow of a global threat, a darker side of exploitation, blackmail, and ransomware.

When new providers enter the field, they need to be ready to deliver quality care to patients, and it’s important that they’re equipped with healthcare technology experience to complement their medical expertise.

In addition, the continually changing healthcare IT landscape poses another challenge for medical professionals.

The COVID-19 outbreak presents an unprecedented challenge to the medical community — and the pandemic has shaken many of the basic functions of society. It has been an inspiration to see healthcare experts and front-line providers maintain their vigilance and professionalism under exceedingly trying conditions.

Our mission with the MEDITECH Blog is to share new ideas from thought leaders across the health IT industry — and during 2019, we welcomed more than a dozen new authors representing clinical, executive, and media perspectives.

In part one of this blog, MEDITECH Vice President Advanced Technologies Scott Radner and I discussed the company’s journey to the cloud and its dedication to making modern technology available to all of its customers. In part 2, Scott expands on MEDITECH’s decision to use the cloud for its application development environment and the company’s approach to seeing how its customers can best benefit from implementing cloud solutions.

Reading about a hospital’s success is one thing, but hearing stories face-to-face with clinicians is something entirely different. I recently visited Halifax Health to hear how MEDITECH Expanse is helping real doctors care for real patients at this busy trauma center and health system. 

If your organization is a Provider-Led Entity that orders advanced diagnostic imaging services for Medicare patients, preparing to meet requirements for imaging appropriate use criteria (IAUC) is likely to be high on your priority list. CMS expects a variety of outpatient settings, including physician offices and emergency departments, to begin educating staff and testing operations for AUC authorization as of January 1, 2020, with the goal of fully implementing the process by January 1, 2021.

In order to build healthier communities and improve population health management, providers need information about a patients’ health that goes beyond clinical factors. 

How can we achieve this? 

The rapid pace of change in healthcare today doesn’t just necessitate better technologies to keep pace; it also requires better communication. Whether it involves conversations between patients and physicians, handoffs between clinicians of different specialties, interoperable data exchange, or even the ability of care organizations to connect with their IT vendors - clear communication is often what makes the difference between a good outcome, and a poorer one.