For many of us in healthcare, living through this time of crisis has been an experience like no other. This is especially true for nurses and nurse informaticists, who are providing so much clinical, technological, and emotional support for care teams as well as their communities. The Year of the Nurse has been quite a year. We need your light now more than ever.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to return to speak at my second MEDITECH Nurse Forum. But this one was a bit different, because when I say “return” I actually didn’t go anywhere, unless you count the walk down the hall to my guest room. I missed seeing you all as I am sure you all missed spending time together in person. But things look a little different lately don’t they?

While the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion ensured health insurance for many U.S. citizens, rural areas still suffer from a unique set of healthcare challenges such as economic burdens, high rates of chronic illness, and insufficient access to providers. These issues have only intensified with COVID-19 depleting rural health resources at an alarming rate. 

With over 120 rural hospitals closing over the past decade and more than 40% operating at a negative margin, health leaders are tasked with implementing new strategies to address rural health deficiencies.

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.

At the American Mathematical Society, it is our mission to create a connected community of people who have a shared appreciation for mathematics and the wonderful opportunities it provides. One way we encourage young people to follow their math aspirations is our Who Wants to Be a Mathematician event. The contest involves over 5,000 students across the country who participate in a multiple-choice quiz show with the chance to win prizes and qualify for the 2020 Who Wants to Be a Mathematician championship.

The nursing outlook on technology and business is on the fast track. Most nurse informaticists would state that their role did not exist 5-10 years ago, proof that the career path of nurses is widening as technology gallops forward. MEDITECH's Nurse Forum showcases how nursing continues to evolve; providing a platform for nurses to ask relevant questions, hear from industry leaders, take a step back and listen, and then share that wisdom with their community to understand what lies ahead. 

No healthcare organization should ever have to choose between innovation and value. As our industry continues to transform, it will be important to both adopt new technologies that can meet the needs of demanding consumers, and still prioritize ROI and long-term sustainability while doing so.

MEDITECH’s President and CEO Howard Messing recently sat down with John Lynn, founder of Healthcare IT Today, for an extended two-part interview about the company, as we celebrate our 50th year in business.

What a year it’s been! On the MEDITECH blog, we’ve been lucky enough to connect with industry thought leaders and healthcare innovators on important topics such as new government regulations, interoperability, and the future of nursing. We hope that you’ve enjoyed reading and learning with us, and we’re excited to see what’s to come in 2019!

At a time when financial pressures could lead to more hospital closures, it’s no surprise that the Becker's Hospital Review 4th Annual Health IT + Revenue Cycle Conference drew a full audience, to explore how our industry is responding to the growing demands of the patient as consumer.