Today is World Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD) Day, recognizing the estimated 328 million people worldwide who are living with COPD. Organized by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), in collaboration with healthcare professionals and COPD patient groups worldwide, this day aims to raise awareness, share knowledge, and discuss ways to reduce the burden of COPD. COPD is a lifestyle condition that affects the lungs as a result of the long-term effects of smoking or extended exposure to air pollutants. By the time patients are diagnosed, they are typically experiencing shortness of breath during strenuous physical activity, limiting their ability to work and play. One in 20 patients admitted into the hospital for a severe COPD episode are readmitted within 30 days. 

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic has changed so many aspects of life one thing has remained: The dedication and creativity of healthcare professionals to respond to the ongoing threat and continue to provide care for their patients.

At MEDITECH’s 2020 Physician and CIO Forum, we all saw the impact of how a virtual learning environment can help us to address common challenges in an uncommon time. And with remote technologies, I’m proud to see how we’ve been able to bridge the miles between us and even many of the uncertainties that COVID-19 has brought.

It’s still all about people.

Despite the tumultuous events of this year, in particular the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare providers have remained focused on the central part of their jobs: treating and caring for people.

Many providers express growing frustration with their EHRs, and having to adjust their workflow to meet the needs of the technology. Problems with IT usability often contribute to physician burnout, which is why I decided to pursue the field of clinical informatics. Why should technology create burdens for care teams, instead of making their jobs easier? And, more importantly, what can we do about it?

In 2020, we know that physicians are facing challenges like never before. As technology transforms at a rapid pace to support clinicians, we have had the opportunity to connect with a number of thought leaders in the field.

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.

For our latest Thought Leader podcast, I spoke with Dr. Andy Burchett, CMIO of Avera Health, about his organization’s rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recently, MEDITECH's Carol Bird had an opportunity to sit down with Dr. Doug Kanis, an Internist and CMIO at Pella Regional Health Center (Pella, IA). They discussed how Expanse's intuitive design, mobility, and interoperability helps physicians increase efficiency and improve patient care. The excerpts below are a few highlights from their conversation. To learn more about his experience using Expanse, watch our video interview with Dr. Kanis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has called for everyone to do their part to keep others safe and healthy. For many, this means staying at home as much as possible and practicing social distancing. For me, as CMIO of the Beth Israel Deaconess community hospitals, this has meant deploying numerous initiatives in response to the pandemic, from symptom screening to dashboards to telehealth.

As an emergency medicine physician, this has also meant working on the frontlines at my organization's emergency departments and volunteering in New York City, which ultimately led to me contracting the virus myself.