Technology is reshaping care delivery, but sustainable transformation relies on some very human qualities: collaboration, buy-in, and a sense of purpose.

Key Takeaways:

• Fragmentation inhibits communication.
• Frontline workers are untapped resources who understand everyday problems and crave involvement in operational decisions.
• Organizations that align their IT strategy with the patient journey will be poised for success.

It was during a discussion on innovation in healthcare at the Becker’s CEO + CFO Roundtable in Chicago that one panelist, the CEO of a major academic medical center (AMC), wondered whether healthcare organizations are evolving into technology platforms.

It wasn’t a rhetorical question; the migration to a platform model isn’t difficult to envision. Patients increasingly use digital front doors to access their providers. Technology is allowing for more care to be delivered in patients’ homes. And artificial intelligence (AI) is changing everything, from patient-provider interactions to payer negotiations to the way students are learning to practice medicine.

In one sense, using data, technology, and connectivity to create value for providers and patients sounds like the holy grail of healthcare delivery. But in another sense, the notion of a health system as a platform, with layers of technology between patients and providers, sounds a little…impersonal. Do we risk losing the human element of care delivery amid all this data exchange?

Absolutely not, according to conference attendees, panelists, and keynote speakers.

Healthcare still lags behind other industries in its adoption of new technology, and recent innovations, when approached thoughtfully, have tremendous potential to enhance the patient experience. Organizations that intentionally align their IT enterprise strategy with the patient journey are the ones that will be best positioned to succeed.

And for all the talk about AI and next-gen health systems, healthcare is still a people business. And that was a common refrain throughout the four-day conference, with health system executives focusing on organic human interaction, lasting partnerships, and the need to improve provider, staff, and patient satisfaction.

ECG led and participated in several panels throughout the 13th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, including during the AMC Leadership Forum, which we sponsored for the third year in a row. Here’s what stood out.

People: The Heart of Innovation

It’s somewhat ironic that at a time when we have so many means of communication at our fingertips, one of the panelists’ chief concerns was getting people to talk to one another. Panelists lamented the continuing fragmentation of healthcare and the way it inhibits communication.

• Providers often struggle to connect, which can result in conflicting care pathways.
• Scheduling a referral with a specialist in another medical group remains a challenge.
• Patients often can’t make appointments with specialists or get their prescription filled before they leave the office.
• Departments work on duplicative projects without communicating with one another.

Technology can help address those challenges, but people make transformation real. And that requires a workforce that feels heard and engaged.

Engage frontline workers: “You want to know what’s working and what’s not? Ask your frontline staff.” Some form of that statement came up again and again. Panelists often characterized physicians, nurses, and support staff as untapped resources who crave more involvement in operational decisions. These are the individuals who are closest to the patients and understand the everyday problems that can lead to big expenses (e.g., readmissions, surgical site infections, quality and safety issues).

Listening and taking action on what frontline workers say is impactful. It shows that their opinions matter and that the organization values their input.

Establish a shared language: Across the sprawling enterprises that health systems have become, different concepts have different meanings for different people. This is especially the case as AMCs and community groups integrate more closely.

Leaders need to help foster a common language around the system’s goals. Everyone needs to understand not just the “what” but the “why”: why the system eliminated a program; why the system is investing in a new technology platform while asking service lines to make cuts; and most of all, why we do this work. Having purposeful conversations and talking with intentionality about the reasons for working in healthcare can rejuvenate and connect people.

This extends to the way medical schools are training clinicians. It’s essential to make sure learners are coming out of school seeing healthcare as a team sport.

Partnerships: Building Relationships and Breaking Down Silos

And as a team sport, healthcare relies on collaboration. More than ever, health systems need partners—external partners that can expand a system’s ability to care for its population, and internal partners who can be champions of change.

External partners: Panelists said they were inundated by AI and other health tech vendors, complicating the decision of where to direct investment dollars. No health system can afford to chase every shiny object. Leaders value longevity and flexibility; multiple panelists said they want a partner who can work with them, grow with them, and adapt their solution as the system’s needs change. What they’re not looking for is for a company that exits the partnership after five years with a big payout.

They also want partners who understand healthcare. As providers, health systems need to maintain control over care delivery. It was suggested that there are tech companies that might want to “cut corners,” and that can’t happen.

One panelist characterized many of the latest AI products as solutions looking for problems. Don’t start with the solution. Start with the problem and find partners who want to solve it with you. And to identify those problems and evaluate the solutions, you’ll need internal partners.

Internal partners: Assessing vendors and tech platforms is another opportunity to engage your workforce. Leaders emphasized, again, bringing in frontline staff to vet solutions. This allows them to be co-creators in transformation. It’s also a way to break down silos—get the right people in the room, people who might not otherwise have opportunities to collaborate. Not only can they help identify problems that need to be addressed, they can be champions for your partnerships and technology investments.

Patients: The Ultimate Measure of Success

One panelist made an interesting comparison between healthcare and the hospitality industry. In hospitality, he said, you start with the consumer experience and work backward to deliver the process. In healthcare, by contrast, we put obstacles in front of the patient. Any strategies to redefine the process of care delivery need to keep the patient at the center of the conversation.

Panelists described patient access as a quality and safety imperative, with more than one CEO saying that it doesn’t matter if your system is the best if patients can’t get appointments with your doctors. A lack of “systemness” was again blamed for its part in limiting providers from seeing patients, with panelists identifying team-based care, digital front doors, and process redesign as keys to improving access.

But once again, leaders said that change starts with very human quality: listening. Ask patients how you’re doing on access. Ask about their frustrations and pain points. Ask what’s working well and what can be better. You might not always like the answer, but leaders need to have the courage to acknowledge problems in order to address them.

As mentioned earlier, health system executives need to lead purposeful conversations centered on what called people to healthcare in the first place. Listening to the patients you serve is a good way to start.