Recently, I had the opportunity to discuss Penn Medicine's information services strategy with a group of our second year physician residents. I polled the group to see if they thought the journey toward patient data digitization was the right approach for clinicians or if they were more comfortable with the "pen and paper" approach.
Many were actually somewhat befuddled at even being asked. Without hesitation, the group responded that the computerization of patient data was a far better approach. Specifically, the residents stressed the importance of having real time integrated patient data from multiple care settings to be a key tool in the manner in which they provide patient care.
This refreshing discussion with the next generation of physicians (some of whom will be treating me as I enter those golden years) provided the opportunity to reflect on the journey our healthcare IT industry has undertaken in delivering "value" from these computerization efforts. This reflection took me through my 30 years within the healthcare industry to highlight the significant trends that have taken place over this time and perhaps what lies ahead.
Using an industry standard chart that plots the evolution of computerization from data to information to knowledge, it became clear to me the significant transformation the healthcare information technology industry has taken. In addition, this view further explains the engagement and excitement of the second year residents as the pace in which value is recognized will continue to accelerate in the upcoming years.
As the chart depicts, the healthcare industry has come a long way over the past several decades. Such an evolution has not been limited to just the application functionality, but also the vendor participants and most importantly the engagement with the clinical community. The combination of these factors along with others has elevated the role of Information Services from the basement to the boardroom. Information Services is no longer viewed simply as overhead, but rather an enabler of the business strategy.
Today, the pursuit of precision medicine taking shape through the melding of a patient's genetically sequenced data along with their phenotype data is once again transforming the manner in which patient care is delivered. More than ever, information technology is a critical success factor for this transformation.
The value of data will continue to accelerate bringing with it more frequent change and the need for ready adoption by users. Harnessing this value and translating it into tangible benefits will require the collaborative efforts of all key members of a health system. Successful healthcare organizations will need to display teamwork, nimbleness, flexibility and fortitude in order to capitalize on the many benefits tied to the liberal use of information services that lie just ahead.
Embracing the energy of groups like the second year physician residents that I met with will be a key component to capitalizing on the many benefits associated with our digitization efforts.
