National Health IT Week 2016 is a great time to reflect on several of the information technology initiatives that have positioned the industry to better engage and manage care. 

As information systems professionals, we drive the acceleration and transformation of the delivery of patient care by leveraging information technology. 

And from my experience as a CIO, these 5 key advances that have been brought to the forefront in recent years:

1. Data science. The development of healthcare data science allows designed algorithms and technology automation to detect patterns in specific health care conditions to aid the provider in delivering proactive care interventions.   

[What to expect: National Health IT Week 2016 kicks off Monday]

2. Patient data digitization and integration. Many healthcare organizations have deployed electronic medical record systems that integrate a patient’s inpatient and ambulatory data. This integration of patient data provides clinicians with a more complete view of the patient’s longitudinal health in support of improved patient care and safety. 

3. Health Information Exchange. HIE, the noun and the verb, further the continuity of care capability through data sharing among different health systems. Clinicians have reported that receiving even basic patient phenotype data from other health systems is very valuable in understanding a patient’s health and past treatment plans. 

4. Patient-generated health data. Wearables now transmit information from a variety of wireless devices in order to provide real-time patient data that can be analyzed and reviewed for action.  This capability enables clinicians to remotely monitor a patient’s health and proactively intervene based upon the aggregation and analysis of data streams.

5. Patient portals. These provide individuals with the ability to view their clinical and revenue cycle data, perform a variety of administrative type tasks and even communicate directly with their care giver all from the convenience of virtually any device that connects to the internet. This capability has significantly enhanced patient satisfaction and pulled millions of dollars of needless expenditures out of the healthcare delivery model.

The above tools have become cornerstones for individuals to engage and participate in their care.  

Technological advances are coming rapidly and it’s the dedicated health IT professionals who are transforming the above tools into cornerstones of patient engagement and better care based on data.

National Healthcare IT week is an opportunity to reflect on these technologies — several of which have already been introduced and identify the next generation of enhancements that will further advance our industry.

Mike Restuccia is the CIO of Penn Medicine. 

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