Interoperability, value-based care payment models, with emphasis on coordination of care, and defining the most effective uses of artificial intelligence in patient care are three big trends that healthcare provider organization C-suite executives and other health IT leaders must contend with in healthcare today, according to David Lareau.

Lareau is CEO of Medicomp Systems (HIMSS23 Booth 3741), a vendor of technology and services designed to make medical data relevant, usable and actionable.

We spoke with Lareau to get his insights into these trends and talk about his message to HIMSS23 attendees.

Q. What is the most pressing issue or trend facing healthcare information technology at this moment as the industry gathers for HIMSS23?

A. There are several major new developments requiring the attention of HIT leaders: interoperability, including patient access to their own medical information; the transition to value-based care payment models with new emphasis on coordination of care and the role of primary care in the transition; and defining the most effective uses of artificial intelligence in patient care.

The sharing of information between systems also will require increased focus on system and data security.

With the advent of Qualified Health Information Networks, information will begin to flow more freely, requiring a new set of tools to enable providers to find the information they need to manage specific patient conditions, particularly with the accelerated switch to Medicare Advantage and other value-based care programs.

This will increase pressure on HIT vendors to support clinical users and care teams and give them the ability to stay focused on the patient as they access and act upon the specific information required to treat, document and comply with the required quality measures and documentation for each patient problem.

Q. What is the primary message that your company is trying to get through to the healthcare provider organization health IT leaders on the exhibit floor at HIMSS23?

A. Our primary message at HIMSS23 will focus on how to make information actionable at the point of care. This can be achieved by diagnostically connecting data, regardless of source and format, in a clinically intelligent workspace that enables effective management of patient conditions, while complying with all relevant workflow, quality and documentation requirements.

Systems must be clinically interactive at all points in the continuum of care and organizations need to ensure that both their data and documentation are sufficient to meet audit, interoperability and quality concerns, especially now that the government has signaled new Medicare Advantage audit and penalty initiatives.

Q. What should CIOs, CMIOs, CISOs and other health IT leaders at provider organizations keep their eyes on in the year ahead?

A. Developments in artificial intelligence will continue to be a source of both opportunity and risk for clinical systems. One opportunity is the use of AI to accomplish routine administrative tasks related to coding and workflow, as is AI to augment and make information available to clinicians in a decision support – not decision-making – capacity.

In talking with leaders of healthcare enterprises, the financial and emotional costs of clinician burnout related to the non-usability of current EHRs continues to be an impediment to patient care, so leaders should be looking for solutions that are tools for clinicians, rather than burdens.

One quickly evolving area is the coordination of care between enterprises, primary care providers, home care services, family caregivers and others involved in patient care, including the patients themselves.

The volume of cyberattacks on health systems is constantly increasing and the “bad actors” are getting more sophisticated and aggressive. It’s always important to consider technologies and infrastructure that minimize the risk of being victim to constantly evolving ransomware and malware attacks – because if it happens to an organization more than once, someone will likely be fired.

And, as always, everyone will continue to seek to understand the latest reporting, regulatory and other requirements coming out of Washington.

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Email the writer: bsiwicki@himss.org
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