US healthcare is nowhere near what technology made us dream of a decade back. Healthcare technology was meant to act as a means of reducing costs, eliminating burnout, and making care delivery patient-centric. Cut to today, where a broken leg can cost a patient as much as $7,500, 7 out of 10 physicians do not recommend their profession to anyone, and we rank poorly among other developed countries in terms of the number of preventable deaths.

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) kicked off its 2019 Global Conference and Exhibition at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida in style. Revolving around the theme “Champions of Health Unite,” the conference invites leaders and visionaries from healthcare to come together under one roof and collaboratively address all the challenges that emerge when moving towards value-driven healthcare.

Imagine a Wendy’s restaurant. You place an order and the guy at the counter rings up and relays your order to the kitchen. When the order comes, the fry guy drops a basket of fries in the fryer, the guy at the burger counter flips a patty, the girl over at the soda machine fills up your choice of soda, arranges your order on a tray, and rests it on the counter before you.

“Primum non nocere”ー First do no harm.

When the digital revolution in healthcare started, adoption of EHR solutions grew exponentially.  Healthcare services and technology companies made a name for themselves, valued at approximately $35 billion in 2016. However, over these years, these providers did not grow in scope beyond EHRs, the same is the case with medical devices and other providers. There was no thought on interoperability and engagement! Despite the current and potential growth, these companies that go solo won’t be able to sustain for long.

We’re living in a fast-paced world. We juggle tens of social media accounts on our PCs, laptops, phones, tablets, and a gazillion other devices. All the digitally stored personal information- from emails to home addresses and phone numbers to bank transactions- can be tracked through a few lines of codes.

“Sometimes, the best thing we can do for our patients is to tell them what the best behavior is and then negotiate something they can live with.” —Nancy Dickey, First Female President, American Medical Association.

“For providers, who often report difficulty with using EHR technology, APIs represent an opportunity for internal innovation. Open APIs can allow provider systems to build their own custom user interfaces in-house or shop around for a better solution than the interface that comes standard with their EHR system. EHRs could eventually become a platform on top of which other companies could build more tailored applications and improve usability for clinicians.“

How does one define quality care? There is no one single definition as some say it is determined by the use of sophisticated technology and the prowess of the IT infrastructure, while others tend to focus more on patient-centricity. Patient-centricity, in particular, has been the talk of the town for quite some time. Lately, it has become the driving force behind large-scale structural and cultural revamping of various healthcare organizations. But the question still looms- how can healthcare organizations achieve quality care with patient-centricity?

Payers and providers are the captains of two different ships sailing in similar waters. Both oversee incredibly relevant aspects of the healthcare system. Both the providers and payers are administering care from a quality perspective while keeping a sharp eye on the cost. Cost, quality, and care experience are essential elements that make up the entire landscape of the 21st century US healthcare. The significant disruptions in healthcare are a direct result of recent innovations brought in by the payer-provider dynamics. A lot has been accomplished, and a lot remains to be done.