Nathan Eddy

Artificial intelligence will also continue to be a big focus, as it becomes more clear which startups are succeeding in their initial target sectors. VCs are also eyeing genomics analytics tools, as well as other more practical technologies.

The five principles all stem from the basic viewpoint that AI-enabled solutions should complement and benefit customers, patients, and society as a whole.

While there is a large and growing market for remote patient monitoring technologies, with particular benefits for the older population, simplification of connection technologies – Bluetooth for one – will be key to the broader adoption of RPM in 2020. The vast majority of hospitals and health systems – 88 percent – have invested in or plan to invest in remote patient monitoring technologies as part of their transition to a value-based care model, according to a 2019 Spyglass Consulting report. Smartphones and tablets are among the mobile technologies in focus, which can be combined with telehealth video conferencing and healthcare wearables, as well as the deployment of electronic health record-based patient portals. "There are now numerous RPM solutions out there, including a select few that have had very positive outcomes toward meeting the quadruple aim – improved patient experience, improved clinical experience, better outcomes and lower costs," Eric Rock, CEO of Vivify Health, a provider of connected healthcare delivery solutions, told Healthcare IT News. He noted there has also been a shift to greater commitment to value-based care and improved home care, especially from government-led initiatives which new RPM reimbursements have helped to drive. "As we see it, 2019 was kind of the trial run or dress rehearsal for RPM reimbursement; 2020 will be the culmination of all those efforts," he said. "It is all these waves that will combine in a perfect storm for RPM in 2020." He noted, however, that a basic, narrowly focused app that only connects to a limited number of devices has been shown to be insufficient to accomplish large-scale cost reductions and improved health. "What's necessary is a multi-condition platform driven by engaging content and a clinical backend that scales population health delivery," Rock said. "We need apps that can handle multiple conditions across a wide range of devices to fulfill the true potential of RPM while remaining affordable." He said those devices must also have intelligence built into them to help filter all this incoming data and guide providers or care coordinators to activities or events that requires their attention – otherwise, the data becomes noise to providers and it gets ignored, similar to alert fatigue with EHRs. "All of this must also be connected to the existing healthcare infrastructure including security and communications standards such as HIPAA and HL7," Rock explained. "If we can do all of that, and I believe it's possible in 2020, we will change healthcare – and change lives." Harry Soza, CEO of CAREMINDr, Silicon Valley tech company that partners with health plans and providers to advance population health management through RPM, said he sees potential for "significant growth" in RPM in 2020. "We have clients that are beginning rapid, large scale expansion of their RPM programs after having run smaller pilots during 2019," he said. "This type of expansion absolutely requires specialized monitoring systems, because RPM care is fundamentally different from the traditional methods of providers interacting with patients." Soza said RPM requires a "fundamental change" in how a provider system organizes itself and its relationships with patients, because it is non-face-to-face, and requires a patient to become a responsible, engaged partner with their doctor – which brings new types of challenges related to the business of delivering care. "Many of the barriers hindering expansion of RPM programs can be solved through a blend of business management and new technology approaches," he explained. "Acceleration in adoption can only occur when the systems being implemented are easy for provider groups to adopt, but also comprehensive as related to their business needs. This is the largest challenge in the RPM industry today." Nathan Eddy is a healthcare and technology freelancer based in Berlin. Email the writer: nathaneddy@gmail.com Twitter: @dropdeaded209

The company is focused on "infrastructure the Epic community uses today and is likely to use in the future," according to a statement received by CNBC.

Vendors offer their perspective on the opportunities and challenges for healthcare data exchange in the year ahead.

Healthcare information technology will be the focus of investors in 2020, with interest in the pharmaceutical and biotech sector, home and hospice care and managed care companies also high on the list, according to a KPMG report including survey results from 333 investment professionals. WHY IT MATTERS The study projected the healthcare and life sciences industry would likely continue to be an attractive investment target for the foreseeable future, as national healthcare spending rises to $6 trillion by 2027. Overall, more than three-quarters (76%) of respondents thought the health IT market would grow faster than the overall healthcare and life sciences market. Healthcare analytics, cloud-based EHRs and workflow applications, revenue cycle management software, and telemedicine are among the IT products of greatest interest to investors. The medical technology space, which includes precision medicine, robotics and smart wearables, is expected to continue to grow at a pace of more than 5% per year, with annual sales worldwide expected to reach $800 billion by 2030, according to KPMG. Indeed, robotic surgery is one of the main potential areas of investor focus in 2020, alongside AI-enabled devices, while in the more classic medical device segment, the robotic surgery market is expected to continue to attract M&A interest. As artificial intelligence and robotic process automation are more widely deployed, they will help re-humanize medicine by allowing doctors to focus less on paperwork and administrative functions, and more on patient care. In the area of revenue cycle management, KPMG's report urged investors to look for technologies that facilitate one patient experience continuum from scheduling to treatment to billing. When it comes to home health and hospice care, potential investors are looking for firms that provide a spectrum of services across nonmedical home care that range from activities of daily living and basic home healthcare for the transitional period after a hospital or rehab stay, all the way to home hospice scenarios. THE LARGER TREND Despite the demand for investment in healthcare IT innovators, a study released earlier this week indicates health systems don't always make good use of the technology they already have in place. A Black Book survey of 748 providers organizations found the vast majority of them are failing to meaningfully integrate data analytics into their clinical and operational workflows, despite widespread availability of the technology. ON THE RECORD "We believe we are entering a very exciting time for investment in healthcare and life sciences," the report concluded. "Despite unknowns related to the 2020 election and uncertain industry regulatory challenges, there are significant investment opportunities across the industry." The report predicted these opportunities would continue to gain momentum in 2020 due to multiple factors, including the push towards consumer-centric care delivery and connected medical devices, as well as new models of vertical integration, and consolidation for scale and efficiencies. Nathan Eddy is a healthcare and technology freelancer based in Berlin. Email the writer: nathaneddy@gmail.com Twitter: @dropdeaded209

A new American Hospital Association report on workforce strategic planning trends says technology is well-positioned to help health systems combat professional staffing shortages.

And that's costing the U.S. healthcare system in a big way, even in the era of value-based care, according to a new survey from Black Book.

The findings suggest AI systems can be trained to detect and grade cancer in prostate needle biopsy samples with an accuracy rate equal to that of prostate pathology experts.

Healthcare providers will increasingly be seeking innovative technology as they develop new patient engagement and experience strategies to remain competitive.