Health leaders are now thinking beyond their EMR to the next phase of health IT. This post-EMR phase is commonly being referred to as “the second race.”
So, what is this second race? It’s really about moving from foundational technologies that replicate existing processes in healthcare to transformational technologies that enable entirely new ways of doing things—technologies that will help the health system evolve to a more proactive and predictive approach.
We are excited to hear HIMSS16 presenters and participants share their key areas for the second race. We, at Microsoft, see the following areas as the primary opportunities in front of us.
1. Increasing collaboration among health professionals. Caregiver teamwork has always been important, but it’s even more vital as health services delivery becomes increasingly multidisciplinary. This recent blog highlights a couple of examples of how today’s cloud and mobile technologies are enabling healthcare professionals to work together in real time.
2. Gaining meaningful insight from data. Today’s advanced health analytics in the cloud can empower people to glean actionable and predictive insights from the vast amount of data in the health industry and beyond to improve the quality and efficiency of care. Read about how Dartmouth-Hitchcock is ushering in a new era of proactive and personalized healthcare, what a Brazilian hospital is doing to reduce length of stay, and how European health systems are transforming healthcare with advanced analytics.
3. Enabling virtual care. By virtual care, I mean not just telemedicine but a plethora of new ways that technologies can enable health organizations to provide care and follow up with patients anywhere, anytime. Health systems are evolving to provide people with personal health interactions more proactively and consistently. A couple of examples are described in this blog post.
What’s more, when all three of these key areas come together, healthcare can be approached more holistically. One of the many interesting topics of discussion at the conference will be around the need to not just treat people’s conditions, but help them manage their overall health—and the interdependencies of physical health and mental health. For example, helping people prevent Alzheimer’s disease means encouraging them to exercise and meditate regularly. Finding ways to inform and empower people to take better care of themselves is part of what the next phase in health IT will involve.
I couldn’t be more excited about where we’re headed in health and technology. We’re on the threshold of incredible transformation. I look forward to seeing it unfold with innovative new ways to make a real impact for better health.
How are you using technology to transform healthcare? Share in the comments below.
Be sure to share your unique story and vision for healthcare at HIMSS16 Video Booths: Microsoft #3832 and GE Healthcare #3055.
