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In Digital Transformation Journey, Interoperability Is Healthcare’s Culprit

Healthcare businesses can ignore the forces of disruption—but at their own peril.

The healthcare industry has reached a your medical staff, with the resources,
digital precipice where ignoring such training and development they need to be
forces is no longer an option—especially effective as their roles evolve.
in the middle market, where entities face For some new entrants to the healthcare
unique challenges compared to their larger industry —especially those born out of the
counterparts, including growing competi- tech-enabled era—digital transformation
tion from all sides. According to BDO’s is in their DNA. The adaption to, and
inaugural Middle Market Digital adoption of, emerging technologies to fur-
Transformation Survey, compared to their ther business goals comes instinctively to
counterparts in financial services, natural them. For most, however, digital transfor-
resources and retail, mid-market health- mation requires a lot more foresight, con-
care companies place the greatest empha- sideration and planning—especially when
sis on developing a digital transformation the integration of innovative technologies
strategy. More than half (53 percent) cite it BY PATRICK PILCH, STEPHANIE GIAMMARCO, MALCOLM COHRON leaves the organization vulnerable to new
as a top digital priority, followed by opti- and burgeoning cyber and privacy threats.
mizing business efficiencies and opera- tion plays a critical role in healthcare vestment (41 percent) follow. The first bar- See how your organization’s transforma-
tions across the supply chain (16 percent) organizations’ cybersecurity strategy. To rier is one of technology and the latter two tion readiness compares to that of other
and investing in innovative digital capabil- sustainably innovate patient care, health- of people, but the challenges are intercon- entities at the following website:
ities for anticipated business needs (15 care organizations must be able to safely nected. Interoperability initiatives are typ- https://www.bdo.com/insights/indus-
percent) to round out the top three. store and analyze patient data—the most ically focused on process standardization tries/healthcare/infographic-benchmark-
Here are the top two healthcare-specific valuable resource to the consumer, the and data integration. The goal is to make ing-digital-transformation
highlights from the Middle Market Digital business of health and, we believe, the sure data is available, accessible and secure
Transformation Survey: security of a nation. At the same time, with throughout the doctor-to-patient lifecycle, Patrick Pilch
1. Cyberattacks and data privacy breach- the infiltration of technology into health- thereby streamlining information sharing National Leader, Healthcare Advisory
es are getting in the way of digital transfor- care, consumers expect care to be available and enhancing transparency. 212 885 8006
mation: In fact, 43 percent of healthcare at their fingertips, personalized to their BDO’s Quick Take: Adopting new stan- ppilch@bdo.com
executives said cyberattacks or privacy individual needs and preferences. They dards and embracing information sharing
breaches were the top threat to digital want digital health solutions. If healthcare comes down to people. We’re talking Stephanie Giammarco
transformation—the most of any industry. organizations are to keep up with these about fundamentally changing the way National Leader, Technology &
We think the two go hand in hand. demands, not only do they need to digitize people work. The type of behavioral Business Transformation
Healthcare organizations have a target on their core business processes, they need to change needed to make these goals a real- 212-885-7439
their back because of all the highly valu- reimagine the business of health altogeth- ity starts with tone at the top. The senior- sgiammarco@bdo.com

able personally identifiable consumer er. We imagine a future where doctors will most leaders of the organization not only Malcolm Cohron
information they possess. They are also, be able to tailor therapies to patients’ DNA need to be bought into digital transforma- National Leader, Digital
generally speaking, further behind in digi- and customize drug regimens, aided by tion, but also need to convincingly evan- Transformation Services
tizing analog information and manual cognitive diagnostic solutions, heralding a gelize the vision. You need your employees 404-979-7109
processes, and their outdated IT infra- new era of precision medicine. Both digital to understand why they need to leave the ccohron@bdo.com
structure wasn’t built with security in transformation and cybersecurity are key. status quo behind, believe in the strategy
mind. Because of that, they face greater 2. Interoperability is still a barrier: In and engage in the process. Most impor- For more information, contact:
urgency in digital initiatives like replacing fact, for mid-market healthcare organiza- tantly, they need to understand what’s
or upgrading legacy IT systems. If they tions, it’s the biggest obstacle to successful- expected of them. While an injection of Alfredo Cepero, Managing Partner
don’t, their cyber defenses are left vulnera- ly implementing a new digital initiative, new talent can help improve your overall 305-420-8006/ acepero@bdo.com

ble and they’ll have a higher price to pay. cited by 60 percent. Lack of skills or insuf- digital competency, you will also need to Angelo Pirozzi, Partner
BDO’s Quick Take: Digital transforma- ficient training (47 percent) and underin- provide current employees, particularly 646-520-2870 / apirozzi@bdo.com

If You Teach Them, They Will Care

Florida is still in dire need of more health care delivery system,” said Deanna
nurses and is among the top states in the Gray-Miceli, Ph.D., senior author, an asso-
nation experiencing a shortage. Florida, ciate professor in FAU’s College of
Texas and California combined account Nursing, and a faculty fellow in FAU’s
for almost 40 percent of the national Institute for Sensing and Embedded
nursing shortage. According to the Network Systems Engineering (I-SENSE),
Florida Center for Nursing, more than one of the university’s four research pil-
40 percent of Florida nurses are lars. “Our program, which specifically
approaching retirement age in the next focuses on geriatric nursing content, was
10 years, leaving the state to face a short- designed for the purpose of improving
age of registered nurses (RNs) that could students’ ability to care for older adults in
cripple the state’s health care system and clinical practice.”
impact medical care for Florida resi- The model Gray-Miceli and Catherine
dents. To further complicate matters, by Morse, Ed.D., co-author and a clinical
2030 1 in 5 people will be 65 years or assistant professor and program director at
older. Rutgers-The State University of New
Nurses are at the forefront of caring Jersey, School of Nursing, Blackwood,
for older adults in a number of settings used for this program taught the nursing
including skilled nursing facilities, hos- students to care for a patient based on
pitals, and long-term care facilities, his/her ability to perform activities of daily
among others. As the population of living. The curriculum began with the
aging Americans reaches 83.7 million by newborn and ended with the geriatric
2050, RNs will be instrumental in caring and educators who may not be prepared during a seven-week clinical practicum, population, emphasizing patients’ ability
for them. to teach geriatric nursing. 124 nursing students were exposed to to provide self-care based on his/her age.
The next generation of nurses need the To address these challenges, researchers interactive learning assignments based on Concepts that underscored the cycle of life
right tools to ensure that they are poised from Florida Atlantic University’s competencies in interviewing, perform- were integrated throughout the curricu-
to deliver age-appropriate care and Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, and ance-based assessment, clinical decision- lum. Findings from this approach, pub-
address the specialized needs of an older Rutgers - The State University of New making, and problem-based learning. lished in the journal Nurse Educator, sup-
population. Teaching undergraduate nurs- Jersey, School of Nursing, Blackwood, “It is essential for undergraduate nurs- port the use of interactive learning assign-
ing students clinical care of older adults is developed and tested an innovative new ing curricula to ensure that graduates ments to increase students’ understand-
complex and challenging given the large curricular approach to educate undergrad- develop competencies for caring for geri- ing, confidence, and competence in per-
number of students, limited clinical sites, uate nursing students in geriatric care. atric patients and are equipped to face the forming an assessment of an older adult.
Using six types of learning assignments challenges of a complex and dynamic

8 July 2019 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News