Development in technology and healthcare constantly progresses to meet the demands of the patient population. The growing and aging patient populations place an increasing burden on time and financial resources. The adoption of new health technologies into healthcare organizations (HCOs) will support the overloaded systems to maintain and improve treatment. But, if implemented poorly, the new technology and treatment processes could have a negative impact and start taking time instead of giving it.
The average healthcare provider is busy. Learning the implementation of new technologies takes a backseat to patient appointments and administrative duties. A recent breakthrough in immunotherapy for melanoma might go unnoticed by an oncologist swamped with patient appointments and paperwork. Missed breakthroughs and learnings will have significant impacts on the provider’s ability to maintain the best possible treatment outcomes.
A provider’s limited time directly impacts the quality of care.
Professional healthcare providers are constantly being inundated with:
- Recent medical research findings that could directly impact the day to day care of patients
- New and updated pharmaceutical solutions that change and improve potential treatment modalities
- Patient processing solutions that reduce wait time and improve treatment efficacy
- Technology releases that could redefine specific treatment protocols and patient outcomes
- Demands from the HCOs to follow protocols and standard operating procedures
Staying up to date on research, innovation and protocols is an impossibility for even the most ambitious of professionals. Additionally, understanding and training on new medical device technologies is required prior to implementation within a patient population. Time dedicated to maintaining and improving the skills of an organization’s professionals becomes critical for providing the best service. Augmented Intelligence (coined by W.R. Ashby in the 1950s), referring to professionals that actively understand and utilize artificial intelligence and other new technologies, becomes a serious demand for HCOs. Healthcare professionals that possess this augmented intelligence become more valuable than the professionals that do not.
The goal then becomes the augmented intelligence of the healthcare providers in the organization. Prioritizing the knowledge and skill of the healthcare providers increases the value and impact of the implemented health technologies. But limitations on the healthcare professionals’ time still exist. So, how do we get the most out of the combined strength of technology and human expertise?
Is your strategic development considering the augmented intelligence requirements of the treatment professionals?
The requirements for implementing new healthcare technologies are guided by the HCO strategy. Supporting the implementation through leadership, training, and development will improve the service design towards improved treatment outcomes. With the designed services ultimately guiding the interactions between treatment provider and patient. Creating more time for the healthcare provider is an impossibility, but developing an HCO environment that optimally utilizes new technology will make the most of everyone’s time.
Identifying innovations best suited for your HCO is a strategic priority. Upgrading the augmented intelligence of the professionals in the organization is another strategic priority. Innovation deployment in conjunction with treatment provider expertise builds solutions that will start giving time instead of taking it. So, what’s the delay?
