When COVID-19 hit, many providers were saved by their digital front doors. They swiftly leveraged technology, data and staff to make care delivery safer, more efficient and easier to access, accelerating new care models in the process. They streamlined operations to direct patients to the most appropriate care settings, such as alternative care sites and office-based labs — moves that have eased the burden on resource-stretched emergency departments. Hospital leaders also embraced rapid decision-making and digital-first strategies.
Executives from across the United States provide their feedback on these topics and share the ways they are evolving, with their patients as their priority.
Key findings from the conversations:
- After the rapid uptake of telehealth during the pandemic, providers are updating their digital health strategies and tying them more directly to consumer strategies.
- Even with stretched resources, providers can use predictive analytics to personalize care and more effectively direct patients to the most appropriate setting during surge periods.
- Cultural awareness is key to capturing granular data on social determinants at all hospital and health system points of entry. Staff must be educated to elicit this detailed information in culturally sensitive and competent ways.
