A New Patient Journey Imperative: COVID-19 and the Acceleration of Digital Health

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Healthcare will never be the same again—and should not be—after this moment in history. The impact of COVID-19 has been far too devastating for our society, in good-conscience, to return to a status quo that allows a crisis like this to repeat itself.

Health systems face workforce challenges and financial downturns amid COVID-19, fragmenting an already-tenuous patient journey. Patients and consumers are toiling with emotional, social and economic anxieties while struggling to engage with an overwhelmed healthcare system.

The state of things is dire and while systematic vulnerabilities are more apparent now than ever, health leaders do see opportunities and hope to take a step forward despite a jarring 2020.

But, fundamentally, if healthcare is going to change, we are going to have to change with it—swiftly and with purpose. That means we need to:

• Stand for equity in care delivery and wellness management for all our communities
• Enhance and democratize the patient journey with reasonable access to cost-effective, common sense, digital health tools and services
• Invest in solutions that optimize care delivery and more deeply connect people within and across our healthcare systems
• Drive evidence-based awareness of health innovations that impact public policy and support equity, patients, caregivers and thoughtful technology
• Encourage consumer and health vendors to facilitate the direct input of consumers and caregivers into the design and development of their tools and services

Healthcare’s current moment requires the bravery of our communities and leadership to have honest conversations about how we begin to not only heal our healthcare system, but to give it the opportunity to do what was intended all along­—to make us all healthier.

These big and sometimes uncomfortable conversations won’t be solved by a singular roundtable series. However, these conversations are critical to progress and must be sustained if we are to see this through. This is why the HIMSS Digital Influencers are committed to facilitating these conversations both during this roundtable discussion series, COVID-19 and the Acceleration of Digital Health and among their social and digital communities on an ongoing basis.   

This resource, updated regularly, will feature content that helps the health community learn, engage and connect with fellow changemakers who are also committed to exploring a more thoughtful healthcare system enabled by information and technology.

Join us.

#BeTheChange + #HealthcareInnovation

 

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The views and opinions expressed in this content or by commenters are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of HIMSS or its affiliates.

Originally published June 10, 2020; updated October 1, 2020