CONFERENCE CAPSULE
Snapshots of recent healthcare events attended by Jarrard Inc.
EVENT: ViVE 2023
WHERE & WHEN: Nashville, TN, March 26-29
Last week, Nashville was the epicenter for digital healthcare conversation with more than 8,000 digital marketing leaders and changemakers convening at ViVE. The conference buzzed with innovative theories and actionable advice on data integration and health equity in the digital space. Tommy Barbee, Jarrard’s AVP-Digital, was part of the action and had these takeaways:
- The push and the pull of information. Most provider organizations have troves of patient data already—whether it’s used in a clinical setting to improve patient experience and outcomes or in marketing to connect patients with services. As more hospitals and health systems consolidate and partner, it’s evident that health data is siloed. Sharing data analysis between networks is a massive opportunity to improve care delivery. But organizations must be mindful of privacy. With data breaches and cyber security risks on the rise, patients want to know that their personal information is safe, what purpose data collection and sharing serves and how it will improve their healthcare experience.
- AI is leading the next digital transformation. But healthcare is still uniquely human. Machine-learning and AI are powerful tools in the hands of dedicated clinicians and health leaders. Health systems are leaning into AI-assisted predictive data analysis to improve patient outcomes with machine learning as a second opinion to the analysis of clinicians. These tools won’t take the human touch out of healthcare, but instead extend its reach by creating more efficient and thorough processes.
- DEI in the digital space. DEI should always be intertwined with digital and data integration initiatives. Before any analysis or implementation, consider the demographics from which the data is being collected. Is it solely derived from those of a middle to high socioeconomic status who can afford primary and preventive care? Does it include underserved communities and people who may afford only to seek care in an emergency? For data integration and digital initiatives to truly serve every patient, there needs to be a concerted effort to gather well-rounded data sets and conduct quality analysis through a DEI lens. Taking a more holistic approach, clinical teams and internal DEI teams can synthesize patient data and compare notes to identify health equity gaps.
- Return on Digital Investment (RODI). With digital as the new norm for both marketing and clinical efforts, it’s imperative to know which initiatives are yielding results—and which aren’t. Thinking strategically about your return on digital investments and implementing measurable performance indicators will not only create opportunities for expansion but also help make the case to your organization for more investment in digital tools in the future. Instead of falling back on innocuous buzzwords, bring data backed justification to the table and be able to explain the why and how of the work you do.
