COVID-19 brought 2020, and all of our plans, to an abrupt halt. The past year will be embedded in our minds forever due to the loss of life, worldwide impact, and disruption of healthcare. The pandemic also impacted the annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference that brings together more than 40,000 professionals worldwide. For the first time in 58 years, HIMSS canceled the conference.
Thanks to the progress of vaccinations, HIMSS is back on!
It’s time to get excited because HIMSS21 is happening August 9 – 13 in Las Vegas. The return to in-person events is definitely a welcome return to normalcy for the healthcare IT industry. However, reminders from the past year are still apparent. This year’s HIMSS21 attendees must be vaccinated, a virtual component is available for digital attendees, and HIMSS will strictly enforce on-site health and safety measures.
So, what’s next for healthcare IT? The past year taught everyone that healthcare organizations have the incredible ability to pivot. Advancements in technology that were once aspirational became policy overnight.
Interoperability Lessons Learned
COVID-19 has driven home the necessity of interoperability in healthcare. During the pandemic, interoperability played a significant role in helping healthcare organizations coordinate treatments and make informed care decisions. When a life is on the line, fast access to patient data is essential to inform patient care. As a clinical collaboration solution, TigerConnect facilitates fast information sharing from anywhere at any time.
Both clinicians and patients use various digital tools that help empower patients to understand and control their care. In order to facilitate this healthcare transformation, CC&C solutions are critical for healthcare organizations.
It’s Time to Modernize Clinical Communication
Your free guide to improving enterprise-wide communication
One of the main themes HIMSS21 is promoting this year is the importance of communication and collaboration within the healthcare ecosystem. Geisinger, a TigerConnect client, is generating well-deserved buzz around their upcoming session: Transforming Care Delivery With A Smart Device Communication Strategy. Using care team collaboration from TigerConnect, Geisinger radically transformed collaboration enterprise-wide to improve patient outcomes.
The health system’s strategic approach to communication paved the way to launch Life Geisinger and Geisinger at Home – initiatives to provide better care for high-risk patient populations.
Geisinger’s session will take place at the Venetian on Friday, Aug 13, 2021at 10:30 am PT. Don’t miss this innovative session!
Is Telehealth Here to Stay?
At the onset of the pandemic, the U.S. government passed healthcare regulations to allow for greater adoption of telehealth. According to Forbes, the number of U.S. patients using telehealth grew from 11% in 2019 to 46% in April 2020. The high patient response and ease of use of virtual consultations for clinicians enabled greater access to care in 2020. However, the full potential of telehealth extends beyond the pandemic.
Long-term virtual care strategies can benefit patients in remote locations, patients without access to reliable transportation, and patients with chronic conditions worsened by traveling. Telehealth has the potential to allow for better patient-centered care while also transforming healthcare organizations. According to HIMSS, 81% of healthcare organizations expect to allocate space in their budget for telehealth.
Of course, regulations and reimbursement for telehealth post-pandemic are murky. Healthcare organizations are concerned that regulations will go backward and take away privileges that allow health systems to use telehealth to its full extent. This year will be a critical opportunity for health systems to show the necessity of telehealth in providing better patient care. Be sure to attend the international session: Leveraging Telehealth to Achieve Health Equity to hear panelists discuss how telehealth fosters health equity for all.
The international session will take place at the Venetian on Tuesday, August 11, at 1:00 pm PT.
Book Your HIMSS21 Demo
Don’t forget to visit TigerConnect at Booth #5925! Schedule a demo in advance to see why leading health systems trust our platform to connect care teams, streamline workflow and enable clinicians to save lives.
