Health systems are, on balance, very bureaucratic and have fixed structures which are not open to innovation. In fact, innovation is seen to be disruptive and therefore resistance is present.

But to overcome the gaps in the system which have become more apparent in COVID 19, there has to be an acceptance of innovation in clinical management and system wide management.

Four critical elements support development and deployment of innovation in a health system:

(1) workforce capacity to actualize innovation;

(2) an organizational infrastructure that supports integrated, systematic, repeatable pathways for change;

(3) an innovation-nurturing culture; and

(4) strategic external partnerships and collaborations. 

It will be interesting to see if there is motivation over time to innovate by health system designers and health policy analysts.

Raymond Rupert patient advocate and healthcare consultant.

Reference:

• Ryan J. Vega, MD, MSHA & 
• Kenneth W. Kizer, MD, MPH

Vol. 1 No. 6 | November — December 2020
NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery 2020; 06DOI: https://doi.org/10.1056/CAT.20.0263

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So why do we have to know and remember anything? Why stuff our brains full of detail when the details can be retrieved with a simple Google search. Ask Google. Get the answer instantly at zero cost.

What can we conclude about how our minds should work with the information that Google presents to us?

The skill sets that information workers including doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and researchers should develop are different and distinctive today because of the availability of the information.

Information workers should know or learn how to formulate good and focused questions for Google so that Google is able to deliver appropriate and valuable information.

Once the answer arrives from Google, it is important to be able to interrogate the data. What does it mean? How is it relevant? How does it relate to the context of a specific client’s case?

Another skill set for information workers is the ability to combine disparate pieces of data into unique combinations. This is the creative act. Creativity is becoming more important everyday because of the focus on innovation within organizations. Innovators are prized within organizations today. And COVID 19 is an accelerant of innovation so the creative act is even more relevant during the Pandemic.

Once the new idea is created and stated. Then it is important to be able to seek feedback from a diverse group of thinkers. Diversity of perspective leads to better feedback. With the feedback, the idea can be refined and improved. Ideas at the point of gestation are like babies that need to grow up. Feedback helps to mature the ideas.

The next skill that is required is the ability to engage in reasoned and collaborative dialogue. Explaining the idea to others forces the creator of the idea to be able to defend the idea and thereby develop a deeper understanding of the idea and how it fits.

So with Google ready to respond to our questions, we as patient advocates and healthcare consultants have to be ready to employ new skills with the information that Google presents to us so that we can help our clients with their big and complex problems.

Raymond Rupert patient advocate and healthcare consultant.

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I was challenged by the medical establishment for using telehealth about 5 years ago.

I had partnered with pharmacies in remote communities to provide advice about travel medications.

A doctor in the community complained about my use of telehealth. He did not like the competition in travel health services.

This lead to a formal investigation by the authorities for using telehealth technology partnering with pharmacists.

So the irony today is that with COVID most interactions with doctors are virtual using telehealth.

Telehealth companies are dominating healthcare delivery nationally and internationally.

This is easier for the patient and for the doctors. It is cost effective. It is safer. It is based on the patient’s needs and not the doctor’s availability. When a call is booked, the patient does not have to wait for 2 hours in the waiting room with other patients coughing on them.

It will be impossible to return to the old model of face to face checkups.

So COVID has the unexpected benefit of accelerating innovation in care delivery to benefit the patients.

Raymond Rupert patient advocate & healthcare consultant.

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