Dave Marcelletti, MBA, serves as Vice Chair of Supply Chain Management for Mayo Clinic.
On May 26th, Dave will serve on the panel "Supply Chain - Navigating Change, Using Technology to Increase Productivity and more" at Becker's Hospital Review 11th Annual Meeting. As part of an ongoing series, Becker's is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference, which will take place on April 6-9, 2020 in Chicago.
To learn more about the conference and Dave's session, click here.
Question: What do you see as the most exciting opportunity in healthcare right now?
Dave Marcelletti: Health care is moving in so many directions, and that is influenced mostly by the marketplace of smarter consumers. This will drive:
- Increasing number in minimally-invasive procedures leading to better outcomes, increased patient satisfaction and potential cost reductions.
- Accurate diagnosis — anywhere, anytime; digital platforms will foster consumerism to advance in health care as people want seamless and convenient care.
- The use of artificial intelligence (AI) to aid in discovery in increase speed to diagnoses.
- The increase of individualized medicine tailored to the individual.
- Growth in virtual interactions/virtual visits.
- “Do more with less”. Old business models become obsolete. New players will circumvent current payment models, and the use of AI and advanced technologies will lower costs in many areas.
- New players are emerging in the market reshaping primary care using digital technologies to meet the changing demands of consumers (i.e., Walmart, CVS, telemedicine, etc…).) These emerging new players are providing these services for significantly less than a traditional “office-visit”.
Q: Healthcare has had calls for disruption, innovation and transformation for years now. Do you feel we are seeing that change? Why or why not?
DM: Health care has more access to big data than ever before. Biobanks are being developed to house large amounts of genomic data, and with the creation of “home DNA”, people are learning more about their genetic make-up. Consumers are more in touch with their health (“always on” IOT information, wearables, fitness sensors) and have access to a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips. The reality is patients’ needs are changing, and healthcare needs to evolve to meet those expectations. For example, think about how you shopped for goods and services, banked or booked travel 15 years ago. Today you can manage most of these business and personal needs from a tool in the palm of your hand. Those same consumer interests in accessibility and convenience will surely affect health care over the next 5-10 years.
Q: What, from your perspective, is the biggest challenge about the future of work for hospitals, and what can they do about it? (i.e. automation, desire for more flexibility, clinician shortages, etc.)
DM: I think we will continue to have concerns with burnout especially on the physician role as they continue to be asked to do more. It does appear that shortages within the workforce will continue as well. I believe it is important to reduce administrative burden wherever we can to allow providers time with patients and continue to diminish the stressors like documentation. Automation can help with that, and I believe we will continue to see a movement towards disease prevention through primary care, wellness centers and many other resources to prevent chronic disease. Lastly, I think we will be taking care of patients longer. As minimally invasive procedures/robotics continues to evolve we can perform procedures of patients that previously may have been too risky.
Q: What, if anything, should hospitals be doing now given economists' projections of a forthcoming economic downturn?
DM: We always need to be thinking about changes in health care. Whether that is an economic downturn, health care reform, changes to Medicare/Medicaid, regulations, etc. Combine change with our aging population and we will see an incredible, if not overwhelming, need to be more proactive in monitoring and measuring costs and reducing total cost of care wherever possible with agility we have not seen in the past.
One positive may be that economic challenges could drive more physicians to become employees of their health systems which can foster decreases in variability and costs of care. With this dynamic, health care executives may have more opportunities to take advantage of implementing changes with their people, processes, technologies, including standardization of supplies & equipment.
"What's one lesson you learned early in your career that has helped you lead in healthcare?
The greatest lessons I learned in healthcare were three things on my first day of medical school: “listen to your patients they will tell you what is wrong, don’t be over-enamored with technology, and give every patient something for their time of need”. More true today!
What do you see as the most exciting opportunity in healthcare right now?
With society’s obsession with technology, now is the time to harness cutting edge technology to facilitate the human interaction, not replace it.
Healthcare has had calls for disruption, innovation and transformation for years now. Do you feel we are seeing that change? Why or why not?
As the saying goes, “One person’s innovation is another person’s disruption”. Transformation may be the most over-used word in healthcare today. True transformation (dramatic change) will come from a grass roots movement (outside the corporate walls) and led by synthetical thinkers who by doing what is best for patients will find it is best for business."