On April 12th, Mark Dooley will speak on a panel at Becker’s Hospital Review 9th 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 April 11-14, 2018 in Chicago.
To learn more about the conference and Mark’s session, click here.
Question: Who or what are the disruptors that have your attention? Why?
Mark Dooley: The disruptor that has my attention is the whole concept of predictive analytics. I see tremendous value in this area moving forward and I think if used correctly it has the potential to radically change the way health systems serve their populations. As an example, my system is in the early stages of working with an outside organization to evaluate our diabetic population and try to determine some predictors that might lead to ED visits or inpatient stays. The amount of data out there is mind-blowing and partnering with someone who possesses the ability to mine that data into something meaningful is very appealing to me. Imagine developing DATA-DRIVEN predictors and focusing on prevention efforts in those areas – the reduction in resource utilization and health complications could be tremendous.
Q: What did you notice about your healthcare experience the last time you were at the receiving end as a patient?
MD: When I receive healthcare services I, of course, receive those services at the system I lead. What I noticed the last time is the same thing that strikes me every time – healthcare in general (and my system specifically) is blessed with some really incredible people. The combination of knowledge, caring and compassion that exists within healthcare workers is something that is hard to match in any industry. It takes a special person to work in a field that, more often than not, your customers are in a very vulnerable and difficult situation. Encountering people in those circumstances and turning that difficult situation into something positive is so rewarding. While none of us are perfect and not all outcomes are what we hope for, the caring and compassion shown in healthcare helps many through those times. I like to tell our staff that we are not just taking care of patients and families, we are changing lives. Every day.
Q: How do you see the barrier between competitors and collaborators changing?
MD: When I look at this through the lens of my system, a thriving mid-sized system, this is an area that we see as vital to our success. While it is critical for systems such as ours to collaborate with tertiary systems to provide easier access to advanced care for our community, I also see the landscape changing where smaller systems will join together in regional alliances on a much larger scale than they are currently. While similar systems in a geographic region have traditionally only competed, many are seeing the opportunities available by collaborating in areas where we have common interests. For example, a system our size would have a difficult time implementing true population health management alone but if we were to combine resources with other systems and create a larger patient population and economies of scale, then we might be in a position to better serve our communities. Other opportunities could exist in clinical pathways, expense controls (benefits, overhead departments) and potentially payer contracting. I see a future where smaller systems will still compete for business but collaborate more where it makes sense.
