This episode features Melinda Cooling, Chief Clinician Executive Saint Gabriel Digital Health at OSF HealthCare. Here, she discusses leveraging technology to provide better patient experience & access to care, what aspects of healthcare that are primed for IT disruption today, challenges surrounding workforce shortages, and more.
Summary
Discover How OSF HealthCare's Chief Clinician Executive is Leveraging Technology to Improve Patient Care
Introduction
Melinda Cooling, Chief Clinician Executive Saint Gabriel Digital Health at OSF HealthCare, talks about the power of technology in healthcare for improving patient experience and access to care. In this episode, she discusses the areas of healthcare that are ready to make use of IT disruption, the challenges surrounding workforce shortages, and how technology can help.
Transforming Patient Experience and Care Access with Technology
Melinda Cooling is most excited about the new care delivery models and digital tools that are evolving in healthcare. She explains that digital technologies provide an excellent opportunity to connect with patients at different stages in their healthcare journey. She believes that EMR system integration with digital technologies is crucial, along with easy-to-use clinical documentation for both clinicians and patients, decreasing disruption to day-to-day clinician-patient interaction, cybersecurity, and focusing on the clinician and patient experience.
Areas of Healthcare Primed for IT Disruption Today
According to Melinda Cooling, the areas of healthcare that are primed for IT disruption include mental health, addiction, and telemedicine. The digital health arena is ripe for the application of technology and virtual tools to help patients manage their health issues, particularly during the COVID-19 era. The pandemic has demonstrated the importance of virtual hospital care in reducing inpatient bed demand and reducing patient exposure to contagion while still receiving quality medical care.
Preparing for Workforce Shortages in Healthcare
Melinda Cooling is anticipating a few significant challenges in healthcare's next two years, including workforce and change management. The rapid pace of technological changes in every industry is causing a workforce shortage across America. Talent management, employee training and retention, and motivating employees to embrace digital health technologies are just a handful of areas that Melinda Cooling thinks are crucial for maintaining workforce skills.
Conclusion
Technology's power in healthcare cannot be underestimated in this technological age, and Melinda Cooling of OSF Healthcare is utilizing the latest technology to improve healthcare, from telemedicine to virtual hospital care to mental health and addiction care. Additionally, she plans on preparing the workforce and managing change effectively to maintain a knowledgeable and motivated workforce, as the industry continues to innovate and change over time.
Note: This is an AI generated transcript, not edited by a staff writer and is solely intended for educational purposes. If you have any questions/concerns, reach out to podcasts@beckershealthcare.com
This episode aired on 11/05/2022 and can be listened here.
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