Here, 10 chief innovation and digital officers from hospitals and health systems across the U.S. share their predictions on what companies will become the biggest tech and retail disruptors to healthcare.
Question: Which retail or tech giant will be the biggest disrupter to healthcare?
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Daniel Durand, MD, chief innovation officer at LifeBridge Health (Baltimore): I think there’s a difference between what the intention of the different groups is versus what they seem to be achieving in real time, but I would have to put my money on Amazon.
Omer Awan, chief data and digital officer at Atrium Health (Charlotte, N.C.): Amazon and Walmart. However, Best Buy and Comcast can disrupt in a major way as well.
Lisa Prasad, vice president and chief innovation officer at Henry Ford Health System (Detroit): Apple.
Aaron Martin, executive vice president and chief digital and innovation officer at Providence (Renton, Wash.): I think it’s going to be a tie but in very different markets. In the millennial/commercial market, it will probably be Amazon. And in the Medicare market, it will probably be Walmart.
Peter Fleischut, MD, senior vice president and chief transformation officer at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (New York City): I think Microsoft is a pretty impressive technology giant, and the work it takes on is pretty impressive. I think the thing about technology giants is that they transcend almost any industry, so while they might not technically be involved in just healthcare, I think what they’ve done is pretty impressive.
Muthu Krishnan, PhD, chief digital transformation officer at IKS Health (Burr Ridge, Ill.): Walmart in the retail clinic segment and Amazon for online prescription fulfillment.
Nick Patel, MD, chief digital officer of Prisma Health (Columbia, S.C.): Amazon.
Omkar Kulkarni, chief innovation officer of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles: There won’t be just one. The healthcare industry is rapidly innovating, and nontraditional entrants from retail and tech are contributing to the accelerated and often disruptive innovation. I believe COVID-19 has been and will be a further catalyst to an already rapidly changing industry.
Tom Andriola, vice chancellor of IT and data at UC Irvine (Calif.): So many to name, but here’s a few: Optum, Walmart, CVS and Amazon.
John Brownstein, PhD, chief innovation officer of Boston Children’s Hospital: Google.
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