Transitioning to the digital world and implementing technological initiatives need thorough planning. If healthcare organizations want to stay relevant and connected with people, it is essential that they adapt to these changes as well. It is important, however, to note that the finer points of evolution, along with creating a roadmap in achieving such endeavor, can prove to be a fine challenge.
Success seems less certain, especially since technology shifts and changes each day. Although highly encouraged, experts like Steve Horvath, chief architect for service management solutions at CDW, note that “digital transformation” is an effort with no clear blueprints. Horvath, for instance, reports having asked ten people about what “digital transformation” means, and he received ten different answers, to no surprise.
Each healthcare system, after all, operates in different outlooks. Moreover, the needs of providers and patients vary greatly. The road to achieving digital healthcare transformation isn’t impossible, and with a good team of healthcare executives, leaders, and IT experts, a roadmap to digital transformation is possible.
To jumpstart your digital transformation journey, here four key tips to consider:
- Determine the key problems and opportunities
Healthcare teams must first identify the key problems and opportunities that currently drive the efforts. Horvath shares a guiding question that healthcare teams must always keep in mind: How do we define value? Transitioning to digital requires time and money, after all.
To ensure transparency, identifying and understanding how each improvement can ultimately benefit users will sway executive-level concerns. Tech teams, on the other hand, should be ready to provide transparency and consistency within the service management – driving goals from a service-oriented viewpoint should always be prioritized.
Remember: the road to digital transformation always holds value. To convince every stakeholder to share your vision, such value should always be highlighted.
- Ensure that your objectives balance out
According to Horvath, an effective roadmap to digital healthcare transformation stresses equal importance on three elements: the people, process, and technology. This involves determining the individuals delivering and receiving services, addressing possible questions on security and usability, and then gauging necessary tools that improve delivery and competitiveness.
Dubbed as a three-pronged approach, this has been reported to benefit initiatives of varying degrees. As long as done well and correctly, it can make an impact from small scale efforts – the improvement of the onboarding process for new employees up and website development – up to larger efforts, such as the implementation of a BYOD policy for specific staff up and even systemwide cloud migration initiatives. Whatever the case, striking a balance for every stakeholder is essential.
- Ensure that the value transcends to everyone involved
Huge efforts like a digital healthcare transformation should rightfully increase value to everyone. New programs or devices could affect everyone differently, which is why problems may arise. To address such cases, an interdisciplinary team must be kept on standby to analyze, plan, and troubleshoot every new idea before presenting them to the executives.
Such efforts ensure that healthy change remains to be the priority of everyone involved. This is particularly important for any possibility of mergers and acquisitions, a process of which continues to affect the healthcare landscape.
- Keep your plans flexible for possible challenges
Your roadmap to digital healthcare transformation is crucial. As with anything, certain roadblocks will come up throughout the process. As you transition from systems that have operated for long periods to innovative and technological processes, challenges will arise.
As such, treat your roadmap as something “in progress.” Focus on small victories and boost your team morale. Regularly chart effective progress and everyone’s role in achieving goals. Remember that change takes time.
Insights
The journey to digital transformation will be rewarding, albeit challenging. This is why it is important to equip yourself with the right tools – people to collaborate with, a carefully constructed roadmap, a vision to keep, and goals to follow.
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