HIMSS 2011 Report
The Health Information Management Systems Society, or HIMSS, conference this week in Orlando was a most interesting, and often delightful, experience. For me, it was almost continuous networking/meetings with entities that are seeking the best methodologies for delivering patient centered, value-based care. This movement is still a sideshow to the heavily capitalized power elites chasing the traditional volume-based health care delivery products. However, there is a definite shift taking place. I first detected this shift at last year’s show, and it is quickly gaining steam as both the government and several major players in the industry have more openly advocated the necessity of moving from industry-centric to patient-centric information management. There are relatively few at this gathering of over 31,000 that understand what this really means and even fewer that have any real experience. Because the SOAPware team has had this focus for almost 2 decades, we had the ear of many industry and government leaders during a dozen or more side meetings during the week. There is a recognition and movement toward the true interoperability and open standards (focusing on the Internet) that will be necessary to disrupt what is currently so dysfunctional.
At times, during the conference, when on the exhibit floor between many monstrous booths, I could not help but wonder if what most around me were experiencing would subsequently prove to be very similar to what the passengers of the Titanic experienced... the day before...
This next year, as healthcare policy rolls out promoting Accountable Care Organizations and Patient Centered Medical Homes, there is going to be a great acceleration away from the traditionally monolithic, siloed information systems that currently dominate the healthcare world. This is also going to finally open the industry to innovation and more efficient/appropriate uses of clinicians other than turning them into harried, distracted, data entry clerks. The interest in SOAPware’s approach to using medical coordinators and patients to perform almost all of the data entry is clearly the future. I predict the recent past, and current times, will soon prove to have been the darkest of eras for patients and the doctors deserving of their trust.
Time permitting… I will make some comments in the near future as to some more of the specifics.
SOAPware, Inc. 4220 N. Crossover Road, Fayetteville, AR 72703 US: (800) 455-7627 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (800) 455-7627 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
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Just an additional couple of comments. I am yet to be convinced that the ACO approach will prove wise, but it is coming. A lot about this is yet to be defined, and the regulations/requirements are due to be announced any day now.
In contrast, evolving the industry to more patient-centric care is the only path out of imminent disaster. While I have some issues with some of the current PCMH requirements, it is the best of options under consideration. Regardless, Physicians and patients need to be more involved with the policy-making process.
Capitation is coming. In contrast to the 1990s when per member per month failed, information systems like Randall has developed are now robust enough to handle cost of outpatient care with minimal enhancements. Whether called an ACO or medical home, a fixed fee to the primary care physician, a generous salary for everyone else, a sliding scale deductible that makes patients aware of costs, and a catastrophic insurance ceiling is the only answer to controlling costs.
In any case, these are interesting times for practicing medicine. The greatest opportunities for advancement always come from times of crisis.
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