Transforming Health Tech: A Call to Innovate and Improve Patient Care

TL/DR –

Healthcare and technology leaders are working to improve the broken health tech system. They are striving to make it as efficient and personalized as other sectors that have integrated technology. Efforts include creating a national provider directory to improve communication and patient care, modernizing data sharing for Medicare and Medicaid with a focus on security and privacy, and developing smart tools to help patients manage their care.

Revamping Healthcare with Technology: A Call to Action

Technology pervades modern life, from checking into flights on your mobile, tracking heart rates live, to receiving personalized grocery suggestions. However, the health sector lags behind, with patients often stuck printing records and repeatedly filling out the same forms, creating frustration and danger.

Healthcare and tech leaders recently congregated at the White House to address these issues, signaling that it’s time to stop waiting and start building better health tech.

Real-life stories, like that of a girl named Morgan with a rare disease, highlight the pressing need for progress. Despite seeing 12 doctors and taking 21 medications, her care is largely uncoordinated and lacking in real-time feedback. Her smartwatch, for example, encourages movement, but it doesn’t account for her condition’s limitations or offer personalized advice.

However, when Morgan uploaded her medical records into an AI assistant, she discovered a critical discrepancy in her diagnoses. This discrepancy could make her eligible for a clinical trial – a potential gamechanger after 15 years of little progress. This story underscores the promise of connected data and smart tools when they function optimally.

Although the federal government has made strides in digitizing healthcare, it’s not enough. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are now focusing on building the infrastructure needed for private sector innovation. This includes a collaboration with the U.S. DOGE Service to create a long-overdue national provider directory to facilitate real-time communication and enable connected care.

Currently, no single source provides up-to-date information about healthcare providers. This lack of information results in wasted administrative effort, costing over $2.7 billion annually according to the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare.

The government is also modernizing how Medicare and Medicaid data are shared, ensuring security and privacy at every step. It’s creating a network of providers where patient privacy, consent, and transparency are paramount, and individuals maintain control of their data.

However, the federal government cannot do this alone. The private sector, clinicians, developers, caregivers, and startups need to step up. They need to develop tools that provide real outcomes, offering a healthcare experience that’s as efficient, intuitive, and personalized as other consumer products.

Imagine a world where you can scan a QR code at your doctor’s office to instantly share your health history, or have an AI assistant that knows your care plan. This is what healthcare can and should look like. The time to stop accepting what’s broken and start building what works is now.

Are you ready to be a part of the solution? Join the movement at cms.gov/health-tech-ecosystem.

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