Monday, August 9, 2021
Issue 125
By now, readers of this newsletter have gotten used to my penchant for using pop/rock song titles as the subject line. The song I chose this week is by punk rock legends The Clash. What better metaphor could capture the zeitgeist that Casey Ross of STAT News describes as the clash between plans for health tech’s biggest gathering and Covid-19 concerns? A delightful twist to the irony is that there is a collector’s edition of the song single with “Inoculated City” as its B-side, released in May1982 – a fitting flip side to the question facing HIMSS attendees for the past few weeks: Is Vegas inoculated enough?
Here we are, then. Split between those who are going and those who are staying. I, like many others that I was hoping to meet at the conference, have decided not to go. Many exhibitors have withdrawn and the usual after-hours gatherings have been canceled. HIMSS organizers are coy about sharing details on which sessions will be virtual and which will be in person. In full transparency, I must state that both my sessions – Enterprise Digital Transformation with Geisinger Health, and a panel discussion titled What did Pharma learn from the COVID-19 pandemic – will be virtual sessions.
One thing is clear: the conference will not be anywhere close to the massive, joyful congregations of the HIMSS conferences of yesteryear. However, the good news for those not planning to attend in person is that HIMSS will be streaming many of the sessions.
Either way, I wish everyone a great conference this week and hope to see you, even if virtually, at my sessions.
Have a great week.
Paddy
Podcast of the Week
In this episode, Matthew Roman discusses how Duke Health is implementing a number of foundational technology platforms for effective patient engagement and care delivery over the next couple of years.
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This Week in Digital Health Markets
We are selectively featuring guest posts in our newsletter from senior leaders in healthcare and technology. Reach out to us if you would like to contribute a blog to one of our upcoming newsletters.
As HIMSS approaches, plans for health tech’s biggest gathering are clashing with Covid-19 concerns
It was supposed to be a coming out party for the digital health industry after a huge year of business. But one of the sector’s biggest annual gatherings is shaping up to be a microcosm of another distressing moment in the pandemic. STAT News
HIMSS21 will stream some in-person sessions online
The several major keynotes and “views from the top” sessions will be available to watch via HIMSS21 Digital and the new Accelerate platform. HIMSS News
How Geisinger made governance a key to its digital transformation
At HIMSS21, I will be presenting along with Karen Murphy, Chief Innovation Officer on how centralized governance smoothed the way for more effective enterprise-wide technology decisions. Healthcare IT News
The ‘giant sucking sound’ of digital health consolidation
The ongoing wave of mergers and acquisitions makes sense for startups and their VC backers. What does it mean for CIOs at their health system customers? Healthcare IT News
DOJ mulls lawsuit to intervene in UnitedHealth-Change Healthcare deal: reports
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is mulling a lawsuit to intervene in UnitedHealth Group’s nearly $8 billion acquisition of Change Healthcare, according to media reports. Fierce Healthcare
What Google Cloud learned about interoperability from Mayo Clinic
Google is piloting its healthcare data engine, a tool intended to build longitudinal patient records and pull in data from multiple sources. Early work with Mayo Clinic served as a foundation for the technology. MedCity News
Microsoft expands data interoperability, search offerings in healthcare cloud: 6 details
Microsoft rolled out new health data services for its healthcare cloud platform, including the ability to share multiple data types in the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources format. Becker’s Hospital Review
Regulating digital health apps needs user-centered reform
When people seek health information, they expect what they get to be reliable and accurate. But these expectations can be dashed, especially by digital health devices, many of which are not reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration or other regulatory body. STAT News
Morgan Health outlines strategy for disrupting the employer-sponsored market
Two months after its launch, JP Morgan-backed Morgan Health has made its first investment, dropping $50 million in Vera Whole Health. Modern Healthcare
Note: Some of the articles linked in this newsletter may be behind paywalls that need a subscription.
Events
Enterprise Digital Transformation: The Geisinger Experience
Our CEO Paddy Padmanabhan and Geisinger EVP and CIO Karen Murphy to present best practices and learnings from how a large integrated health system is driving a multi-year digital transformation roadmap at HIMSS21 on August 10, 2021 | 1:00PM – 2:00 PM PDT in Room Alliance 315, The Caesars.
Mark your calendar! EventWhat Did Pharma Learn From The COVID-19 Pandemic
In this session at HIMSS21, Paddy Padmanabhan will discuss lessons learned by pharma during the pandemic and the role of digital health, interoperability, and real-world evidence will play in reshaping clinical trials and accelerating drug development. on August10, 2021 | 11:00 AM – 11:40 AM PDT | Wynn, Mearsault.
Mark your calendar! Event
The Healthcare QualityCast: Unlocking the Healthcare Digital Transformation with Paddy Padmanabhan
In this podcast, our CEO Paddy Padmanabhan shares insights on the path in developing as an industry thought leader of healthcare technology strategies. He highlights how the pandemic has given digital technology strategies a much-needed boost across the industry. Podcast
Damo Consulting Thought Leadership and Research
A booming digital health market, and an elusive trifecta
Health system CIOs are reducing their tech footprint and consolidating their IT systems for agility and efficiency. For digital health startups to succeed in this space, they must get three factors right: cost, scale and quality. Blog
The Digital Health Solution Selection Process
When health systems look for solution partners to execute their digital priorities, the decision process typically looks like this. Infographic
AI-enabled physicians: rethinking care delivery
While traditionally deeply skeptical of artificial intelligence in clinical settings, in today’s fast-changing care delivery landscape many physicians are thinking more proactively about how how AI can improve quality and patient experience. Blog
Corporate Announcements
Paddy Padmanabhan, Damo Consulting CEO to Speak on Enterprise Digital Transformation at HIMSS21
Paddy Padmanabhan, CEO of Damo Consulting and author of “Healthcare Digital Transformation: How Consumerization, Technology, And Pandemic Are Accelerating The Future,” will present at the 2021 HIMSS Global Conference& Exhibition on August 10, 2021 Press Release