Hospitals and health systems are deploying a variety of technologies and digital tools to help transform care delivery and alleviate staffing challenges.
In recent years, which technology stands out in your organization for changing healthcare delivery?
Arun Jayaraman: A highlight in rehab is the use of wearable sensors and computers visual technology. They are critical in helping determine when to increase or decrease therapeutic care. When do you introduce new interventions? When is the patient at risk of falling? …automating clinical measures using these sensors can speed up the process, providing higher resolution in determining whether someone’s condition is improving.
Dr. Scott Rissmiller: We really rely on our virtual care platform. Virtual care is something we started investing in over a decade ago. So when the pandemic hit, it allowed us to move patients quickly to virtual services right from the start. It’s also inspired a lot of innovation—notably “home care,” which treats hospital-level patients in the comfort of their own home.
Can you share another example of a technology that shows great potential?
Jayaraman: Robotics has shifted from large rigid robots to light, soft or modular An automated robot that you simply put on your seat belt and control from your smartphone. They could be used for therapy, self-monitoring to improve the situation, or to guide clinicians when it is OK to wean patients off the robot. And also provides personal mobility for patients who are paralyzed or who just need assistance after surgery.
Rissmiller: There are some exciting things going on in the outpatient setting – enabling our clinicians and nurses to be more effective tools to work locally, such as a virtual scribe. It’s technology that writes clinicians’ notes for patients as they talk to them, using artificial intelligence to pick up key terms. These tools save our clinicians a lot of time.
What partnerships or collaborations are you involved in related to advancing healthcare technology?
Jayaraman: One of the main tasks of the Center for Technology and Innovation is working with industry partners , investigators and scientists around the world to learn about the latest cutting-edge technology. …these partners have great ideas, but they don’t always know how to bring them to the clinical market. We work closely with American and international universities, as well as companies such as Samsung and Honda.
Rissmiller: We’re in many different conversations with industry and technology companies. One of the things we’re incredibly excited about is building an innovation district in Charlotte, North Carolina, with the help of important philanthropic causes. We have partnerships with industry organizations and technology companies that will help us create the future of care in innovative and collaborative ways.
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