Amid the challenges COVID-19 continues to befall, we find providers throughout the country rallying once again in response to the needs of their communities and health systems.
The vast majority of reported COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the U.S. are among those who are unvaccinated. COVID-19 rates have increased throughout the country due to the Delta variant and vaccine hesitancy. HealthTrust has reinstated its biweekly executive briefings and membership updates regarding clinical considerations and supply chain resiliency. Contact your HealthTrust Account Director for more information, or visit our public education site for helpful COVID-19 clinical resources.
In this issue
The exemplary efforts of two of our member organizations and how they have faced the COVID pandemic with innovative solutions are examined. Learn how San Diego-based Scripps Health and Las Vegas-based University Medical Center of Southern Nevada (UMC) successfully navigated logistical and supply chain challenges to make a difference in their communities through sharing information and establishing mass testing sites and vaccination clinics.
Imagine a future where the latest healthcare innovations will increasingly rely on telemedicine and artificial intelligence (AI) to better serve patients, especially in rural and at-risk populations. HealthTrust Physician Advisor Troy Sybert, M.D., MPH, not only imagines this scenario—he sees it as an eventual reality based on how telehealth, AI and remote monitoring are evolving.
The benefits of interoperability in healthcare are discussed, as we take a look at the Center for Medical Interoperability (C4MI™) based in Nashville, Tennessee. Its mission is to accelerate the seamless exchange of information to improve the safety and quality of care, enable innovation, remove risk and cost from the system, and increase patient engagement. Representing hospitals and health systems, C4MI is collaborating with large technology vendors and policy groups to create certifications and technical infrastructure specifications for medical systems and devices.
Two HealthTrust members, Beaumont Health in Michigan and Steward Health Care in Texas, share details on successful product conversion and standardization initiatives. Learn how they engaged their physicians and utilized clinical value analysis to inform the process. HealthTrust Physician Advisor and general surgeon Bruce McIntosh, M.D., explains his role in Steward Health’s hernia mesh standardization.
And, finally, a friendly reminder that HealthTrust’s Innovation Center is open for submissions. Suppliers are invited to share their new and innovative FDA-approved products related to patient care, information technology and supply chain management for possible contracting consideration. The center is open online year-round for submissions from both current and prospective suppliers.
If your facility or health system has a need for COVID-related evidence or support to fully combat vaccine hesitancy, reach out to HealthTrust’s Clinical Services team at clinical.research@healthtrustpg.com
John Young, M.D., MBA, FACHE
Chief Medical Officer, HealthTrust
Executive Publisher & Editor-at-large, The Source magazine
