1 00:00:00,235 --> 00:00:02,205 - Prepare to dive into the forefront 2 00:00:02,225 --> 00:00:05,525 of healthcare innovation at our 14th annual meeting coming 3 00:00:05,545 --> 00:00:06,645 up on April 8th 4 00:00:06,645 --> 00:00:10,765 through 11th at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago, with thousands 5 00:00:10,765 --> 00:00:13,965 of industry leaders converging over four dynamic days 6 00:00:13,985 --> 00:00:16,805 of discussions on crucial topics from health IT 7 00:00:17,185 --> 00:00:18,685 to executive leadership. 8 00:00:18,995 --> 00:00:21,325 It's where the future of healthcare takes shape. 9 00:00:21,865 --> 00:00:24,085 We can't wait to connect with you in person 10 00:00:24,305 --> 00:00:26,725 and engage in these important conversations. 11 00:00:27,275 --> 00:00:29,445 - Welcome to the Becker's Healthcare Podcast, made 12 00:00:29,445 --> 00:00:31,125 for the people who power US healthcare. 13 00:00:31,465 --> 00:00:32,805 I'm Molly Gamble with Becker's, 14 00:00:32,805 --> 00:00:35,365 and today I am sitting down with Kevin Uric, CIO 15 00:00:35,365 --> 00:00:37,405 of University of Mississippi Medical Center 16 00:00:37,545 --> 00:00:39,085 to learn more about his role 17 00:00:39,105 --> 00:00:40,685 and his top priorities as of late. 18 00:00:40,975 --> 00:00:42,325 Kevin, welcome to the podcast. 19 00:00:42,465 --> 00:00:45,405 Thanks so much for being my guest. How are you today? 20 00:00:45,545 --> 00:00:47,245 And where does the podcast find you? 21 00:00:48,425 --> 00:00:49,605 - Hey, Molly. Life is good. 22 00:00:49,705 --> 00:00:51,405 I'm in Jackson, Mississippi today, 23 00:00:51,745 --> 00:00:53,725 and the spring has sprung down here. 24 00:00:53,865 --> 00:00:55,965 My kids are finishing up spring break 25 00:00:56,025 --> 00:00:58,645 and looking forward to summer break. So all is well. 26 00:00:59,065 --> 00:01:00,525 - That's great. You know, and, 27 00:01:00,545 --> 00:01:02,925 and looking up University of Mississippi Medical Center, 28 00:01:02,925 --> 00:01:04,485 Kevin, I was doing some more research 29 00:01:04,545 --> 00:01:07,965 and I didn't realize Jackson Mississippi is on a volcano. 30 00:01:09,435 --> 00:01:11,605 - Yeah, I didn't either until you just told me that. 31 00:01:11,625 --> 00:01:12,525 No, actually I heard about 32 00:01:12,525 --> 00:01:13,605 that about three or four years ago. 33 00:01:13,715 --> 00:01:14,925 It's wild, isn't it? ? 34 00:01:15,725 --> 00:01:17,645 I think our cols, our cosm was 35 00:01:17,805 --> 00:01:19,605 actually built right on top of it. How wild is that? 36 00:01:20,325 --> 00:01:22,005 - ? I was hoping your response. 37 00:01:22,165 --> 00:01:23,365 I was hoping I got the right Jack 38 00:01:23,465 --> 00:01:24,605 and you had me nervous for a 39 00:01:24,605 --> 00:01:26,165 second , so, okay, . 40 00:01:26,665 --> 00:01:28,645 Um, well, you know what, for, for listeners 41 00:01:28,645 --> 00:01:30,805 who might be less familiar with the University 42 00:01:30,805 --> 00:01:32,285 of Mississippi Medical Center, can, 43 00:01:32,285 --> 00:01:34,765 can you share a few key facts about the hospital 44 00:01:34,765 --> 00:01:35,885 and the organization just 45 00:01:35,885 --> 00:01:37,445 to help us better reacquaint ourselves? 46 00:01:38,435 --> 00:01:40,135 - You bet. We're in Jackson, we're about two 47 00:01:40,135 --> 00:01:43,495 and a half hours, um, south of Ole Miss, which is in Oxford, 48 00:01:43,515 --> 00:01:44,855 but Ole Miss is our mothership. 49 00:01:45,475 --> 00:01:48,215 We are the only, uh, academic medical center in the state. 50 00:01:48,275 --> 00:01:50,935 We are the only level one trauma center in the state, 51 00:01:50,955 --> 00:01:53,135 and we have the only children's hospital in the state. 52 00:01:53,195 --> 00:01:55,975 So it's, um, quite, quite a lot of onlys here for us. 53 00:01:56,075 --> 00:01:57,495 And from a volume perspective, 54 00:01:58,195 --> 00:02:00,255 we have about a million ambulatory visits a year 55 00:02:00,255 --> 00:02:02,455 and about 285,000 inpatient days. 56 00:02:03,655 --> 00:02:06,315 - So the, the, the one and only in a number of ways, as 57 00:02:06,375 --> 00:02:09,715 as you just helped us understand as CIO of such the, 58 00:02:09,735 --> 00:02:12,475 the state's sole academic medical center, 59 00:02:12,785 --> 00:02:14,275 sole level one trauma center. 60 00:02:14,845 --> 00:02:18,475 Kevin, do you feel a heightened sense of responsibility to, 61 00:02:18,495 --> 00:02:21,795 to pioneer specific tech innovations 62 00:02:21,855 --> 00:02:22,955 to the benefit of the state? 63 00:02:23,035 --> 00:02:27,075 I I'm curious how your work might be accentuated being the 64 00:02:27,075 --> 00:02:29,155 only in, in a number of ways, like you just said. 65 00:02:30,065 --> 00:02:31,755 - Yeah, I, I, that is, 66 00:02:31,855 --> 00:02:33,555 that's a convicting question, isn't it? 67 00:02:33,795 --> 00:02:35,235 ? Oh, you're the only and what are you doing? 68 00:02:35,855 --> 00:02:36,915 Our, um, it's cool 69 00:02:36,915 --> 00:02:40,315 because I think our leadership, um, here at UMMC, uh, 70 00:02:40,365 --> 00:02:43,195 talks all the time about making a healthier Mississippi. 71 00:02:43,215 --> 00:02:44,675 And so whether it's an internal message 72 00:02:44,695 --> 00:02:47,955 or an external message, we're constantly reminding ourselves 73 00:02:48,245 --> 00:02:50,955 about making it healthier here in Mississippi. 74 00:02:51,095 --> 00:02:54,315 And, um, so our researcher, look, our researchers are kind 75 00:02:54,315 --> 00:02:55,515 of looking for an edge all the time. 76 00:02:55,775 --> 00:02:58,675 Our clinicians are sort of just wanting things to be easier 77 00:02:58,745 --> 00:03:00,050 with fewer touchpoints, 78 00:03:00,145 --> 00:03:03,125 and typically our administrators just want 79 00:03:03,125 --> 00:03:05,165 to cut out expenses and maximize payments. 80 00:03:05,545 --> 00:03:07,045 And so I feel like, you know, 81 00:03:07,145 --> 00:03:10,125 I'm constantly battling this promise of some new technology 82 00:03:10,125 --> 00:03:11,325 that's gonna fill out one of the things 83 00:03:11,325 --> 00:03:14,205 that I've just mentioned that's normally in the hype cycle. 84 00:03:14,265 --> 00:03:15,365 You know, it's in the news and, 85 00:03:15,425 --> 00:03:16,965 and so I'm, I'm getting an email 86 00:03:17,025 --> 00:03:18,485 or a text about it here or there. 87 00:03:18,505 --> 00:03:20,725 And, and then what do I do? 88 00:03:20,905 --> 00:03:24,165 You know, when we have razor thin margins here as one 89 00:03:24,165 --> 00:03:27,565 of the poor states in the union, how do I pick, 90 00:03:27,665 --> 00:03:29,365 how do I select and what should I do? 91 00:03:29,365 --> 00:03:31,645 And, and there is that, that idea of, okay, well if, 92 00:03:31,705 --> 00:03:34,725 if UMMC is not gonna do it, that kind of leads the way 93 00:03:34,725 --> 00:03:37,005 for the rest of the state and, uh, healthcare in the state. 94 00:03:37,025 --> 00:03:38,365 And so that is something that does 95 00:03:38,365 --> 00:03:39,645 convict me on a regular basis. 96 00:03:39,825 --> 00:03:42,365 And I would say where I land on this is sort of just, 97 00:03:42,545 --> 00:03:44,165 you know, maximizing the potential 98 00:03:44,165 --> 00:03:45,845 of the solutions that we've already purchased. 99 00:03:45,845 --> 00:03:48,765 We've invested in an awesome EMR and an awesome ERP. 100 00:03:49,145 --> 00:03:51,605 Can we utilize those bad boys to make the, make it better 101 00:03:51,605 --> 00:03:53,685 for our clinicians or for our administrators? 102 00:03:54,145 --> 00:03:57,365 And then, you know, thinking about like something specific, 103 00:03:57,865 --> 00:04:00,405 how do we do things to make it healthier in Mississippi? 104 00:04:00,505 --> 00:04:02,805 And, and some of what we're we're finding out is 105 00:04:03,345 --> 00:04:06,285 if we can't keep our clinicians happy and they're, 106 00:04:06,305 --> 00:04:09,805 and they're constantly, um, thinking about being burned out, 107 00:04:09,865 --> 00:04:11,525 it takes away from that patient experience. 108 00:04:11,665 --> 00:04:13,205 And so I would say one of the things 109 00:04:13,205 --> 00:04:15,365 that we really are trying to do is, 110 00:04:15,365 --> 00:04:16,725 whether it's on the nursing side 111 00:04:16,725 --> 00:04:19,085 or on the physician side, how are we making it 112 00:04:19,145 --> 00:04:21,965 so nurses are at the bedside more doing the things 113 00:04:21,965 --> 00:04:23,445 that they like to do for the patients 114 00:04:23,945 --> 00:04:26,525 and physicians are actually interacting with the patients, 115 00:04:26,625 --> 00:04:28,125 uh, the patients and not doing quite 116 00:04:28,125 --> 00:04:29,445 as much administrative overhead. 117 00:04:29,745 --> 00:04:32,205 And so, so that's, those are some of the initiatives I'd say 118 00:04:32,205 --> 00:04:34,685 that I, that, that we're taking, um, a bigger 119 00:04:34,865 --> 00:04:36,645 and we're doing more towards those. 120 00:04:37,185 --> 00:04:39,245 - Mm-Hmm, . Kevin, do you know what 121 00:04:40,035 --> 00:04:42,285 UMCs operating margin is as of late? 122 00:04:43,575 --> 00:04:46,195 - It is thin. I think it's like one, one 123 00:04:46,195 --> 00:04:48,515 to 3%, something along those lines. Okay. 124 00:04:49,315 --> 00:04:51,035 - I mean, that's sensitivity the hype cycle. 125 00:04:51,195 --> 00:04:52,355 I I understand what you mean. 126 00:04:52,585 --> 00:04:54,555 What have you been seeing the hype cycle 127 00:04:54,555 --> 00:04:56,235 around tool solutions tech? 128 00:04:56,695 --> 00:04:58,555 Is there something that you feel like is really being 129 00:04:58,755 --> 00:05:00,155 hammered home a lot that, 130 00:05:00,155 --> 00:05:01,875 and maybe you're craving some other solutions 131 00:05:01,895 --> 00:05:03,315 or your needs look a little different than 132 00:05:03,315 --> 00:05:04,875 what the hype cycle is spitting out at you? 133 00:05:06,305 --> 00:05:09,515 - Well, I'm sure I'm not the only one that's been speaking 134 00:05:09,535 --> 00:05:12,835 of, you know, ai, but I I do feel like it's hit differently 135 00:05:13,125 --> 00:05:16,475 today than a lot of the other, you know, the cloud and data 136 00:05:16,575 --> 00:05:18,515 and all these things that we've, we've heard of in the past. 137 00:05:19,395 --> 00:05:21,715 I feel like AI is, is here to stay and, 138 00:05:21,735 --> 00:05:24,275 and generative AI specifically is one of those things 139 00:05:24,275 --> 00:05:27,795 that the e our EMR is even looking at this and, and, 140 00:05:27,895 --> 00:05:29,915 and taking it serious and they're developing. 141 00:05:29,955 --> 00:05:31,075 I was chatting with someone from them, 142 00:05:31,305 --> 00:05:32,395 from their company recently, 143 00:05:32,395 --> 00:05:34,635 and they're like, we've never seen our company kind 144 00:05:34,635 --> 00:05:36,515 of develop as fast as we are in this space. 145 00:05:36,655 --> 00:05:40,035 And so, um, we are doing, um, we're, we are, 146 00:05:40,035 --> 00:05:42,195 we're looking at something that we're looking at right now 147 00:05:42,195 --> 00:05:43,875 for our physicians is this, um, 148 00:05:44,385 --> 00:05:46,275 ambient listening for our providers. 149 00:05:46,455 --> 00:05:49,395 So you, you have an app on your phone, you set it up, 150 00:05:49,395 --> 00:05:52,595 you make sure the patients are aware and you start recording 151 00:05:52,895 --> 00:05:54,715 and you, you know, have a normal interaction 152 00:05:54,715 --> 00:05:57,445 with the patient and the app itself 153 00:05:57,625 --> 00:06:00,045 and the AI in inside the app knows enough 154 00:06:00,065 --> 00:06:02,165 to take away the ball game results 155 00:06:02,305 --> 00:06:04,085 or the spring break trip that they took 156 00:06:04,385 --> 00:06:06,485 and only inputs into the medical record 157 00:06:06,585 --> 00:06:09,405 and just the discrete fields, um, 158 00:06:09,475 --> 00:06:11,005 that which is relevant for them. 159 00:06:11,065 --> 00:06:13,285 And that enables the physician to no longer have 160 00:06:13,285 --> 00:06:15,525 to be typing in the medical record the entire time. 161 00:06:16,185 --> 00:06:18,365 And that's, you know, gosh, this has been around 162 00:06:18,365 --> 00:06:19,845 for a little bit, but the, the, um, 163 00:06:20,185 --> 00:06:22,445 the major players in this space, that's come a long way. 164 00:06:22,465 --> 00:06:23,765 And that's, to me, one 165 00:06:23,765 --> 00:06:26,125 of the most promising things from our physician perspective. 166 00:06:28,205 --> 00:06:29,915 - We'll talk a little bit more, Kevin, about some 167 00:06:29,915 --> 00:06:32,355 of the initiatives or areas of your work lately 168 00:06:32,355 --> 00:06:34,995 that are commanding most of your attention, your energy, 169 00:06:35,465 --> 00:06:37,315 what are you putting the most into as of late? 170 00:06:38,555 --> 00:06:40,085 - Yeah, that's it, that's another great question. 171 00:06:40,185 --> 00:06:42,885 We, we have an awesome telehealth group here, 172 00:06:43,345 --> 00:06:45,205 and our telehealth group has been working 173 00:06:45,235 --> 00:06:48,365 with another company that is, um, I think they, 174 00:06:48,365 --> 00:06:50,125 they would tout themselves as ai. 175 00:06:50,585 --> 00:06:54,525 And um, what they're doing is they've got a video solution 176 00:06:54,525 --> 00:06:55,805 that has AI built in 177 00:06:55,805 --> 00:06:57,525 with some algorithms that are localized. 178 00:06:57,665 --> 00:06:59,885 So it, it uses our patient demographics 179 00:07:00,065 --> 00:07:02,125 and some of the things associated with 180 00:07:02,125 --> 00:07:03,285 that patient through our EMR. 181 00:07:03,825 --> 00:07:06,605 And they, through video, they are able 182 00:07:06,625 --> 00:07:09,045 to predict if a patient's gonna fall out of bed 183 00:07:09,225 --> 00:07:10,685 or get out of bed, I guess I should say. 184 00:07:11,105 --> 00:07:13,365 Or if the patient hasn't been moved in a while, 185 00:07:13,365 --> 00:07:15,205 they're using video and they're alerting the nurses 186 00:07:15,345 --> 00:07:18,365 and the clinicians, um, Hey, be, be aware of this. 187 00:07:18,365 --> 00:07:20,725 This person may have something that is, you know, 188 00:07:20,725 --> 00:07:22,165 looking like they need to be rolled over 189 00:07:22,185 --> 00:07:23,365 so that you don't get the bed source. 190 00:07:23,735 --> 00:07:25,765 These are things that we have had predictive models 191 00:07:25,865 --> 00:07:27,365 for a long time for our nurses, 192 00:07:27,985 --> 00:07:30,365 but when you actually have a, a video and an 193 00:07:30,705 --> 00:07:32,925 and a an audio alert that's gonna tell you when 194 00:07:32,925 --> 00:07:34,325 that's gonna happen, it to us, 195 00:07:34,435 --> 00:07:37,205 that seems like it's something that will really reduce all 196 00:07:37,205 --> 00:07:40,085 of those, um, the, the indicators for that and, 197 00:07:40,145 --> 00:07:41,445 and we're excited about that. 198 00:07:42,065 --> 00:07:43,365 One of the other things that, that, 199 00:07:43,395 --> 00:07:45,725 that may sound, I mean, that's cool. 200 00:07:45,925 --> 00:07:47,245 I actually think that that's one of the things 201 00:07:47,245 --> 00:07:49,645 that's revolutionary and could change the way that we do. 202 00:07:49,945 --> 00:07:51,365 And this, and the, you know, the, uh, 203 00:07:51,365 --> 00:07:54,485 from a clinical quality perspective, how great will that be? 204 00:07:54,485 --> 00:07:56,085 It could also help with hand washing. 205 00:07:56,145 --> 00:07:59,445 If you're just walk walking by, um, the room and they, 206 00:07:59,445 --> 00:08:01,725 and the video captures you actually foaming 207 00:08:01,725 --> 00:08:03,165 and foaming out, then you don't have to have these 208 00:08:03,765 --> 00:08:06,005 witnesses across the, uh, hospital system that are, 209 00:08:06,025 --> 00:08:07,285 you know, sort of spying on you. 210 00:08:07,845 --> 00:08:09,805 I think that's really cool too. Same technology. 211 00:08:10,625 --> 00:08:13,045 One, um, one additional thing that, 212 00:08:13,075 --> 00:08:17,045 that I think is we constantly are talking about security 213 00:08:17,945 --> 00:08:20,285 and, uh, I am reminded, 214 00:08:20,285 --> 00:08:21,805 and I almost get a little bit of a chuckle now, 215 00:08:22,185 --> 00:08:24,045 but we are seeing more 216 00:08:24,145 --> 00:08:28,205 and more, um, events where a normal email 217 00:08:28,665 --> 00:08:31,485 or a normal SMS message, you know, that comes through 218 00:08:32,195 --> 00:08:33,605 that can't be blocked 219 00:08:33,715 --> 00:08:37,885 because it's just coming from your typical mail provider. 220 00:08:38,145 --> 00:08:39,565 But all it says is, Hey, I'm busy. 221 00:08:39,965 --> 00:08:41,965 I can't talk on the phone. Can you reach, can you, 222 00:08:41,985 --> 00:08:43,325 can you reply to me to me 223 00:08:43,625 --> 00:08:45,525 and, um, I've got some actions for you. 224 00:08:45,545 --> 00:08:46,925 And it gives the name of who it is 225 00:08:46,945 --> 00:08:48,845 and, you know, typically it's a very important person. 226 00:08:49,625 --> 00:08:52,485 And so naturally someone will just reply to that email, 227 00:08:52,905 --> 00:08:56,605 and ultimately what's happening is gift cards are being 228 00:08:56,835 --> 00:09:00,165 created for all of these bad guys out, um, out in the world, 229 00:09:00,505 --> 00:09:01,845 and our folks are getting duped. 230 00:09:01,985 --> 00:09:04,325 And there's really no technology way for us to solve 231 00:09:04,325 --> 00:09:06,205 that other than just education. 232 00:09:06,265 --> 00:09:08,845 But we're seeing that happen over and over and over. 233 00:09:08,945 --> 00:09:12,445 And so I'm reminded on a regular basis that, um, 234 00:09:12,745 --> 00:09:15,325 we can put in the most sophisticated tools 235 00:09:15,345 --> 00:09:16,805 and techniques that that will, 236 00:09:16,865 --> 00:09:18,165 you know, stop some of the bad guys. 237 00:09:18,185 --> 00:09:20,725 But really what's happening is just a simple SMS message 238 00:09:20,835 --> 00:09:24,845 from your air quotes boss that from a, from a number 239 00:09:24,845 --> 00:09:26,525 that you don't recognize is what's actually getting 240 00:09:26,525 --> 00:09:28,445 through and hurting us. Right? 241 00:09:28,495 --> 00:09:30,845 - Right. I am, you know, not 242 00:09:30,845 --> 00:09:32,765 that long ago was emails looked like, you know, 243 00:09:32,765 --> 00:09:34,245 I'm a I'm a prince, or I'm a king 244 00:09:34,245 --> 00:09:35,445 from this country. Do you remember those 245 00:09:35,765 --> 00:09:36,765 - ? 246 00:09:36,765 --> 00:09:37,605 Yeah, of course. Yeah, of course. 247 00:09:38,485 --> 00:09:40,565 - I mean, they've gotten a lot more, to your point, a lot, 248 00:09:40,745 --> 00:09:43,365 uh, more subtle and and tougher to detect. 249 00:09:43,465 --> 00:09:44,965 And the nature of a lot 250 00:09:44,965 --> 00:09:47,325 of these ransomware incidents too has just gotten in some 251 00:09:47,325 --> 00:09:48,365 ways so much more cruel. 252 00:09:48,395 --> 00:09:51,045 Like it feels more personal in some ways. Mm-Hmm. 253 00:09:51,085 --> 00:09:53,645 , whether it's attackers revealing hospital 254 00:09:53,845 --> 00:09:57,445 employee information or photos of patients, it feels like 255 00:09:57,995 --> 00:10:00,485 it's really become like an intimate act where in 256 00:10:00,485 --> 00:10:03,325 what time there was a level of anonymity to it 257 00:10:03,325 --> 00:10:05,085 where it didn't feel as, as personal. 258 00:10:06,265 --> 00:10:09,595 - Yeah, you're right. And for, you know, for those 259 00:10:09,595 --> 00:10:11,755 that get duped, there's an embarrassment component to it. 260 00:10:11,815 --> 00:10:13,715 And there's, you know, from the company perspective, 261 00:10:14,105 --> 00:10:15,875 what do they do if everybody's getting duped? 262 00:10:15,875 --> 00:10:17,675 Are we supposed to refund, you know, everybody? 263 00:10:17,695 --> 00:10:19,155 And so it becomes challenging 264 00:10:19,155 --> 00:10:22,315 because that personal aspect is nobody wants to feel shame. 265 00:10:22,375 --> 00:10:24,195 You know, we talk about leadership all the time about the, 266 00:10:24,255 --> 00:10:25,995 the, the, that concept of shame 267 00:10:25,995 --> 00:10:27,475 and how damaging it could be. 268 00:10:27,975 --> 00:10:30,635 And yet what are, you know, how do we, how do we remedy 269 00:10:30,705 --> 00:10:33,155 that when, when the reality is we've been 270 00:10:33,165 --> 00:10:34,395 duped, you know? Mm-Hmm. 271 00:10:34,435 --> 00:10:36,115 - . Mm-Hmm. - one other thing 272 00:10:36,215 --> 00:10:37,675 as it as it relates to security, 273 00:10:37,675 --> 00:10:39,635 and I, you know, this is somewhat of a boring topic, 274 00:10:39,735 --> 00:10:42,155 but I have had my eyes opened recently about 275 00:10:42,155 --> 00:10:43,315 this, you know, change healthcare. 276 00:10:43,355 --> 00:10:45,035 I don't know how familiar you are with that, 277 00:10:45,175 --> 00:10:48,475 but you know, they have had to take themselves offline 278 00:10:48,535 --> 00:10:50,155 for a significant number of their services. 279 00:10:50,775 --> 00:10:52,955 And while we're not intimately partners with them, 280 00:10:53,015 --> 00:10:55,115 and so I wouldn't even say that we have had, you know, 281 00:10:55,395 --> 00:10:57,915 material impacts to it, um, where I do get 282 00:10:57,915 --> 00:10:59,515 to listen into some of the calls that they're having 283 00:10:59,775 --> 00:11:01,155 and the amount of, 284 00:11:01,255 --> 00:11:03,355 of impact across the United States from them. 285 00:11:04,055 --> 00:11:06,355 Um, having some difficulties is a challenge. 286 00:11:06,455 --> 00:11:09,075 And the arch, you know, the arch technical architecture 287 00:11:09,375 --> 00:11:11,115 of our healthcare system, they're, they're, 288 00:11:11,115 --> 00:11:12,235 they're vital, it seems like. 289 00:11:12,375 --> 00:11:15,595 And so not thinking through, you know, some of these things 290 00:11:15,595 --> 00:11:17,235 that we think about from a DR perspective 291 00:11:17,235 --> 00:11:20,195 or business continuity, I would not have factored them in 292 00:11:20,335 --> 00:11:22,875 to, you know, something that's happening to the, to us. 293 00:11:23,155 --> 00:11:24,595 'cause we don't really use them all that often, 294 00:11:24,895 --> 00:11:26,395 and yet they are impacting. 295 00:11:26,615 --> 00:11:28,755 And so these are eye-opening things that we need 296 00:11:28,755 --> 00:11:30,995 to make sure, and I think the government is, is, you know, 297 00:11:30,995 --> 00:11:34,035 gonna be helping out with figuring out what is vital 298 00:11:34,455 --> 00:11:36,795 and how do we get our, how do we make sure that we have, uh, 299 00:11:36,795 --> 00:11:38,075 proper controls in place or, 300 00:11:38,095 --> 00:11:40,475 or alternative methods to do the things that these, these 301 00:11:41,035 --> 00:11:43,155 critical components are, um, you know, 302 00:11:43,155 --> 00:11:44,795 that are impacted. Mm-Hmm. 303 00:11:44,835 --> 00:11:47,115 - , did it feel a little bit like there's some 304 00:11:47,115 --> 00:11:50,995 checkers being played and then in other ways the attackers 305 00:11:51,015 --> 00:11:53,565 or nation states or who are these groups are playing chess? 306 00:11:54,695 --> 00:11:56,115 - You got it. You got it. Yeah. 307 00:11:56,945 --> 00:11:59,155 It's, it's, um, what is that? 308 00:11:59,215 --> 00:12:01,955 The, the, the old adage, you know, you're only as strong 309 00:12:01,955 --> 00:12:04,635 as your weakest link and the reality is that, you know, the, 310 00:12:04,635 --> 00:12:05,995 the bad guys are, are able 311 00:12:05,995 --> 00:12:07,755 to better a attack your weakest link 312 00:12:08,375 --> 00:12:10,235 far more than we thought they could. Mm-Hmm. 313 00:12:10,275 --> 00:12:12,315 - , you know, Kevin, going back 314 00:12:12,315 --> 00:12:14,635 to your point too about telehealth and working with AI 315 00:12:14,735 --> 00:12:17,955 and the ability for video to predict if patients may fall, 316 00:12:18,015 --> 00:12:20,635 for instance, how, what, what types of brick 317 00:12:20,635 --> 00:12:24,115 and mortar changes come up when those projects are pursued? 318 00:12:24,115 --> 00:12:25,395 Because I'm, you know, there's the 319 00:12:25,395 --> 00:12:26,635 obvious, the camera installation. 320 00:12:26,735 --> 00:12:28,435 I'm, I, that seems like relatively simple, 321 00:12:28,435 --> 00:12:30,675 but are you having to adjust brick, brick 322 00:12:30,675 --> 00:12:33,075 and mortar strategy or expansion plans at all around 323 00:12:33,075 --> 00:12:35,595 what you're able to do now with this technology? 324 00:12:36,875 --> 00:12:38,405 - Yeah, that's a, that's a great question. 325 00:12:38,405 --> 00:12:40,445 And, and it it draws me to, you know, 326 00:12:40,445 --> 00:12:41,845 what do we do in the actual room 327 00:12:41,845 --> 00:12:42,845 that we're gonna put this in? 328 00:12:42,845 --> 00:12:44,845 Because it, there is an infrastructure cost. 329 00:12:44,865 --> 00:12:45,885 You've got cabling 330 00:12:45,885 --> 00:12:46,885 and you've gotta make sure 331 00:12:46,885 --> 00:12:49,445 that from a a network perspective, you can handle it, 332 00:12:49,825 --> 00:12:51,525 but you also have the TV component. 333 00:12:51,865 --> 00:12:53,245 And I think a lot of like, where, 334 00:12:53,295 --> 00:12:57,285 where these vendors are going, um, they are fully aware 335 00:12:57,285 --> 00:12:59,805 that most organizations are doing patient care on the 336 00:12:59,805 --> 00:13:01,085 television that exists in the room. 337 00:13:01,185 --> 00:13:02,485 And so they're adapting and being 338 00:13:02,485 --> 00:13:03,605 able to use that infrastructure. 339 00:13:03,725 --> 00:13:07,085 I think that's amazing. The, you know, what else do we need 340 00:13:07,085 --> 00:13:10,525 to have in order to make this a, um, um, a product 341 00:13:10,525 --> 00:13:12,005 that's use useful? 342 00:13:12,165 --> 00:13:16,125 I, I think setting up cameras in rooms maybe seemed scary 343 00:13:16,345 --> 00:13:18,005 for organizations a while ago, 344 00:13:18,005 --> 00:13:20,765 but it almost seems like it's, it's, it's a, it's gonna have 345 00:13:20,765 --> 00:13:22,565 to be something of the future if you're gonna be able to, 346 00:13:22,665 --> 00:13:24,845 um, attack some of these quality problems. 347 00:13:25,305 --> 00:13:27,925 And so maybe, maybe if, if, if I'm answering your question, 348 00:13:28,265 --> 00:13:29,965 um, or interpreting your question the right way, 349 00:13:30,045 --> 00:13:32,725 I just think it's not that hard for us to put cameras in. 350 00:13:33,105 --> 00:13:34,565 Um, but there could be some, uh, 351 00:13:34,655 --> 00:13:36,765 underlying infrastructure issues that you'll want to, 352 00:13:36,765 --> 00:13:38,885 you want to address and, and we're having to do that too. 353 00:13:38,905 --> 00:13:40,485 And you know, the alternative is to just wa 354 00:13:40,545 --> 00:13:42,245 to roll in a cart. 355 00:13:42,255 --> 00:13:44,845 There are, uh, solutions that are, you know, cart based, 356 00:13:44,905 --> 00:13:47,285 but that doesn't, it, it, it almost seems like it, 357 00:13:47,505 --> 00:13:49,525 the harder you make it for the clinician to order 358 00:13:49,545 --> 00:13:51,165 and then roll in, the harder to the, 359 00:13:51,185 --> 00:13:53,525 the less likely it is that they're gonna use it. Mm-Hmm. 360 00:13:53,565 --> 00:13:55,645 - . Well, Kevin, we've covered a lot in the 361 00:13:55,645 --> 00:13:56,885 time you've already spent together today. 362 00:13:57,025 --> 00:13:58,765 Are there any closing thoughts for our listeners 363 00:13:58,765 --> 00:14:00,965 or message you'd like to leave them with as we wind down? 364 00:14:02,675 --> 00:14:04,925 - Yeah, I, um, I was meeting with a group 365 00:14:04,925 --> 00:14:07,085 of physicians just this, this week actually. 366 00:14:07,865 --> 00:14:10,845 And, um, amazing interaction, just, they were 367 00:14:10,845 --> 00:14:11,965 that I was chatting with them 368 00:14:11,965 --> 00:14:13,165 to pick their brains on a few things, 369 00:14:13,185 --> 00:14:14,805 but also they were, they wanted me in the room 370 00:14:14,805 --> 00:14:17,645 to give my perspective on where the world is heading and, 371 00:14:17,665 --> 00:14:20,205 and you know, what we're doing at the U for technology 372 00:14:20,205 --> 00:14:21,285 and how we can make their lives easier. 373 00:14:21,625 --> 00:14:23,565 All that's great. We have those interactions on, 374 00:14:23,565 --> 00:14:26,205 on the regular, but I was struck by just 375 00:14:26,345 --> 00:14:28,925 how smart they are on technology today 376 00:14:29,545 --> 00:14:32,485 and how, um, many of them, if you recall, 377 00:14:32,485 --> 00:14:35,405 15 years ago when we were all doing our EMR implementations 378 00:14:35,905 --> 00:14:38,245 and you had a few physician champions, 379 00:14:38,305 --> 00:14:40,325 but you just, you didn't get a lot of buy-in 380 00:14:40,325 --> 00:14:42,525 and it was really hard for you to do workflow changes 381 00:14:42,525 --> 00:14:44,725 because not everybody wanted to do things differently. 382 00:14:45,185 --> 00:14:48,765 And I was struck by, you know, everybody's adopted this now 383 00:14:48,765 --> 00:14:50,045 and it's just part of their daily life 384 00:14:50,465 --> 00:14:51,685 and they've accepted it, 385 00:14:51,705 --> 00:14:53,605 and now more than ever, they are aware 386 00:14:53,785 --> 00:14:55,005 of technology in the world 387 00:14:55,005 --> 00:14:56,165 and they're aware of things 388 00:14:56,165 --> 00:14:57,725 that would make their life easier, 389 00:14:57,875 --> 00:14:59,285 much more than you are aware of it, 390 00:14:59,285 --> 00:15:01,045 or at least I am, I shouldn't speak for everyone. 391 00:15:01,545 --> 00:15:03,645 And so it is, it is cool 392 00:15:03,835 --> 00:15:06,765 because we're farther along than we were 15 years ago, 393 00:15:06,905 --> 00:15:08,165 and at the same time, it's hard 394 00:15:08,165 --> 00:15:11,685 because they now have more intel than we do in some cases. 395 00:15:12,485 --> 00:15:15,525 I think as it relates to, um, to ai, 396 00:15:15,705 --> 00:15:17,405 AI is the biggest buzzword nowadays, 397 00:15:17,425 --> 00:15:19,885 but I think it's going to be massive for us. 398 00:15:20,425 --> 00:15:23,245 Um, as it relates to that, I got a kick out of it 399 00:15:23,245 --> 00:15:26,885 because they're, they're concerned about the same things 400 00:15:26,885 --> 00:15:27,885 that we're concerned about. 401 00:15:28,195 --> 00:15:29,685 They don't want their jobs to be taken. 402 00:15:30,195 --> 00:15:31,725 They don't believe that, you know, 403 00:15:31,725 --> 00:15:33,005 the critical thinking component 404 00:15:33,005 --> 00:15:34,925 of AI is going to replace them. 405 00:15:35,265 --> 00:15:37,165 And yet they were told that three 406 00:15:37,165 --> 00:15:39,605 or four years ago, they worked alongside the AI components, 407 00:15:39,745 --> 00:15:41,605 you know, radiology and some of these specialties, 408 00:15:41,985 --> 00:15:43,125 and they were chuckling 409 00:15:43,125 --> 00:15:45,165 and they're like, I was so afraid of this before, 410 00:15:45,625 --> 00:15:48,325 and now I laugh because it's not gonna replace us 411 00:15:48,455 --> 00:15:49,685 right now in the current state. 412 00:15:49,745 --> 00:15:52,245 My goodness. They would be done without us if we didn't have 413 00:15:52,245 --> 00:15:55,245 our, you know, our brains working with, um, 414 00:15:55,785 --> 00:15:57,085 the visual components of this. 415 00:15:57,105 --> 00:16:00,005 And I got a, I got a a kick out of that too, in that many 416 00:16:00,005 --> 00:16:01,045 of the same feelings 417 00:16:01,045 --> 00:16:02,765 that we have about someone taking our job 418 00:16:02,905 --> 00:16:04,565 or something, taking our job 419 00:16:04,625 --> 00:16:06,165 or the cloud or all these types of things. 420 00:16:06,165 --> 00:16:08,045 And the reason that we don't get adopt adoption, 421 00:16:08,635 --> 00:16:10,205 many times when we do it, it's like, 422 00:16:10,225 --> 00:16:11,805 oh yeah, that's complimentary. 423 00:16:11,805 --> 00:16:13,525 That's not actually gonna, that's not gonna hurt us. 424 00:16:13,905 --> 00:16:16,885 So I just wanted to give that as a little anecdote to it. 425 00:16:16,905 --> 00:16:19,965 It does seem as though most folks are way better off than 426 00:16:19,965 --> 00:16:21,725 they were from a technical perspective 10, 427 00:16:21,725 --> 00:16:22,885 15 years ago, obviously. 428 00:16:22,885 --> 00:16:26,445 Right. But it's helpful for us in the IT world to interact, 429 00:16:26,505 --> 00:16:28,285 um, with the business and to see that 430 00:16:28,285 --> 00:16:30,645 and to recognize that, my goodness, if we don't take them, 431 00:16:31,025 --> 00:16:33,125 um, if they don't, we, if we don't listen to their advice, 432 00:16:33,155 --> 00:16:34,925 then we're gonna be falling behind ourselves. 433 00:16:35,465 --> 00:16:36,725 - Mm-Hmm. . Mm-Hmm, , 434 00:16:37,205 --> 00:16:39,165 I remember not around the same timeframe you're talking 435 00:16:39,165 --> 00:16:40,365 about 10, 15 years ago. 436 00:16:40,445 --> 00:16:42,045 I remember there were these stories 437 00:16:42,745 --> 00:16:46,085 and about rolling out new tech in organizations 438 00:16:46,225 --> 00:16:47,605 and change management around that. 439 00:16:47,985 --> 00:16:49,485 And one of the biggest action items 440 00:16:49,505 --> 00:16:52,005 or recommendations was always find your physician champion, 441 00:16:52,315 --> 00:16:54,885 sometimes singular Kevin. Yeah. So I think, 442 00:16:54,915 --> 00:16:56,125 - Yeah, yeah, - Your point. 443 00:16:56,245 --> 00:16:58,365 I mean, that's a whole class of employees 444 00:16:58,365 --> 00:16:59,885 and people now in organizations, 445 00:17:00,225 --> 00:17:01,485 you know, it's not one person. 446 00:17:01,615 --> 00:17:03,285 These people, their technology 447 00:17:03,465 --> 00:17:06,845 and their literacy around it has leveled up in so many ways. 448 00:17:07,465 --> 00:17:09,765 Um, so I think to just point that out, it, it's kind 449 00:17:09,765 --> 00:17:11,685 of an observation that it's very real, 450 00:17:12,145 --> 00:17:13,445 but it doesn't always go noticed. 451 00:17:13,745 --> 00:17:15,445 So, so thank you for ending with that note. 452 00:17:16,545 --> 00:17:17,685 - You bet. You bet. 453 00:17:18,555 --> 00:17:21,485 - Well, this has been Kevin Ric, CIO of University 454 00:17:21,485 --> 00:17:24,165 of Mississippi Medical Center, the state's only a MC 455 00:17:24,165 --> 00:17:25,485 with more than 800 beds. 456 00:17:25,485 --> 00:17:27,245 Kevin, thank you so much for visiting with me, 457 00:17:27,485 --> 00:17:28,805 catching me up on your work as of late. 458 00:17:29,005 --> 00:17:30,525 I hope we can do so again soon. 459 00:17:31,435 --> 00:17:32,655 - Sounds good, Molly. Thanks a lot.