1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,680 Would you like to exchange best practices and ideas to improve care, 2 00:00:03,830 --> 00:00:05,600 enhance operational efficiency, 3 00:00:05,660 --> 00:00:08,000 and address financial challenges with your peers? 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:12,320 Becker's Healthcare is facilitating these conversations at their eighth annual 5 00:00:12,620 --> 00:00:15,400 health IT Digital health and RCM meeting. 6 00:00:15,820 --> 00:00:19,120 You can check your eligibility for complimentary attendance at the Lincoln, 7 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,120 the description. We are excited to welcome you in October. 8 00:00:22,790 --> 00:00:25,080 This is Laura Dedo with the Becker's Healthcare Podcast. 9 00:00:25,620 --> 00:00:27,680 I'm thrilled today to be joined by Dr. Albert Valar, 10 00:00:28,070 --> 00:00:31,640 vice President and Chief Medical Information Officer at Neon's Health. Dr. 11 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:33,560 Valara, it's a pleasure to have you on the podcast today. 12 00:00:34,190 --> 00:00:36,100 Thank you for the opportunity to present today with you. 13 00:00:36,990 --> 00:00:38,730 Now, I know we have a lot to talk about. 14 00:00:38,730 --> 00:00:42,690 There's really so much happening in healthcare and that intersection between 15 00:00:43,090 --> 00:00:45,930 clinical care delivery as well as technology, you know, 16 00:00:46,030 --> 00:00:47,850 is really so fascinating and moving quickly. 17 00:00:48,190 --> 00:00:49,890 But before we dive into my questions, 18 00:00:49,890 --> 00:00:52,010 can you tell me a little bit more about yourself and your background? 19 00:00:52,500 --> 00:00:55,290 Thank you. Uh, my, uh, background is in emergency medicine. 20 00:00:55,490 --> 00:00:58,370 I was boy Certifi Emergency Medicine Medicine. Uh, 21 00:00:58,370 --> 00:01:03,370 I was trained in the US military and retired at the US Army Reservist, uh, 22 00:01:03,370 --> 00:01:07,130 major in 2000. And, uh, from then I, uh, 23 00:01:07,130 --> 00:01:11,130 entered the life of a emergency physician for the first few years knowing that, 24 00:01:11,230 --> 00:01:15,850 uh, computers technology will always be part of the care delivery model that, 25 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:20,170 that the future had to hold and, and we needed at the bedside. Uh, 26 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,650 then came across, uh, opportunity to be a C M I O. 27 00:01:23,890 --> 00:01:26,690 I was c m I for several healthcare networks at that time, 28 00:01:27,230 --> 00:01:30,890 but also noted that there's needed to be understanding that healthcare is a 29 00:01:31,050 --> 00:01:32,810 business as part of the business, uh, 30 00:01:32,810 --> 00:01:37,330 to go understand where healthcare fit in the business world and where the 31 00:01:37,490 --> 00:01:42,170 business world health fit into the model of, um, of healthcare. So I, I, uh, 32 00:01:42,170 --> 00:01:46,810 work with several companies and started a couple companies as well in terms of 33 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:51,290 utilizing technology and facilitating better care for our clinicians in 34 00:01:51,290 --> 00:01:54,890 operations across, uh, several healthcare networks. Uh, 35 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:57,090 have some education and medical informatics, 36 00:01:57,090 --> 00:02:00,920 and currently pursuing a healthcare sector in va. Thank you. 37 00:02:01,420 --> 00:02:04,280 Oh, that's amazing. You know, what a great experience that you've had. 38 00:02:04,300 --> 00:02:05,920 And I can imagine, you know, 39 00:02:06,420 --> 00:02:09,080 all that leading into where we're at today in healthcare, 40 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,840 especially coming out the last few years during the pandemic, um, you know, 41 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,480 really has primed you to be a great leader in this space. 42 00:02:16,010 --> 00:02:20,400 Where do you see as some of the big opportunities for, uh, yourself as C M I O, 43 00:02:20,420 --> 00:02:23,840 but then others? Um, to really leverage the technology and, 44 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:28,200 and clinical care possibilities, um, to take care of patients better and, and, 45 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,080 and what are some of the watch outs and headwinds that you have your eye on as 46 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:31,913 well? 47 00:02:32,620 --> 00:02:35,590 Post covid seemed to be a reset, 48 00:02:36,010 --> 00:02:38,510 the reevaluation of our healthcare model. 49 00:02:38,620 --> 00:02:41,310 What does it mean to be a care delivery network? 50 00:02:41,460 --> 00:02:45,270 What does it mean to be a patient experiencing healthcare within that care 51 00:02:45,470 --> 00:02:46,303 delivery model? 52 00:02:46,330 --> 00:02:49,750 We had the regaining the trust of patients safe to come back and see us, 53 00:02:50,010 --> 00:02:54,110 but also it's also safe to give information to us as we advance technologies. 54 00:02:54,770 --> 00:02:57,910 Uh, another goal was advancing clinical efficiencies. 55 00:02:58,210 --> 00:03:02,360 How has the m r changed over the last 10 years, 15 years, 56 00:03:02,460 --> 00:03:07,160 and how do we better facilitate the utilization of that technology with the 57 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:12,280 changing demand of our patients who are used to modern day technologies such 58 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:13,100 as, uh, 59 00:03:13,100 --> 00:03:17,080 Amazon and Google and search functionality and everything immediately available 60 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:20,720 to them within a, a touch of a search button, et cetera. 61 00:03:21,340 --> 00:03:25,800 How do we bring that same experience to, uh, our, our, 62 00:03:25,820 --> 00:03:27,680 our clinical care within healthcare networks? 63 00:03:27,910 --> 00:03:32,640 Another piece is driving the efficiency of the emr. The EMR has to evolve, 64 00:03:32,780 --> 00:03:33,613 has evolved. 65 00:03:33,650 --> 00:03:38,560 We're working with our vendors and third party technologies to really bring the 66 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:43,040 experience for our clinicians to a much better, less burdensome, uh, 67 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:44,760 approach for patient care. 68 00:03:45,140 --> 00:03:50,080 And then supporting the operational strategic goals of the network, financially, 69 00:03:50,130 --> 00:03:53,320 healthcare as a business, how do we drive better documentation, 70 00:03:53,460 --> 00:03:54,560 better facilitation, 71 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:59,560 access to care for all our patients by bringing unification around, uh, 72 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:01,840 the goals we have set for our network itself. 73 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:05,500 Got it. That makes a lot of sense. You know, 74 00:04:05,500 --> 00:04:09,380 and it's really fascinating to hear you talk about how all of those things come 75 00:04:09,580 --> 00:04:10,020 together in, 76 00:04:10,020 --> 00:04:13,540 in really making sure the care delivery and the network is supported. 77 00:04:13,900 --> 00:04:16,700 E M R changes that, um, are gonna be impactful, 78 00:04:16,810 --> 00:04:19,980 gathering data and getting them to the right people at the right times. 79 00:04:20,280 --> 00:04:23,780 And then too just, you know, bringing, uh, everyone together, 80 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:25,580 the support teams coordinating better. 81 00:04:25,660 --> 00:04:29,020 I know that's one of the things that I hear time and time again that, you know, 82 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,700 the care coordination is so critical, um, 83 00:04:31,700 --> 00:04:35,660 and is something that a not lot of organizations are able to do well or, 84 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,060 or up to where they would like to be. And so, you know, 85 00:04:38,060 --> 00:04:42,260 it'll be fun to see how technology can really help and support, um, 86 00:04:42,260 --> 00:04:44,060 organizations, especially, I know, um, 87 00:04:44,060 --> 00:04:47,020 one of the challenges for many is that they're short staff, uh, 88 00:04:47,020 --> 00:04:48,340 or staff shortages and, you know, 89 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:50,740 having to still provide care during these times. 90 00:04:52,030 --> 00:04:53,620 Absolutely. I mean, uh, 91 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,620 in terms of how do we go from where we work and grow, 92 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:01,940 how do we adding this value to the organization is utilizing technology. 93 00:05:02,220 --> 00:05:03,420 I think we feel, 94 00:05:03,660 --> 00:05:08,540 I believe that healthcare information technology is the enzyme and the 95 00:05:08,820 --> 00:05:10,300 reaction that needs to be expanded. 96 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:15,180 How do we bring together all the facets of driving and transforming the clinical 97 00:05:15,180 --> 00:05:16,460 experience for the patients, 98 00:05:16,830 --> 00:05:21,580 clinicians and operational folks around this new 99 00:05:21,580 --> 00:05:24,830 digital experience? We've heard before, 100 00:05:24,830 --> 00:05:29,390 people process technology is orchestrating the symbiosis of 101 00:05:29,790 --> 00:05:34,270 function or successful care delivery. We have to unify, uh, 102 00:05:34,340 --> 00:05:36,430 make it a seamless patient flow, 103 00:05:37,310 --> 00:05:41,940 driving clinical functions across the network so that clinician, 104 00:05:42,170 --> 00:05:45,540 patient and operational, uh, uh, 105 00:05:45,620 --> 00:05:49,980 participants within this healthcare model find the information they need, 106 00:05:50,290 --> 00:05:54,540 care for the patients better, as well as be frictionless throughout the network. 107 00:05:54,540 --> 00:05:58,680 Whether you're transferring a patient, patient, accessing clinical information, 108 00:05:59,110 --> 00:06:03,800 operational financial leadership, accessing data, it should be in one place. 109 00:06:04,180 --> 00:06:06,880 So we all go to that one place to facilitate, um, 110 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:11,520 understanding of who we are today and then predict utilizing the 111 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:15,960 technologies and information the future where we're going to ensure we get 112 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:20,280 there, um, both safely for the patient, but uh, financially, 113 00:06:20,780 --> 00:06:22,520 uh, a profitable for the healthcare network. 114 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:25,580 Got it. That makes a lot of sense. You know, 115 00:06:25,580 --> 00:06:28,500 and it's really helpful to think about and think through how, uh, 116 00:06:28,500 --> 00:06:29,860 that technology is supportive, 117 00:06:29,860 --> 00:06:34,340 especially during a time where every resource and healthcare dollar is precious. 118 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,460 You know, when you look at the times that we're in, 119 00:06:37,460 --> 00:06:41,020 and a lot of organizations as we've been talking about, um, you know, 120 00:06:41,020 --> 00:06:44,820 really wanna make sure they're doing the best they can to provide patient care 121 00:06:44,820 --> 00:06:48,260 and be innovative while at the same time they may not have, uh, 122 00:06:48,260 --> 00:06:50,580 the financial infrastructure just right now to, 123 00:06:50,580 --> 00:06:52,060 to spend on everything they would like to do. 124 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:56,060 So what is one thing you still think is important for them to do this year? 125 00:06:56,060 --> 00:07:00,060 What's, uh, an investment or a risk that is really worth taking right now? 126 00:07:01,050 --> 00:07:05,540 Well, for us it's understanding where the artificial intelligence, the chat, 127 00:07:06,140 --> 00:07:09,780 g p t chat, four, how does it influence delivery of care, 128 00:07:09,990 --> 00:07:12,260 automating the processes, deliver care, 129 00:07:13,060 --> 00:07:16,420 reducing the burden of that care and advancing patient outcomes. 130 00:07:16,420 --> 00:07:20,740 So those are the key pillars of health informatics we want to utilize today 131 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:25,180 as we're, like you said, losing healthcare employees. 132 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:29,420 How do we make the rest of those employees more efficient and automate the 133 00:07:29,420 --> 00:07:34,220 process through robotic process automation, ai, evidence-based delivery, 134 00:07:34,620 --> 00:07:39,580 clinical distance support, all those pieces now are available to us now. 135 00:07:39,610 --> 00:07:44,580 It's our job to orchestrate and create the world that we will 136 00:07:44,580 --> 00:07:47,940 live in for the next decade. Um, today's ai, 137 00:07:48,820 --> 00:07:53,660 I believe changes will change healthcare like the way EMRs did 15 years 138 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:57,660 ago. We went from paper to the emr, stabilized that emr. 139 00:07:57,680 --> 00:07:58,820 Now everybody's used to that. 140 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:03,860 Now comes the next big innovation with artificial intelligence. 141 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,100 How will we be speaking with the ai? 142 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:09,140 How will AI be influencing our clinical decisions? 143 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:14,420 How will we embrace AI not just from the current states of leaders in in 144 00:08:14,620 --> 00:08:17,460 clinical care, but also those in in medical school? 145 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:19,620 How do we teach that so that they, 146 00:08:19,930 --> 00:08:24,780 they develop their utilization of AI as a partner in care and not just a 147 00:08:24,780 --> 00:08:28,980 side, uh, um, interesting, um, uh, delivery model. 148 00:08:29,170 --> 00:08:33,940 It's will be and is important that we integrate this 149 00:08:33,940 --> 00:08:35,540 artificial intelligence to the future. 150 00:08:36,770 --> 00:08:40,780 Yeah, absolutely. I really appreciate that and it's certainly, um, you know, a, 151 00:08:40,900 --> 00:08:45,340 a great sign that AI has a lot of potential and a lot of ways that, um, 152 00:08:45,890 --> 00:08:49,740 it's really making life ideally easier for clinicians and the patient experience 153 00:08:49,740 --> 00:08:53,380 better. Now, before we wrap up our conversation, 154 00:08:53,460 --> 00:08:56,160 I was wondering if you could look into the future and where do you see some of 155 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:58,840 the best opportunities and ways for growth, uh, 156 00:08:58,860 --> 00:09:02,600 for yourself as your C M I O A, as well as the teams that you work with? 157 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,800 What do you see in the future and how, you know, will those things evolve? 158 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:10,890 Well, I think, um, going back and looking at our mistakes in the past, uh, 159 00:09:10,890 --> 00:09:14,490 embracing health equity with technology terms, we, 160 00:09:14,550 --> 00:09:19,090 we hear out there called equity is just bringing all patients evidence-based 161 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:24,090 care by removing the burdens of that care EMRs in the past 162 00:09:24,090 --> 00:09:28,450 that were race-based calculators that predicted different outcomes depending on 163 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:29,890 race. Removing those, 164 00:09:30,570 --> 00:09:34,890 removing the biases of healthcare will deliver better care in the future. 165 00:09:35,550 --> 00:09:39,810 Uh, another one is collaboration between healthcare and private markets. A, a, 166 00:09:39,930 --> 00:09:44,890 a synergy between the funding for investments in healthcare innovations 167 00:09:45,390 --> 00:09:50,130 by leaderships who have guiding principles and evidence-based practice deliver 168 00:09:50,130 --> 00:09:54,890 care in the healthcare networks. That synergy will grow, I believe, 169 00:09:55,190 --> 00:09:59,770 as we really readjust to the current healthcare financial 170 00:09:59,870 --> 00:10:04,570 issues, uh, plaguing many healthcare networks across United States. Uh, 171 00:10:04,570 --> 00:10:06,490 cloud collaborations for research, 172 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:11,050 utilizing data lakes and collaborating not just within a network, 173 00:10:11,430 --> 00:10:12,530 but across network. 174 00:10:12,750 --> 00:10:16,570 We have multiple opportunities now to connect to national, 175 00:10:16,570 --> 00:10:21,490 international databases for research so that one clinician at one network 176 00:10:21,910 --> 00:10:25,970 can facilitate the data of a similar patient group and cohort 177 00:10:26,260 --> 00:10:30,090 throughout the world. Uh, that's will be, uh, delivering better care. 178 00:10:30,260 --> 00:10:34,330 Predictive modeling, of course, is definitely, uh, gonna be part of that. Again, 179 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:38,130 back to the artificial intelligence. AI is guiding evidence, pr, 180 00:10:38,370 --> 00:10:41,130 evidence-based practice, but for all of us, 181 00:10:41,270 --> 00:10:44,210 the patients will have apps to deliver care for themselves, 182 00:10:44,270 --> 00:10:46,690 to help them make decisions, chat Botts, et cetera. 183 00:10:47,190 --> 00:10:51,570 The clinically EMR will evolve over the next few years to become 184 00:10:52,090 --> 00:10:56,850 a very powerful tool and a collaborative partner in the care we 185 00:10:56,850 --> 00:11:01,610 deliver and for operations finance access to the data to create that 186 00:11:01,610 --> 00:11:05,370 predictive financial modeling that's required to Del to, to, 187 00:11:05,510 --> 00:11:09,850 to bring in the importance of where we are two weeks from now, 188 00:11:09,910 --> 00:11:11,570 two months from now, two years from now, 189 00:11:11,710 --> 00:11:15,850 and have confidence in our decision making processes because not just patient 190 00:11:15,850 --> 00:11:19,370 care is reliant upon that, but the survivability of healthcare itself. 191 00:11:19,830 --> 00:11:24,010 As we do more with less, there's less money, less people, but, 192 00:11:24,030 --> 00:11:26,490 but the same number of patients and more are coming. 193 00:11:26,750 --> 00:11:30,450 We haven't been prepared to be more efficient delivering that care for those 194 00:11:30,490 --> 00:11:35,290 patients and all patients equally on bias and evidence-based. 195 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:40,790 Absolutely. I love that. Thank you so much Dr. Valara, for being here and, 196 00:11:40,790 --> 00:11:44,470 and really talking through so many different areas that are exciting, um, 197 00:11:44,610 --> 00:11:48,350 for healthcare and technology, as well as what to look out for ahead. Um, 198 00:11:48,350 --> 00:11:48,590 you know, 199 00:11:48,590 --> 00:11:51,670 this has been a really fun conversation and I'm excited to see you as well in 200 00:11:51,670 --> 00:11:54,970 October at our Health IT Digital Health and Revenue Cycle event. 201 00:11:54,970 --> 00:11:58,360 I know a lot of these themes will be, uh, talked about and touched on and, 202 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:01,640 and really explored more in depth. So thank you so much for being here, and I, 203 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:02,800 I look forward to seeing you soon. 204 00:12:03,150 --> 00:12:04,120 Look forward to seeing you soon, 205 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:06,200 and thank you for your opportunity to present here at Bakers. 206 00:12:11,340 --> 00:12:14,790 It's so important for leaders at the top of organizations to keep learning, 207 00:12:14,980 --> 00:12:16,670 stay sharp, grow their networks, 208 00:12:17,060 --> 00:12:20,150 help our audience better do this in a more simplified, personalized, 209 00:12:20,250 --> 00:12:24,190 and meaningful way. Becker's Healthcare has launched my bhc, 210 00:12:24,700 --> 00:12:27,630 it's your trusted Becker's healthcare experience and more with content, 211 00:12:27,630 --> 00:12:29,790 connections, events and learning opportunities. 212 00:12:30,500 --> 00:12:32,550 Join the community free of charge at 213 00:12:33,290 --> 00:12:37,550 www.my.beckerhospitalreview.com and we'll see you there.