Health Meets Tech: Building a Future that Prioritizes Patient Care
Image credits: Have a Nice Day Photo via Shutterstock
How can healthcare keep up with tech’s rapid evolution?
That question was the inspiration for my recent keynote and workshop at the 2024 Fall Conference of the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners. Over 2 hours, I prompted these leaders (and shared some tools) to think big about the long-term future of health and medicine.
The Role of Health Commissioners in a VUCA World
Health commissioners have a challenging role. Not only do they keep their fingers on the pulse of public health today, coordinate stakeholders, manage resources (including funding), and figure out what’s working and what to change in their local healthcare systems. They’re also responsible for long-term strategic thinking in the face of day-to-day challenges that are faster and more complex than ever before.
Sound familiar? It should! These are leaders operating in a VUCA world, at the interface of people and technology. Mistakes can be incredibly costly—and not just in terms of dollars. In healthcare, actual lives are on the line. So is precious trust in the people we turn to at our most vulnerable moments.
Balancing Innovation with Human-Centered Care
I curated a few stories and activities that illustrate much-needed updates to our mental models—updates that will be critical to capture technology’s promises while still keeping human interactions at the very center of healthcare.
Here are a few headlines from my session:
💡 AI and robotics are NOT replacements for humans! By mindfully designing and deploying them, we can help improve both outcomes and the lived experience of healthcare, for patients as well as for healthcare workers.
💡Some of the most exciting healthcare jobs of the future haven’t been invented yet. Which sounds like a great chance to build positive futures.
💡Longer lives: are they a challenge or an opportunity? That’s up to us, and the decisions that we make starting today. Including how we think about our own careers!
Shaping the Future of Healthcare: Compassion, Hope, and Technology
Brochure cover from the AOHC 2024 Fall Conference
Thanks to a super active audience, I was able to keep my ears open for themes that these leaders think will help steer our healthcare future in a positive direction for as many people as possible. Certain words came up over and over, like “compassion”, “hope”, “agency”, “incentives”, and “better”. These folks were worried about the future, yes—but they were also determined to be changemakers.
No future is written yet, including the future of health. That’s why conversations like these are critical as technology and other winds of change continue to shake our world.
How are you helping to build a better future?
About Tiffany
Dr. Tiffany Vora speaks, writes, and advises on how to harness technology to build the best possible future(s). She is an expert in biotech, health, & innovation.
For a full list of topics and ways to collaborate, visit Tiffany’s Work Together webpage.
More Articles on Healthcare, Technology, and Building the Best Possible Future(s)
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