Connecting Reality and Future with a Holistic Vision

We are continually exposed to scientific and technological innovations in the healthcare sector, and are often impacted by innovative concepts that we do not yet fully understand. Terms such as precision medicine, the integration of genetics and nanotechnology, and advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) arouse excitement and expectation. In addition to the already consolidated applications of telemedicine, AI is rapidly advancing in medical research, the issuance of accurate reports, and the automatic transcription of consultations. Also noteworthy are wearable devices, with advanced personal sensors integrated into command centers that use AI, promising to revolutionize healthcare services. Emerging technologies such as blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), augmented and virtual reality, advanced robotics, quantum computing, hyperconnectivity, and biotechnology create an exciting and complex scenario.

We are already living in an era of exponential growth and technological complexity.

However, as a technology professional, I believe that we cannot expect all problems to be solved solely by technological advances. This reductionist view is known as “techno-escapism” or escape forward. Focusing too much on the future can cause us to neglect fundamental present challenges.

I propose a healthy balance between valuing technological innovation and efficiently managing current challenges.

We need to pay attention to essential management issues such as:

• Migration from a conservative culture to a culture of innovation;
• Advancement in the transparency of operations;
• Appreciation of value-based medicine;
• Building agreements for greater collaboration between the different stakeholders in the health ecosystem;
• Development of new sustainable business models;
• Reducing waste with methodologies such as Lean Healthcare;
• Sustainability and increased profitability of operations.

These topics are covered in depth in my book “Healthcare Mindset for Exponential Times”. Access for free https://opuspac-university.com/en/library/.

Managing well using already established tools may not have the glamour of technological exploration, but it is essential. Many want to be technological pioneers, but few value efficient management. Today, the main objective of the healthcare sector should be to recover operational profitability. Without profitability, there will be no financial conditions to invest in the necessary new technologies, further widening the gap between leading hospitals and the rest.

Operational quality is crucial to increasing profitability. Without significant advances in patient safety, we will continue to waste precious resources.

Data from the OECD and WHO reveal that around 15% of global hospital expenditure is due to adverse events such as medication errors, hospital infections, patient falls, pressure ulcers and venous thromboembolism (https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2017/06/the-economics-of-patient-safety_258f9682/5a9858cd-en.pdf).

A recent study of Opuspac University showed that in Brazil, 80% of Security Cores do not function properly, and many professionals are unaware of their existence within hospitals.

Furthermore, approximately 30% of hospital resources are wasted on activities that add no value to either the patient or the process. No sustainable economic activity can accept such levels of waste. The techniques of Lean Healthcare, although not very widespread in the country, has already demonstrated significant results internationally, significantly reducing team walking, space used and time to perform tasks, as documented in my book Culture Lean Healthcare (access for free) https://opuspac-university.com/en/library).

It is essential to prevent the constant fascination with the next technological innovation from distracting us from the solutions that are already available and effective.

For example, the use of bedside barcode reduces adverse events by up to 92%, but is adopted by only 10% of Brazilian hospitals (find out more: https://www.hcrp.usp.br/revistaqualidade/uploads/Artigos/154/154.pdf, in portuguese).

The biggest problem is that in our limited attention span, one topic overshadows the other and its utopian, that is, unattainable, characteristic has a paralyzing effect on our management.

Our biggest challenge today is to achieve profitability that sustains investments in emerging technologies. Otherwise, this entire debate about technological frontiers in healthcare runs the risk of becoming just another distant utopia, disconnected from daily reality.