For nearly 20 years, I had the pleasure to serve as CEO of Froedtert  Health; I’ve been a part of the healthcare field since 1968.  Since that time, there has been a huge shift in the way we organize and deliver health services. The only constant has been change. In healthcare, you have to be willing to adapt.  And while change seems to be the order of the day, there is one issue that continues to stand out in my mind: Technology. More specifically, the decision-making process surrounding emerging digital technologies.  

Having an effective strategy for investing in innovative technology is one of the major challenges every healthcare CEO faces. This is especially true when it comes to investing in information technologies —the landscape is cluttered with “the next best thing” in technology-driven solutions.  How we can make better decisions has to be high on our priority list. 

Last October, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and provider-led healthcare accelerator AVIA announced the creation of HX360. The mission of HX360 is to accelerate the adoption and use of next generation, non-EMR digital technologies.  HX360 plans to work with health system executives in areas that could immediately benefit from these new emerging technologies, creating a positive experience for patients and physicians. 

The areas of initial focus include: improving the patient care experience, referral management, primary care provider efficiency, post acute care management, care coordination for chronic conditions, achieving mandated quality metrics improvement, supply chain optimization and new patient expansion.

While HX360 is still in its very early stages – it is a technology-driven organization; it will not be myopically focused. It will have a strong emphasis on the structure and processes that allow better use of technology. HX360 seeks to create an ongoing forum whereby executives from various sectors of the healthcare field can come together to address contemporary provider challenges and explore how emerging digital technologies can make a difference.

I am a strong proponent of senior-level executive exclusive forums that can provide new insights into emerging technologies and how best to implement them. I also like the idea of creating an index as a new tool for determining the readiness of our organizations to take advantage of this new generation of technology enable solutions   I am supportive of year round engagements in order to become the trusted and valued technology resource to healthcare provider systems within this non-EMR space.

The current marketplace allows for CEOs to bring tremendous change to the healthcare industry given the significant role technology plays and will continue to play. 

As healthcare leaders, we can do better. We should do better. HX360 can help us do better.  

Bill Petasnick is a former healthcare CEO, he has more than 35 years of senior leadership experience.  Bill previously served as chair of the American Hospital Association Board of Trustees, the Wisconsin Hospital Association and the Council of Teaching Hospitals. He is currently chair of the Health Forum board of directors.