• HIMSS is Where it’s at for Healthcare

    HIMSS is Where it’s at for Healthcare

    /></p> <p> </p> <p>If you want to know what changes and innovations to expect in the healthcare industry over the next few months and years, look no further than the <a href=Information and Management Systems Society’s annual conference, HIMSS, which takes place each year in February. That’s not to say that you’ll come away from the show with any true clarity on what the future of healthcare will look like – as anyone working in the field will tell you, the only constant in healthcare these days is change – but you will find the latest and greatest in healthcare technology and understand what’s to come. That is, if you were able to find a few feet to squeeze into at any of the conference’s presentations, many of which were standing room only at HIMSS19!

    With nearly a dozen Matter clients in attendance, representing a wide swath of the health IT industry, we had a front row seat to take it all in and hear competing perspectives on everything from machine learning and AI to patient engagement and price transparency. This year’s conference was a particularly interesting one as the past year saw unprecedented disruption across all aspects of the healthcare industry. Not only have many changes been made from a policy standpoint, but some of the tech world’s biggest players officially announced projects within the healthcare sector in 2018. The conference was abuzz with news from IBM, Google, Oracle, Amazon and others with plans to improve interoperability, price transparency and health data exchange.

    “Interoperability is the cornerstone of our healthcare strategy,” said Aashima Gupta, global head of healthcare and life sciences at Google Cloud during a panel at the conference. Conspicuously missing at HIMSS19 however, was Atul Gawande, famed physician and CEO of the mysterious Amazon-JP Morgan-Berkshire Hathaway healthcare partnership, who pulled out of giving a keynote address just weeks before the conference began (a few details have come out, but exactly what the venture is all about is still ripe with speculation). From a policy standpoint, big news also hit on the eve of the conference, when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) dropped new policies surrounding interoperability, data blocking and patient access.

    While interoperability was clearly a hot topic at the show, other trends came into focus as well. Here’s a few topics and predictions coming out of the show that we’ll be keeping our eye on for the near future:

    • Interoperability. Yes, you’re right, I just covered this above. However, interoperability is hugely important; enough that it deserves to be mentioned twice—or even three times. Interoperability in healthcare means that providers can share electronic health records (EHRs) between practices, and with hospitals and specialists – without a single fax machine involved. A big part of this is taking the overwhelming amount of big data we’ve gathered in recent years and turning it into useable, actionable data. As mentioned, this is a big focus for IBM, Google and Microsoft, so you can expect to see a lot of headlines on the topic in the coming months.
    • Price Transparency. Imagine going to doctor and knowing before you leave the appointment what your new prescription was going to cost – or having the option to select a cheaper generic version if the brand name option was too expensive. Price transparency was a big focus at HIMSS, and in fact, capabilities like this already exist, although are not widely available. You can expect to see a big push to make this a standard part of a visit with your doctor.
    • Genomics. Tied heavily to individualized care, genomics companies like 23andMe and Helix are starting to move DNA sequencing from expert-controlled labs to consumer care. In 2019, expect to see a greater focus on the development and use of precision therapies based on individual disease susceptibility and expected response to therapies and medications based on genomics.
    • Cybersecurity. With interoperability being a big theme (I told you I’d mention three times!), cybersecurity naturally follows. Questions surrounding how the industry will prepare cybersecurity infrastructure as data sharing increases were on the minds of many at the show.

    Overall, HIMSS19 promised lofty goals across the healthcare industry in the coming months. One thing was also certain – while previous shows have focused heavily on healthcare innovations like wearables, artificial intelligence and population health, this show struck a different tone, placing a greater focus on the individual. That’s not to say there weren’t some cool new innovations on display as well but improving the healthcare experience for the individual was definitely an overarching theme at the show. As we head further into 2019, keep an eye out for more big news to come on these and other topics.

    Alexandra Foley

    , , ,

  • Reflection on HIMSS18: Health Tech Innovation + The Promise of Tomorrow

    Reflection on HIMSS18: Health Tech Innovation + The Promise of Tomorrow

    Recently, I had the pleasure of representing Matter and six of our clients at HIMSS 2018 in Las Vegas. If you’re not familiar, HIMSS is one of the largest healthcare technology conferences in the country, bringing in more than 40,000 attendees ranging from physicians and executives to marketing & PR folks, and even press and government personnel.

    At Matter, we strive to identify how our clients fit into their respective industries, what they can discuss around the “latest trends,” and how to increase their brand presence in the market. In a space like healthcare that is highly complex and competitive, it can sometimes be a challenge to constantly find ways to put our clients in front of people that will listen. With shows like HIMSS, which thrive on BIG news, BIG companies and BIG booths, sometimes it leaves little room for the smart but not-so-big teams to get a word in. This year’s competition was tight, but Matter’s teams were able to get some quality discussions lined up.

    Aside from having the opportunity to meet and staff interviews with existing clients, walk the floor, and even attend a networking event (or two), there were also hundreds of interesting sessions to check out. In one of my favorite sessions, the Administrator of CMS, Seema Verma announced the “My HealthE Data” initiative which is focused on increased transparency between providers and patients’ medical records. In another, CEO of American Well Dr. Roy Schoenberg discussed the exciting movement around telehealth – where it is in Washington and what’s ahead for patients who want to see their doctor via their smartphone. During the opening keynote, Executive Chairman and Former CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt, pleaded with attendees to let go of past operational processes and move to the cloud.

    It was clear, from all of these big announcements, discussions and sessions, everyone had one common goal in mind: improve patient care.  While we still have a long way to go, many of the forward thinkers at HIMSS are responsible for technological innovations which have empowered the industry to make huge strides forward.

    So, how are we going to get there? For starters, let’s focus on the top trends that came out of the show that will certainly continue to make a splash throughout the remainder of 2018:

    • Interoperability: Connecting the dots across the healthcare continuum with technology and creating a seamless operational workflow. In a connected world, the power of your technology is often enhanced or limited by its ability to connect and speak with other key technologies.
    • Telehealth: Telehealth isn’t exactly new, but it has been limited to a few key players. Today, almost every digital health company is integrating or working to implement telehealth technology – from healthcare networks to insurance providers and EHR technologies. As previously mentioned, during Schoenberg’s session, he noted there has been a significant increase of telehealth technology, with over 50 bills circulating through Congress today related in one way or another to telehealth adoption. While there is still work to be done in this area to take this technology mainstream, it is hard to argue with the value of instant virtual access to care for patients.
    • Data Sharing: This is always a sensitive topic – particularly for companies aggregating sensitive patient information. However, from Seema Verma’s presentation and other initiatives surrounding HIMSS, we are entering a new era of data sharing and transparency. Recent legislation has introduced steep fines for data blocking in healthcare and it seems like the industry has finally hit a point of realization that the value of data that lives in a silo is severely limited.
    • Streamlining EHR Technology: Today, there are approximately 600 EHR solutions on the market. If you think back to interoperability, that goal seems less achievable when looking at that number. However, conversations buzzing through HIMSS seemed to point to a future where fewer EHR vendors survive and with CMS’ requirement for health organizations to adopt EHR systems established in 2015 or newer, more systems will slowly disintegrate or consolidate. This will help streamline the workflows being transferred between EHR technologies and other digital health solutions, improve provider transparency and ultimately patient outcomes.
    • Jumping up to the Cloud: An interesting trend that’s not necessarily new but was a major conversation at the show this year. Keeping with its legacy, healthcare has been extremely slow to adopt cloud technology and solutions that will help streamline data, make it more accessible to anyone, anywhere and make interoperability possible. 2018 may be the year that healthcare finally makes a concerted move to the cloud.

    From a communication’s standpoint, and from a general patient’s perspective, it was refreshing to walk through the many floors of booths – big or small – and experience such a heightened focus and awareness of the patient. Whether or not it’s due in large part by the push from CMS’ Merit-Based Incentive Program (MIPS) or payer dollars tied to outcomes, we are making strides in the right direction towards improving the overall quality of care in this country.

    Interested in learning more about our healthcare client work? Check us out here.

    Matter

    , ,

  • PR Real Talk: Trade Show Execution – What's Working, What's Not?

    Today, we’re talking about industry trade shows. From the months of preparation to the perfect storm that is: HIMSS, CES, RSA, etc., a lot of time, effort and money goes into creating a successful trade show experience for both your team and your clients. As communication professionals, it’s our job to help our clients develop meaningful relationships with media and analysts, at and around these events. Despite the many advances in digital communications, trade shows remain very important opportunities for that oh so valuable face time that journalists love so very much.

    Trade shows have become one of the cornerstones of any successful PR program. Chances are pretty good that any PR vet you talk to will have some heroic battle story about the time they did 78 briefings at CES, or HIMSS, or wherever. Because trade shows have been integral to PR for so long, they suffer from a very real threat of the – “because that’s how we’ve always done it syndrome.”  Good public relations requires evolution and the ongoing questioning of everything. Are we releasing the most interesting announcement we can at this show? Does our presence at the show have value in the eyes of the media and industry at large?

    A few Matter Communications folks had the opportunity to attend and view a live Twitter chat (#HITMC) last week week led by John Lynn, a well-known and highly respected healthcare journalist and entrepreneur. Co-hosted alongside a communications agency based in Georgia, John discussed what works when meeting with media, tips for engaging editors, and thoughts around press releases at HIMSS. While the chat was healthcare-focused, many of the points brought up can be applied to a wide variety (if not all) of our clients, particularly those that attend the largest trade shows and face the goring challenge of breaking through the noise and finding value.

    A DYING TRADE? OR AN EVOLUTION?

    One topic that raised a few key takeaways is around the continuous battle of the press release. A continuous stable (or base) of each client announcement that has rendered suspicion over the years. Is it really dead? A majority of the PR pros at Matter and across the industry will agree that no, the press release hasn’t died. While the press release is still alive and well, it is not the same tool that it once was, thus our approach may need to be reevaluated. A few of the participants of the #HITMC chat noted that sending out press releases are best done at least one or two weeks prior to HIMSS (or other major conferences), versus right before. This allows the reporter to read and fully digest the material, and provides them an extended time to be able to ask questions prior to meeting your client at the show. Other participants raved about the type of content we are feeding them within our press releases; making it relevant, interesting and NEW. Here are a few examples:

    DATA, DATA, DATA

    Another topic that arose during the chat, and one we’re well aware of, is the media’s insatiable appetite for data. We always ask for it from clients, as reporters really do value hard and fast numbers that support or bolster the stories we are telling on behalf of our clients. Third party validation and data are undoubtedly one of the key ingredients to make our clients stand out amongst their competitors.

    During the next conversation with your client, and if it aligns with your current campaign and overall messaging, ask your client if he/she has any updated case studies or data they have gathered internally. If not, maybe that brings up another conversation about conducting a survey to gather that data. Aside from becoming great pitching fodder for your team, data can lend itself to other assets we love as PR pros such as infographics, info-stamps and even gifographics. Data can provide that extra level of expertise your client is always looking to portray to its customers, industry influencers and the media.

    IN SUMMARY

    When it comes to large conferences, there are always lessons to be learned as you come out of the show. As trusted partners to your clients, it is important to understand and recognize when you need to revisit a certain tactic or approach when planning for conferences large or small. Always be on the lookout for industry intel on what the media wants and how well your proposed strategies and tactics are working. When it comes to PR planning and development the need for evolution is the only constant. To set yourself apart and to really be seen by your clients as a trusted advisor, keep an eye out for the next Twitter chat or take an opportunity to simply ask a journalist what they want. This desire to understand your audience and the state of your industry will help you to set yourself apart from the PR flacks at the trade show, who continue to simply do the same things they’ve always done.

    What other tips do you have when developing a trade show plan? Share yours below!

    Matter

    , , , , , , , , ,