NORTHWELL HEALTH
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“Technology has enabled us to accomplish a lot more than we ’ d imagined ”
Chris Hutchins , VP , Chief Data and Analytics Officer for New York State ’ s Northwell Health
Presently , a key focus for Northwell is understanding the entire health system from the patient experience perspective . Indeed , the organisation
has a department dedicated to this led by a Chief Experience Officer , who , along with other members of the executive team , examines every aspect of potential interactions with the health system from a patient perspective . They assess environment and services , noise levels , ease of access , signage , comfort and even the patient dining experience .
According to Hutchins , technology is helping Northwell to achieve a more personalised , positive patient experience . For example , smart devices are being deployed in inpatient units that enable communication , entertainment , food service options and much more . Its use , says Hutchins , is “ about providing the patients with some of the comforts of home ”.
For some time , healthcare has been shifting to a preventive model , with the aim of reducing the need for hospitalisations . “ Thanks to technology and advances in medicine there are more and more services that can be done in outpatient settings or in same-day surgery facilities so that patients don ’ t require long-term hospitalisation ,” Hutchins affirms . Telemedicine , which makes virtual appointments with clinicians possible , and chatbot technology , which helps