MERCYONE
MercyOne
Des - the virtual nursing is the new normal
you do when you ’ re thrown into the deep end of a global pandemic , at a time when people are looking for risk-free , affordable ways to get the best possible care they deserve ? You improvise .
Dr . Ward and Matt Dietz share a camaraderie that is evident not just through the interview but also in the way tasks are managed at the health system . While Dr . Ward oversees the provider and operational tasks in-house , Dietz spearheads the virtual care strategy at MercyOne . Together , they ’ re making sure the health system is at the helm of digital transformation .
“ Healthcare as an industry is usually two to three generations behind technology compared to other industries . The concept of cloud-based storage is something that still requires a large change management process .” says Matt Dietz , setting the premise for why a digital transformation was challenging but very much required .
However , the need for a shift to digital didn ’ t arise solely from the lack of better infrastructure . Patients today want to be in control , whether it ’ s choosing a healthcare provider or physically commuting to a care centre of their choosing . Keeping this in mind , it was important for MercyOne to adopt newer ways of reaching their primary consumer – the patient . As Dr . Ward points out , “ As providers , we ' ve pretty much dedicated ourselves to taking care of our patients . And when our patients tell us that what they needed at the time was a digital transformation , it was pretty obvious to us because due to COVID-19 regulations we had to pause non-essential in-person care and our patient volumes cut down drastically , and some people were just afraid to come in because of the risks . But we didn ' t really have to look at just the COVID- 19 pandemic to realize there was a need for transformation , but it ’ s what the patients really wanted .”
148 July 2021