The future is now playing. As healthcare’s leaders we are responsible for being at the forefront of change, especially during times of uncertainty. But, how do we overcome our current obstacles while still preparing for what’s ahead?

Despite the proliferation of new apps, we haven’t even come close to a mental health system that serves both rising demand and societal health. When will we acknowledge mental health as a foundational part of healthcare and begin to manage the data and reimbursement with a preventative and early intervention mindset?

We’ve been singing about a physician shortage for years and while telehealth has tapped into enormous underutilized capacity, emerging models are leveraging the physician with the AI-driven “doctor inside.” So, do we really have a shortage of resources or will we let machines do a portion of the work AND help us prevent issues upstream?

Cue the lights. With the hype cycle mostly behind us, the spotlight is now on the application of automation to drive massive efficiencies and previously unimaginable accomplishments. The tools are powerful and have enormous consequences, but which ones can truly scale to shapeshift the industry?

Lack of data access left ALL of us handicapped in our ability to combat COVID-19. The need for data sharing is unlike anything we’ve experienced and cross-communication is more important than ever. As we look to our future, what public health-inspired models and platforms are not only important for the greater good, but also critical to our businesses?

The Interoperability rule potentially floods people with information about their health and, frankly, couldn’t have come at a better time. The pandemic may have just pushed us over the interoperability edge, so let’s decide what we really need and how to make it happen because the show of interoperability must go on.