Morris Plains, N.J.-based Atlantic Health systematically changed how it interacted with consumers in 2023. 

Financially strapped health systems may be hesitant about making significant IT investments now that promise returns in the future. But by aligning IT and finance goals, organizations can better evaluate current challenges, select the best partnerships and work together to achieve effective digital transformation.

The demand for digital access to care, health information and services ignited digital transformation during the months of the pandemic.

The road is not as smooth as it looks when healthcare facilities are looking to update information systems, speed through M&A, or plan an expansion to create more competitive and comprehensive services. Organizational change can present challenges with each process, and archiving legacy data is no exception.

Healthcare organizations were in the midst of financial and digital transformation even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the pandemic only accelerated this transformation.

Hospitals need to innovate and transform themselves using digital technologies to meet the rising demands of today's consumers. There is no shortage of technology companies promising to help health systems get there.

From reams of paper stashed in filing cabinets to digital folders housing historical data, medical record archiving has changed dramatically in the last two decades. As organizations transition to new healthcare information systems, legacy information must be archived, but it still must be accessible.

Over the last decade, healthcare organizations have made great strides in patient safety and clinical quality. Looking ahead to the next 10 years, healthcare IT teams must focus on financial health, clinical efficiency and ongoing excellence.

Hospitals and health systems across the U.S. are pushing forward digital transformation efforts by creating new tools and launching innovative programs. 

Gartner defines augmented intelligence as a human-centered partnership model where people and artificial intelligence work together to enhance learning, decision-making and cognitive performance.

In 2019, Mayo Clinic began a 10-year strategic partnership with Google focused on innovation and cloud computing. Here, Cris Ross, the Rochester, Minn.-based system's CIO, provides updates on what the partnership has accomplished and where it's going.

Hospitals have been investing millions in digitization efforts to improve workflows and care outcomes over the past decade, but recent research shows nearly half of employees say too much digitalization hurts productivity.

CMS said Nov. 12 it will rescind a rule introduced by former President Donald Trump's administration that allows Medicare to quickly cover medical devices deemed "breakthrough" technologies by the FDA. 

Cloud-first strategy or hosting is a frequently used term when discussing digital transformation in healthcare. But building cloud capabilities only makes sense if stakeholders know the purpose behind it.

The Algorithmic Bias Initiative — founded in November 2019 at the University of Chicago — has brought together experts in healthcare and technology to address biases in medical artificial intelligence tools, the school said Nov. 3 in a post on its website.

Satya Nadella, CEO and chair of Microsoft, unveiled the tech company's 10-year plan for its metaverse and digital innovation at Microsoft's virtual 2021 developer conference, according to information shared at the conference Nov. 2.

Microsoft and telehealth provider Babylon are partnering to enhance artificial intelligence's use in preventive healthcare.

When wearable devices started to come with health features a decade ago, physicians were hesitant about their accuracy. Now, physicians are embracing the devices and using the information to engage patients, The Verge reported Nov. 1.

Cleveland, Ohio-based University Hospitals — which has 150 hospitals, outpatient centers and primary care facilities — is deploying artificial intelligence company Interactions' AI-powered virtual assistant to schedule appointments.

UMass Amherst, Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital and Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital are partnering to develop the Massachusetts artificial intelligence and technology center for connected care in aging and Alzheimer's disease.