COVID-19 accelerated ongoing digital transformation efforts at NYU Langone

Photo: Jeff Lagasse/Healthcare Finance News

LAS VEGAS - Necessity is the mother of invention, but it can also be the mother of acceleration: Digital technologies in healthcare existed before the pandemic, but when COVID-19 hit, it kick-started the development and rollout of various health technologies, from telehealth to secure online to communication and remote patient monitoring.

Because of its investment in this foundational technology, NYU Langone in New York City was able to quickly scale its digital solutions, not only to meet clinical demand, but also to develop ways for patients to access care despite the physical restrictions inherent in various pandemic protocols. NYU Langone experienced significant growth in digital engagement as a result.

Nader Mherabi, NYU Langone's executive vice president, vice dean, and chief digital and information officer, spoke on the issue at HIMSS21 in Las Vegas, Monday, in a session titled "Riding the Wave of Digital Transformation: How Technology Can Enhance the Patient Experience."

"In the past eight years we've been focused on building the fundamental platform of digital infrastructures, from EHRs, to connecting in the cloud in the right way, to AI and machine learning – all of these fundamental building blocks you need," said Mherabi. "You need to build your digital experience on top of that."

A sound digital strategy, he said, is about synergy. From the operations team to technologists and even marketing, all constituents need to work together toward a common goal.

"We innovate because in digital transformation, digital innovation is required," said Mherabi. "In this work, a culture of collaboration and integration really matters. You can't do it without that."

As important as patient engagement is, digital transformation requires buy-in from everyone in the organization as well. NYU Langone realized this when it began its patient- and family-centered technological focus back in 2017. Patient experience can't come at the expense of physicians, so it becomes important to put constituents first and then design around that.

That requires a comprehensive plan, and at NYU Langone that plan has a name: PDX, or Patient Digital Experience, which Mherabi describes as consumer-grade.

The academic medical center's digital efforts have been consistent and progressive throughout the pandemic in particular. It created an AI risk-scoring system for COVID-19 patients, created a comprehensive coronavirus dashboard for clinicians and executives, supported a peak of more than 7,000 virtual patient visits in one day, received an FCC grant to deploy telehealth in converted ICU rooms and began messaging patients to schedule vaccine appointments. These changes occurred in less than a year.

"Investment before the pandemic allowed us to quickly scale," said Mherabi. "Overnight, we trained closer to 1,700 physicians in telemedicine. Before that it was sparse, but all of a sudden it shifted. The experience for clinicians is just as robust as it is for our patients."

Digital engagement has had a profound impact. The NYU Langone Patient Health app, which has seen 1.8 million patients enroll since 2009, saw more than 700,000 installs and first launches in 2020. The app averages more than 500,000 visits per month.

Telehealth, meanwhile, is saving the hospital millions of dollars annually, said Mherabi, and boasted more than one million virtual patient visits in 2020.

"Digital adoption is here to stay," he said. "You can't ignore that adoption in healthcare. You've got to find a way, and that's what we've done."

Twitter: @JELagasse
Email the writer: jeff.lagasse@himssmedia.com