HIMSS23: Lack of care access requires automation and technology

Rich Birhanzel, senior managing director, Accenture

Photo: Courtesy Accenture

CHICAGO - Lack of patient access because of a shortage of doctors and nurses is a global issue that can only be solved by technology, according to Rich Birhanzel, senior managing director, Accenture.

"It's creating a financial resilience challenge," said Birhanzel, who attended HIMSS23. "When people don't have access to care, there are consequences in outcomes. The only way to solve this is with technology."

This is because hospitals are not able to recruit more clinicians due to workforce shortages, he said.

Care delivery reinvention through automation is the key to solving patient access and is one of the big themes at HIMSS23, he said.

For instance, when someone goes to urgent care, there's much administrative work that could be automated and done beforehand at home, such as the data collection on health history and other information. This is moving the clinical record into a modern architecture. 

"The way to rethink business processes is to allow more time for clinical care," Birhanzel said. "This is the movement to modern infrastructure."

Emerging technology such as generative AI, virtual reality and the metaverse will further this change.

For individuals who need to do a home injection, for instance, virtual reality can help educate a patient. For those told to do physical therapy, emerging technology can tell the therapist whether the patient is doing the exercise correctly or even if it's being done at all, he said.

Accenture research estimates that 70% of healthcare workers' tasks could be reinvented by technology augmentation or automation. 

Accenture, a systems integration company, featured numerous demonstrations at its HIMSS23 booth such as on augmented reality tools. Accenture doesn't offer the software, Birhanzel said, but partners to implement solutions.

Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org