COVID-19’s impact on conventional healthcare delivery

“Care in the future will easily integrate in-person care with virtual offerings. It will also integrate patient-reported outcomes, device-generated feedback, and patient education”, says Jennifer Haas, EVP of Sales and Marketing at Noteworth, in an exclusive interview to ITBT.

ITBT Bureau- What changes have you seen when it comes to demand for remote care delivery technology by hospitals and healthcare providers during COVID-19?

Jennifer Haas- There was a significant interest in virtual patient care before COVID-19, but we have seen that demand increases. Patients are requesting alternatives when it comes to healthcare delivery. This is a differentiation opportunity for forward-thinking physician office groups and hospitals allowing them to offer more service options to their patient population. There is an opportunity for the doctor to be brought to the patient virtually instead of the patient traveling to see the doctor. Care in the future will easily integrate in-person care with virtual offerings. It will also integrate patient-reported outcomes, device-generated feedback, and patient education. Patients are engaging more actively in their wellness.

ITBT Bureau- Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected hospitals and healthcare providers’ willingness to invest in new technology?

Jennifer Haas- It has shifted their focus to thinking about providing care in alternative ways. Many groups are struggling due to a decrease in routine office visits and elective surgeries. Patients are afraid. Providers are using this pandemic as a catalyst to expand their reach outside of their existing patient population or engage with and educate their patients in new and more effective ways. This is driving new technology purchases like telehealth and remote patient monitoring. These new technologies allow doctors to be more proactive, which improves patient outcomes.

ITBT Bureau- As a female executive, you’ve spent your career in sales and male-dominated industries. What can companies do to ensure more women are represented in leadership ranks?

Jennifer Haas- It starts with making diversity a priority and tracking progress with concrete and measurable goals. Ensuring a diverse talent pool in every interview process is a good place to start, but we also need to make sure that women are targeted much earlier for leadership and growth opportunities. For example, I remember having the opportunity to lead an internal board for a national Senior Vice President. This allowed me to meet and work with leaders across the company, providing exposure and experience leading a large team. There are so many talented women out there, and it’s up to today’s leaders to make sure they are recognized and rewarded for their professional accomplishments.

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ITBT Bureau- More specifically, what can senior business leaders like yourself do today to ensure we’re building a pipeline of qualified women leaders for tomorrow?

Jennifer Haas- Look for opportunities to sponsor up-and-coming talent, and give them areas of accountability with an opportunity to get noticed and build confidence. Sponsorship is important in addition to mentorship. Sponsoring up-and-coming talent is about actively championing for them for a high-profile project or the next promotion that they deserve. Be aware of how women are treated in the office and shut down “locker room talk”. If someone is continually talked over in a meeting, help make space for her to speak. Encourage women to take on P+L responsibility, jump into sales or leadership, and take on high visibility projects. It’s all about adding to your skillset early and taking calculated risks.