The Health Care (or Healthcare) Vision

I have a vision that can only be fulfilled from the office of the CIO. This vision is characterized by

• The patient of one is the patient of all
• The history will be available wherever and whenever the patient presents
• The patient may know immediately about the services delivered and the charges for those services.
• The revenue cycle can be reduced to same-day for covered (under contract) services
• Costs can be reduced by as much as 50% through attention to the quality of the information captured and used within the system
• People will accept a system of standards when they see that their own interests are satisfied
• The people in health care are highly motivated and need only a shared vision to be fully productive
• Alignment is possible when the vision is clear
• Good, reliable, current information is the key to all of this and getting that will demand the careful cultivation of cultural and attitudinal changes.

I firmly believe that this vision can come to pass with blinding speed in an environment of openness and honesty in which people are encouraged to care about and for each other.