Last week I enjoyed the opportunity to present at the inaugural joint conference between the Royal College of Emergency Medicine and Faculty Of Medical Leadership and Management.
I was asked to explore “Technological solutions.. Achieving quality and performance. What leaders need to know?”
Needless to say that challenge is a complex one, a mix of people, process and technology, as I’ve explored from many angles here before in this “book of thoughts”.
In brief, rather than exploring the detail on one/other of the Emergency Department Information Systems on the market..I explored some of the bigger issues as I see it..
#Healthcare under pressure/in crisis around the globe.
Emergency Departments feel this pressure more than anywhere else.
#The need for medical leadership of healthcare reform/improvement
Emergency Physicians as action oriented/problem solvers/team players and a very broad clinical knowledge and skillset – well as medical leaders. We practice medical leadership and we value it.
#The complexity of the related Change Challenge (People + Process + Technology)
Emergency Physicians are very familiar with healthcare as a complex > complicated challenge, sitting on the edge of chaos.. they are good at pattern recognition and the key changes needed to positive disrupt a system.. think ABC in Resuscitation.
The “value” that comes out of any patient encounter or any emergency department is a balance of quality, safety, cost and time (performance) aspects, some of which can be measured. Getting that balance right…. is part of the art of emergency medicine…
#The poor state of the health IT market (inc EDIS)
Emergency Medicine is very information intensive, much time and effort is expended by the EM troops at the frontline that could be better supported with better Health IT.
#Update on international moves towards an open platform in health
Emergency Medicine is of course a global effort. As the principles and the practice of Emergency Medicine grows around the world, so too will the need/appetite/community grow for an improved Emergency Medicine “platform”.. tools for the 21st Century. Its not a question of If. Just when..
You may be interested in the related slides below
Frectally speaking 
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