Leveraging technology in healthcare delivery and building effective partnerships was the focus of the Defense Health Agency and healthcare technology innovators at a recent global Health Information Technology Conference.
“I’m going to talk a lot about technology, but the big picture, the big idea beyond technology, is that technology is an enabler and health is a necessity,” U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Tereta Crossland, director of DHA, said in a presentation at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Association’s annual conference, held March 11-15 in Orlando, Florida.
She said finding ways to leverage new technology to create a better, more “people-centred” health care delivery system is something DHA aims to do.
In her speech titled, “Revolutionizing Military Healthcare Delivery: The Case for Change,” Naomi Escoffery, DHA’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition and Sustainment and Chief Accelerator Officer, spoke about improving the patient experience through innovation and partnerships.
She defined innovation as “technology that delivers value, can be implemented quickly, and can be scaled across the system. Innovative technology must support enterprise performance that will significantly improve DHA’s performance.”
Escoffery explained that innovations such as artificial intelligence, digital health, immersive technology and robotics are just part of the DHA’s innovation efforts. He noted that the DHA’s priority is to have a digital-first, human-centered and integrated system of care.
She stressed that because DHA is “on a no-fail mission,” it needs to keep up with new technology and find ways to better serve patients.
She spoke about the uniqueness of health care delivery in the military health care system and the particular challenges it poses, noting, “Our people are unique because our health care providers are also our patients.”
Building partnerships essential to sustaining DHA’s progress now and into the future
Crossland explained that any partner would need to be focused on patients first, technology second, and willing to help transform one of the most “unique health systems” in the world.
“The need for closer collaboration with industry has never been greater,” Crossland told attendees. “Industry partnerships give us access to a range of vendors who are ready and willing to adapt to the latest technology and can help us think virtual first.”
“We can’t do this in isolation. We need partners and we need to be clear about what we want from potential partners,” Crossland said.
She focused on three areas in which DHA hopes to collaborate with potential public and private vendors: patient experience and changing the core model of care, supporting providers with technology in the health ecosystem, and data management support.
Escoffery spoke about the importance of working with industry partners as well as other government partners such as the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“Immersive technology is where we can really collaborate with the VA and they’re leading the charge on that,” Escoffery said.
She said the partnership is “a long-term effort because we have 9.6 million people who are counting on us to do this. They need the latest technology. They need to respond quickly and appropriately. And they need seamless integration from purchased care to direct care and direct care to purchased care.”
Modernizing MHS to improve health care services
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Saline Mullen spoke about the potential for artificial intelligence and machine learning to drive innovation in MHS at the Policy Changers Luncheon March 12. Her presentation was titled, “Data and Advanced Analytics/Leveraging Data and Intelligence to Modernize the Military Health System.”
She spoke about the Pentagon’s use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, as well as how it needs to take precautions against any dangers that may exist.
“We need to work with other Department of Defense agencies, federal agencies and other organizations like the Uniformed Services University,” Mullen said, emphasizing partnerships to ensure these technologies are secure and reliable.
She said five key priorities for advancing trusted AI/ML in MHS are:
• Maintaining AI/ML inventory
• Establishment of guidelines for responsible AI
• Providing guidance for trustworthy generative AI
• Promoting and utilising digital talent
• Coordination with other Department of Defense and Federal Government agencies.
Dr. Paul Kortz, DHA Deputy Under Secretary for Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer, gave a presentation on precision medicine and genetic testing titled, “Defense Health Agency: Clinical Genomics and Precision Medicine Program.”
“The Clinical Genomics and Precision Medicine program proposes a set of integrated and complementary objectives to meet and exceed medical standards in clinical genomics and precision medicine while optimizing military readiness, protecting beneficiaries’ genetic data, enhancing national security, and reducing the costs of genetic testing and analysis,” Koltz said.
“The goal is to tailor medicine to the patient’s genome,” he said, noting that genetic testing could be used to prescribe appropriate, effective medications for hot-button issues such as behavioral health.
Crossland concluded by saying of DHA’s vision for the future, “We are creating a future where health care transcends traditional boundaries to provide unwavering support and an exceptional health care experience for our service members, their families, veterans and all those we have the honor of serving. This is the future we are creating today.”
She added that “failure is not an option.”
| Data collected: | June 7, 2024 |
| Posted on: | June 7, 2024 13:09 |
| Story ID: | 473376 |
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This work, Public-private partnerships key to Defense Health Agency’s vision for the futureby Robbie Hammeridentified by DVD Videomust comply with the restrictions set forth at https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
