By Vanessa Justice, Director of Account Executives, BlueCloud
LinkedIn: Vanessa Justice
LinkedIn: BlueCloud
The world of health care is on the cusp of a revolution. Patients can conduct medical check-ups from the comfort of their homes using virtual platforms. Their medical records can be accessed and shared across all their healthcare providers at the click of a button. And their recovery journey is accelerated by AI-powered wearable devices that generate real-time insights.
Unfortunately, these technological advancements cannot mask the fact that the digital transformation in the healthcare sector is more piecemeal than desired. Health organizations are evolving at an uneven pace, with just 51% of industry CEOs affirming that their digitization initiatives are meeting objectives such as better patient satisfaction and improved patient outcomes.
That change has sputtered across the sector is not entirely surprising given the prevalent technological skills gap. To meet the rising expectations of patients, health organizations must now devise original solutions to ensure their staff are equipped with the requisite skills to incorporate emerging technologies into their practice.
Mind the gap: A statistical overview
Bridging the digital transformation in the health care sector begins with bridging the substantial digital skills gap. While the technology is there, not all practitioners are proficient in its use. For instance, a certain level of savviness is necessary to retrieve data from an electronic health record system, recognize security risks when using connected medical devices, or leverage AI in medical imaging.
As of 2022, only 34% of health care workers report having the workplace digital skills needed now and in the future. Delving deeper into this trend does not paint a brighter picture. Only 15% have any workplace experience using generative AI. Similarly, just 14% report possessing “advanced” knowledge of encryption and cybersecurity skills.
The skills gap becomes even more alarming when accounting for different generations. While just 17% of Baby Boomers believe they are qualified to work in a digital-first role, a shocking 31% of Gen Z workers share the same sentiment. This indicates that the skills gap is unlikely to close on its own, as even new entrants to the workforce are lacking the expertise to succeed.
The appeal of advancements in health care stems from the idea that new technologies can address the doctor shortage in the country, where there are only 35.6 doctors per 1,000 people. However, considering the chasm between current proficiency levels in digital skills and those required to utilize these technologies, it is clear that there is much work ahead to turn this vision into reality.
A new take on skills acquisition
The prevailing strategy for bridging the health care skills gap is straightforward: compel the workers to upskill themselves. This may prove ineffective, as only 24% of health care professionals are actively acquiring digital skills.
Busy as they are, practitioners need more support in fostering their professional development within the context of a digitally driven environment. One promising solution is to strengthen collaboration between software companies driving change and medical professionals. Whenever a software company provides a digital solution to a health care organization, it can also take the opportunity to train the medical staff on how to best use this technology. Guided learning, such as user manuals, reference guides, and video tutorials is more fruitful than expecting health care workers to acquire the necessary skills independently (e.g., online courses).
Another benefit of this cross-collaboration is the potential for co-development. The exchange of ideas between engineers and medical professionals allows the former to build more practical and applicable products. As these solutions are informed by industry experts, they are also easier to adopt — regardless of the user’s digital literacy level. Some of the most popular wearable health monitoring devices on the market have emerged from this partnership.
Bridging the gap: A joint effort
Research has consistently shown a significant disparity between the current digital skills of health care workers and those necessary to succeed in the forthcoming permutation of health services. This skills gap is unlikely to resolve on its own, given its intergenerational nature and the unrealistic expectation for health care workers to independently obtain these skills.
The alliance between software companies and health care organizations is our best shot at bridging the skills gap. The former can provide targeted, on-the-job training and support to health care workers, ensuring they are adept at using new technologies. Ongoing dialogue with health care workers in turn enables software companies to fine-tune their products, potentially easing implementation and subsequently mitigating the skills gap challenge.
The digital transformation of health care is as exciting as it is daunting. Rather than forging ahead alone, perhaps we can turn to the architects responsible for this transition.