TDP 91: Allegheny Health Network’s Chief Digital & Information Officer, Dr. Ashis Barad: Why Healthcare needs to be Designed for Consumers and not just Patients, Using Tech to Scale Trust, and Finding Clinical Champions to Win at Digital Health

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On this episode of "The Digital Patient" podcast, hosts Alan Sardana & Dr. Joshua Liu speak with Dr. Ashis Barad, Chief Digital & Information Officer at Allegheny Health Network, about "Why Healthcare needs to be Designed for Consumers and not just Patients, Using Tech to Scale Trust, Finding Clinical Champions to Win at Digital Health, and more..." Click the play button to listen or read the show notes below.
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Audio:

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Video:

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Guest(s):

• Dr. Ashis Barad (@Hash2Hash), Chief Digital & Information Officer at Allegheny Health Network
• Dr. Joshua Liu (@joshuapliu), Co-founder & CEO at SeamlessMD

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‍Episode 91 - Show Notes:

[00:00] Introducing Dr. Ashis Barad, Chief Digital & Information Officer at Allegheny Health Network;

[1:26] How Dr. Barad’s experience with typhoid fever and misdiagnosis in India as an 8-year-old inspired him to work towards better access to healthcare for all;

[4:01] How Dr. Barad's journey to becoming a physician was marked by multiple opportunities to help with Epic EMR go-lives, which sparked his interest in healthcare technology, leading to his role as a physician leader and eventually in digital health;

[12:25] Why Dr. Barad believes there is a struggle for healthcare companies to get the attention and support of healthcare practitioners, as they are often comfortable with the current systems and may not see the benefits of new technologies, however, they are willing to adopt new technologies if it solves a real problem and improves the care for both the physician and patient;

[18:31] Why Dr. Barad believes that empathy with action, meaning being present and visible in hospitals and clinics, leads to a proactive approach in understanding the needs of the business for his informatics team, which he refers to as customer success;

[20:52] Why Dr. Barad is proud of his team of physicians being recognized for their productivity not for productivity’s sake, but because it meant his teams were accessible;

[25:01] Why Dr. Barad views healthcare providers as missionaries rather than mercenaries, with a goal of transforming healthcare as a whole;

[28:38] Why Dr. Barad refers to his nurses as “hostage negotiators” as they deal with immense challenges with patients and their families, and how he uses a story to remind himself of the importance of his mission, and encourages others to remember their mission as well;

[29:28] Why Dr. Barad believes the term "patient" is outdated with connotations of being "sick" and in an established relationship with the healthcare system, whereas that the concept of consumerism in healthcare is about empowering individuals to make informed decisions and have access to the best healthcare services available;

[33:31] Why Dr. Barad is excited about Highmark Health’s new Living Health strategy, which aims to reduce total cost of care by improving outcomes, making it a unique and innovative approach in healthcare that centers around doing the right thing for consumers;

[38:14] Why Dr. Barad believes that partnership is the future of healthcare, where working with other companies and having a true partnership is the key to success, and how healthcare needs to expand its mind to understand that competition and partnership can co-exist;

[42:51] How Dr. Barad is building a solution that benefits all parties involved, including the payer, provider, and consumer/member/patient, by finding win-win-win scenarios;

[43:20] Why Dr. Barad appreciates and finds inspiration in partnered companies within their ecosystem, which he uses to spur his own program development and influence others to consider new possibilities;

[44:38] Why Dr. Barad is most excited about data interoperability, despite its obstacles and immaturity in the field, because meaningful data is the future; 

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Fast 5 / Lightning Round:

1. What is your favorite book or book you’ve gifted the most?
   “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas

2. Who is a person–dead or alive–you’d love to meet?
   "Everybody has stories… I love talking and meeting new people… Also Teddy Roosevelt.”
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3. Would you rather have Super strength, super speed, or the ability to read people’s minds?
   “Super strength”
   

4. What is something in healthcare you believe that others might find insane?
   “I used to transport my colonoscopes in the trunk of my car… Also, I heard a story of a nurse who called every single patient every day post-surgery and outcomes were improved by 30%... Unfortunately it’s not scalable so I look at technology to scale trust.”
   

5. If you could travel back in time to any event or moment, what would it be and why?
   “I’d love to go back and meet Abraham Lincoln.”