IBM’s Thought Leadership in the Future of Healthcare

Last week, we had the opportunity to sit down with Chuck Gallamore, the IBM Client Solutions Leader for Provider Healthcare in the Southeast. The time we shared was an honor and a pleasure, but most importantly, it was an excellent learning opportunity. He shared his insights and perspective on the industry. On the forefront of his mind was the future of healthcare.

Everyone has a stake in how healthcare will unfold in the coming years. Doctors will be more time-strapped, hospitals will consolidate, and patients will need to become more responsible over their own healthcare management. To facilitate every step of the process, all of the various players and stakeholders in the industry will need to come together, and healthcare solutions providers like IBM will play an important role in leading the healthcare industry into the 21st century.

Patient Centric Solutions

Patients should be at the center of the healthcare ecosystem. The news media and government keep discussing the healthcare system, but doctors are primarily concerned with their patients. They want to provide better care to more patients. IBM has the same goals in mind. Help doctors, clinics, and hospitals become more efficient in order to provide better care.

Instead of technology being another headache they have to “deal with,” the healthcare system should function as a catalyst to better patient care. IBM healthcare technologies assist caregivers so they can leverage their expertise. By providing doctors with the right information at the right time, patients can receive personalized care unlike anything they’ve experienced.

Collaborative Care

If patients are going to receive the healthcare they need, they’ll need a team of experts. Wellness, prevention and care require a coordinated effort. Tools that make it easy for teams of people with different backgrounds to collaborate will elevate healthcare to a new level.

As the healthcare system prepares to take on an influx of previously uninsured patients in 2014, hospitals will experience increasing pressure. Despite a dramatic increase in patients, hospitals are still held accountable if anything goes wrong. IBM’s role is providing the technology and insight so that healthcare providers of all sizes can meet demand and provide even better care.