Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1194306
33 CIO / HEALTH IT Ascension leader shares 8 reactions to reports on system's work with Google By Eduardo Conrado, executive vice president of strategy and innovations, Ascension M any news outlets recently published stories about Ascension's collabo- ration with Google to create inno- vative systems to better serve the evolving needs of consumers, patients and caregivers. We want to clear up some inaccuracies in the reporting to set the record straight. 1. Anything but secret: Ascension's work with Google has been anything but secret. In fact, Google first announced its work with us in July, on its Q2 earnings call. Acute care admin- istrative and clinical leaders across Ascension have been informed of the work, enterprise- wide webinars have been held and the clinical leaders of our employed physician group have been informed in detail about the project. In our deployment sites, front-line nurses and cli- nicians have not only been informed but have actively participated in the project. 2. e "secret" code name: For planning purposes, Ascension and Google named our collaboration Project Nightingale as a short- hand way of referring to it. e name reflects the work of Florence Nightingale, a trail- blazing figure in nursing who greatly affect- ed 19th- and 20th-century policies around proper care. 3. About the data: Ascension's clinical data, hosted in the Google Cloud Platform, is housed within an Ascension-owned virtual private space. Google is not permitted to use the data for marketing or research purposes and cannot combine the data with other con- sumer data it has collected. 4. And it's secure: All of Google's work with Ascension is in compliance with applicable regulations, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and is covered by a Business Associate Agree- ment (BAA) that governs Protected Health Information (PHI). Any exchange of PHI in connection with this work is for the purpose of helping our providers support patient care. is is standard practice in healthcare, as pa- tient data is frequently managed in electronic systems that nurses and doctors widely use to deliver patient care. Our data will always be separate from Google's consumer data, and it will never be used by Google for purposes such as targeting consumers for advertising. 5. One media outlet published a chart that supposedly shows an Ascension process that could lead to billing for "more or different procedures." at's simply not the case. is collaboration is all about improving the lives of those we serve, not "billing more." 6. How we get there: Ascension is working with Google to address the interoperability challenges that currently exist with patient medical records to allow for easy, accurate and secure exchange of patient health infor- mation. e goal is to be able to pull clinical information from many different systems and sites of care into a consolidated view so caregivers are able to make the best decision for patients. e work we're doing includes developing new technologies that enable our clinicians to find important clinical informa- tion easier so patients can be assured their caregivers have access to the right informa- tion to provide safe, effective care. 7. e promise of AI: Artificial intelligence holds promise to help physicians more effec- tively and efficiently treat patients. Our prod- ucts in development will help improve care delivery and address well-documented in- teroperability pain points within the health- care system. Artificial intelligence/machine learning will help provide insights, with a licensed clinician always making the final treatment decisions. 8. Our focus: Our focus is extending care to those who need it, especially those who are poor and vulnerable. Ascension has a long history of serving communities. In 2018, we provided $2 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit pro- grams. We selected Google to help us on our journey of transformation. As a Catholic health min- istry, we conducted an Ethics Discernment to ensure this collaboration is aligned with our mission and values, and that it is consistent with our Catholic identity. is is groundbreaking work that will im- prove the experience of patients and consum- ers, as well as caregivers. As we develop and implement these new tools, it will be easier for patients and consumers to engage with the healthcare system, empowering them to be proactively engaged in maintaining their health. Caregivers will have a more valuable experience, with technology helping them achieve new insights so they can better pre- dict and manage patient needs. We're excited about this opportunity to invest in technology-enabled services that address the toughest healthcare problems facing our nation and will help Ascension lead the trans- formation of healthcare. Mr. Conrado's commentary was first published on the Ascension website. It was published by Becker's with Ascension's permission. n Teladoc launches physician-led, comprehensive virtual care center By Jackie Drees T eladoc Health announced on Oct. 25 the release of Teladoc Medical Ex- perts, a virtual center for patients dealing with a wide range of complex mental and physical medical needs. Teladoc Medical Experts allows state-licensed physicians to virtually connect with individuals regardless of their geographic location to provide consulta- tions relating to accuracy of diagnosis and offer advice on treatment plans. Physicians participating in the virtual program comprise more than 450 med- ical subspecialties. The service is currently available for more than 100,000 Teladoc members across the country. Teladoc Medical Experts also features a "Find a Doctor" search function, which uses the company's physician database to make com- munity physician referrals within the individual's preferred health plan and center of excellence networks. n