Guest AuthorFor Florida, innovation is more than an experiment in the latest trends. Innovation improves the lives of consumers and creates jobs and economic opportunity. When it comes to better health-care outcomes, disruptive innovation can be an issue for consumers and our state’s competitiveness.
Consider telemedicine. By using electronic communication to share data, physicians in rural areas, local clinics and emergency rooms are able to communicate with specialists in other parts of the state or even the country if necessary. Florida hospitals are taking note.
Baptist Health South Florida already has a state-of-the-art eICU program in place that is seeing considerable overall cost savings. Mayo Clinic’s telestroke program actually uses robots in emergency departments throughout the state to connect to specialists that assist physicians and their patients with stroke symptoms. Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando uses telemedicine to provide much-needed pediatric specialty care to children and their families whether they are home, in their local pediatrician’s office or in another hospital.
And innovations in health care don’t stop at new technologies. Hospitals like Moffitt Cancer Center have blended technology with research to improve cancer-screening processes and help patients proactively fight cancer. Their program is not only helping to save lives, but helps lower costs by treating patients early and keeping them healthy. The program has been so successful that it is the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center in the state and has encouraged Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature to invest $80 million to help elevate Florida’s other cancer centers to become NCI-designated.
While our state continues to move in the right and healthier direction, there is still work to be done.
Currently, Florida lacks a comprehensive telemedicine law and lags behind other states in terms of legislation that fosters this innovation. The Florida Chamber believes telemedicine can help lower overall health-care costs while providing greater access to care in all corners of our state. And with six million more residents on the horizon, millions of new visitors each year, aging physicians, and a lack of health-care professionals, our state needs a better approach to health care — one that is focused on wellness and healthier outcomes with innovations that will make us stronger, healthier and more competitive.
At the Florida Chamber, our Healthcare Alliance is bringing together job creators, technology leaders and health-care providers who are laser-focused on innovative change that will create better outcomes, lower the cost of health care and expand access to care.
We believe the private sector will provide the vision of the future where providers are rewarded for keeping people healthy and out of hospitals. And we will continue to advocate for policies that help secure our state’s future.
What do you think? Can health-care innovations like telemedicine lower the cost of health care for you? Share your thoughts with us today.
Mark Wilson is president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. Column courtesy of Context Florida.
