Jul. 2, 2008 at 9:13am

Manage health care like your croquet set

Posted by Shari Campbell in Planning and Strategy
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“Our croquet set is now west of the Mississippi,” my husband Tim shouted from our computer this morning.

Last week he ordered a new croquet set online. Like a kid waiting for his new toy, Tim tracks its progress daily, providing us updates about its whereabouts.

Imagine his surprise when he had to call three times to correct our insurance information.

“I can track the croquet set daily as it makes its journey from the East Coast to our front door,” he exclaimed, “and yet between the hospital and the insurance company they can’t get it straight that we switched plans in January.”

That’s just one example of how consumers compare other shopping and service experiences with health care. And there’s growing evidence that consumers, like my husband, expect more from hospitals and health care systems in the way of technology solutions.

One example of the impact technology will have on health care was covered recently in the New York Times article headlined: Partnership Gives Patients Control of Health Records. The article’s lead went on to say that Kaiser Permanente, the nation’s largest nonprofit HMO, is partnering with Microsoft’s HealthVault, linking the personal health-record service with patient information from Kaiser’s own employees.

A few days later, I learned more about HealthVault at an MCEI meeting in Seattle.

Grad Conn, senior director of Global Consumer Health Strategy for Microsoft’s Health Solutions Group (and they say health care folks have long titles!), talked about Microsoft’s new venture into health data and technology. (By the way, Grad’s presentation was dynamic and hilarious).

What is HealthVault? Microsoft HealthVault is a platform that puts people in control of their health data. It helps them collect, store and share health information with family members and health care providers, and it offers people a choice of applications to help manage things like fitness, diet and health.

Reread the first sentence of the paragraph above. Microsoft’s new platform will put “people in control of their health data.” Not a doctor’s office, not an insurance company and not a hospital or health system.

Kaiser, already a leader in electronic medical records and patient-focused technology, is on board with HealthVault, providing a strong indication that the market will become more consumer-focused and more technology-focused in the coming years.

In his presentation, Grad talked about the many physicians, insurance companies and experts from all over the world who have helped inspire his work and Microsoft’s work in developing HealthVault. He also mentioned dating Web sites [match.com, eharmony.com] as another research source.

Grad’s point is that he looked at other highly successful models and platforms along the way. He understood the importance of looking inside the current system for inspiration and solutions, but he and the smart folks at Microsoft also knew answers would come from outside health care as well.

Another indication that our world is changing comes from recent research in The McKinsey Quarterly, June 2008. McKinsey surveyed some 3,000 people – people who have the option of choosing their own health insurance. They discovered that consumers are confused, concerned and uncertain about health insurance and how to pay for it.

And just like the Kaiser-Microsoft partnership, the authors of the McKinsey study suggest that partnerships across sectors could go a long way in guiding consumers along the complex and ever-changing journey called health care.

Admittedly, it won’t be as easy as tracking a croquet set across the United States. But the time is ripe for hospitals, health care systems and related businesses to harness some of the power of technology and put it to work for consumers in a way that works for them.

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