Aditi U Joshi MD, MSc, FACEP

Collaboration is a crucial tool in healthcare. The patient has to know what they need to do at home, with their meds, for prevention etc. They will be the ones who have to do it so creating workable goals for them is necessary. The more patients understand what they need to do, feel part of their own care and see the outcomes, the more they will trust their physicians. And be invested in feeling great. Not all patients are the same so knowing their personal goals goes a long way.

Determining cost savings is sometimes hard to do in digital health. Evaluating what someone 'might have done' isn't reliable. What is helpful is looking at broad stats, such as medical readmissions for a certain condition. Then evaluate whether, in certain populations, wearables bring those numbers down. Also think through how tech helps decrease costs that aren't obvious - travel and transport, for example.

There is a lot of information around about different technologies. For those who are completely new, start with the basics: definitions, the tech used, the goals and what other industries are using them. Also make sure to see what part of the clinical portion they are replacing.

Having diverse teams for input is a given. However in meeting environments, it is crucial to get everyone to actually give their thoughts. Some people might not be as vocal. To improve this, ensure that someone is asked or allowed to write down your thoughts after. Otherwise you might be missing some needed perspectives.

Receiving feedback is its own skill. We learn how to give feedback but rarely how to take it. I recommend looking at it and determine things you can actually change. Also, there may be times when something doesn't resonate or it's something you don't need/want to change. Feedback is meant to be information. It is not a mandate. Saying that, take into consideration what the feedback is saying. There may be something you did not see in yourself that others have noted that would benefit you in the future to work on.

Ask for feedback from those who work closely with you. Notice I didn't say only those you get along with. If you don't want to do it face to face, send a sheet and ask for honest feedback. The questions should be about constructive goals, however, not just an evaluation.