The Chartis Group Releases White Paper "Getting Beyond the Hype with Apps and Making it a Reality"

It is time for executives to seize the moment and define a key component of a health system's digital front door

News provided by

Jul 24, 2019, 14:00 ET

CHICAGO, July 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthcare organizations are widely evaluating and pursuing digital technologies to strengthen consumer relationships and experiences. Most recently, many organizations are focused on the world of smartphone apps – driven by a sense that they should have an app, yet in many cases challenged by exactly what that app should do – and how to implement it effectively. The Chartis Group paper, "Getting Beyond the Hype with Apps and Making it a Reality" challenges health system executives to move beyond a wait and see or reactive strategy. The paper outlines key questions to answer that will inform their approach. The paper also provides a framework for potential health system app functionality.

G. Daniel Martich, MD, Chartis Principal, Informatics & Technology, and co-author of the paper noted, "In today's digital age, many industries have seen that consumer-centric smartphone apps can promote additional stickiness (share of wallet) and drive incremental customer acquisition (share of market). It stands to reason that healthcare should see that same dynamic."

Neither a wait and see approach, nor a reactive "App now" approach is ideal. It is essential for healthcare executives to seize the moment, define their app strategy and develop this key element of a digital front door. The paper provides a discussion of five key success factors to consider in the development of an app strategy:

Tie to your strategic imperatives
Dedicate sufficient resources and define explicit ROI metrics
Coordinate with operations
Reflect the wants/needs of your consumers
Integrate with the EHR and other technology back-end data

Health systems also need to evaluate the how; specifically, whether to build, buy or partner. Partnering with advisory and/or technology firms, either start-ups or established, may infuse fresh ideas to catch consumers' eyes. Buying existing technology from a well-established app developer which has created airline, hotel or other successful smartphone apps presents a third path. The beauty of well-designed digital front doors, and specifically smartphone apps, is that they can be modular and over time, personalized to meet individual consumers needs.

Ryan Bertram, a Principal with Chartis Digital and co-author of the paper stated, "A primary goal of consumer-facing digital tools is to create a personalized experience that meets consumers where they are as they navigate the healthcare ecosystem. Health systems that embrace this call to action are investing in capabilities that enable an omni-channel experience that is closely aligned with their mission, vision, and broader enterprise strategy."

About The Chartis Group
The Chartis Group® (Chartis) provides comprehensive advisory services and analytics to the healthcare industry. With an unparalleled depth of expertise in strategic planning, performance excellence, informatics and technology, and health analytics, Chartis helps leading academic medical centers, integrated delivery networks, children's hospitals and healthcare service organizations achieve transformative results. Chartis has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, New York, Minneapolis and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.chartis.com.

SOURCE The Chartis Group