Transforming Healthcare Data and Enhancing Patient Care with Digital Innovation
In the 153rd episode of The Big Unlock podcast, Dr. Mark Weisman, Chief Information Officer and Chief Medical Information Officer at TidalHealth, shares insights from his journey in healthcare IT. He discusses the challenges of transforming dirty, unstructured data into clean, actionable insights, the role of data governance in maintaining quality, and the latest patient care technologies shaping the industry.
Listen to the full conversation
Role of Data Governance in Digital Transformation: Turning Dirty Data into Clean Data
One of the biggest challenges in healthcare IT is dealing with fragmented and unstructured data. Dr. Weisman stresses that improving data quality isn’t just a technology problem—it’s an operational one. From duplicate records to inconsistent documentation, these issues make it difficult to extract meaningful insights.
“Healthcare is loaded with dirty data. It’s just the nature of the beast.”
– Dr. Mark Weisman, CIO and CMIO, TidalHealth
Dr. Weisman discusses how TidalHealth is addressing this issue through robust data governance strategies along with a collaborative effort between IT teams and operational leaders to continuously validate and refine data accuracy. By implementing standardized processes and ensuring accuracy in data collection, healthcare organizations can transform raw data into actionable insights that drive better patient outcomes.
“The data will always be dirty in healthcare until the operational leaders sit down, look at their data, engage with it, use it to make operational decisions and then challenge it. And say, this just doesn’t feel right.”
– Dr. Mark Weisman, CIO and CMIO, TidalHealth
Dr. Weisman also highlights how establishing clear policies and procedures helps prevent data loss and ensures compliance with industry regulations. Effective data governance also plays a crucial role in AI adoption, enabling the responsible use of large language models (LLMs) and other emerging technologies.
Enhancing Patient Care with Digital Technologies
TidalHealth is leveraging digital tools to improve patient engagement and streamline clinical workflows. Dr. Weisman discusses the newly introduced Epic tool, MyChartBuilder, which allows healthcare organizations to create simple, personalized microsites for patient education. By leveraging medical data, MyChartBuilder helps deliver targeted information to the right patient groups, improving health literacy and patient outcomes.
In addition, virtual nursing technology is emerging as a powerful tool to optimize hospital operations. Dr. Weisman discusses how this technology can handle repetitive, lower-complexity tasks, allowing nurses and physicians to focus on higher-value patient care. By streamlining workflows and improving efficiency, virtual nursing has the potential to enhance both patient outcomes and clinician satisfaction.
The Future of AI in Healthcare
While TidalHealth is in the early stages of exploring AI and large language models (LLMs), Dr. Weisman emphasizes that physician education and domain expertise are critical in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of AI-driven insights. Rather than adopting AI tools rapidly, organizations must assess risk tolerance and ensure that AI enhances clinical decision-making without compromising patient safety.
Advice for Startups: Understanding Risk Tolerance in Healthcare IT
For health tech startups, Dr. Weisman advises a strategic approach to technology adoption. Many health systems are inherently risk-averse, given the high stakes involved in patient care. Understanding an organization’s risk tolerance, addressing data governance concerns, and focusing on real-world clinical needs are essential for building solutions that healthcare providers will trust and implement.
“If you have a team that says, absolutely, we never will fail, then you’re going to have trouble being extremely innovative.”
Dr. Mark Weisman, CIO and CMIO, TidalHealth
“While there should be zero tolerance for failure, we must embrace experimentation to drive innovation.”
– Dr. Mark Weisman, CIO and CMIO, TidalHealth
While failure is not an option when it comes to patient safety, organizations must be willing to experiment to drive meaningful progress. Striking the right balance between risk management and innovation is crucial for healthcare organizations looking to stay ahead in an evolving digital landscape.
The Future of Digital Transformation in Healthcare
As digital technologies continue to reshape healthcare, organizations must navigate the challenges of data governance, patient engagement, and AI adoption carefully. Dr. Weisman’s insights highlight the importance of collaboration between IT leaders, clinicians, and operational teams in ensuring that technology truly enhances patient care.
