HLTH21 – Cynthia Perazzo with AVIA

Speaker 00:00:03 Today in. Speaker 00:00:03 Health it interviews from the health conference in Boston Speaker 00:00:06 My name is bill Russell. Speaker 00:00:07 I'm a former CIO for a 16 hospital system and creator of this week and Speaker 00:00:11 health it a channel dedicated to keeping health it staff current and engaged. Speaker 00:00:15 Just a quick reminder, I'm going to be dropping interviews Speaker 00:00:18 over the next couple of days. Speaker 00:00:20 And into next week from the floor of the health conference. Bill Russell 00:00:23 All right. Bill Russell 00:00:24 We're here from the health 2021 conference in Boston. Bill Russell 00:00:28 We're here with Cynthia Barraza with. Bill Russell 00:00:30 Uh, welcome to the show. Bill Russell 00:00:32 I appreciate you coming Cynthia Perazzo 00:00:33 on. Cynthia Perazzo 00:00:33 Thanks, Belle. Cynthia Perazzo 00:00:33 Excited to be here. Bill Russell 00:00:34 So what's your Cynthia Perazzo 00:00:35 title? Cynthia Perazzo 00:00:35 What's your role with Avia? Cynthia Perazzo 00:00:36 I'm the executive vice president for insights and advisory. Cynthia Perazzo 00:00:39 So I work with our health systems driving the core research around digital Cynthia Perazzo 00:00:42 transformation and lead our advisory project projects to help actually Cynthia Perazzo 00:00:46 drive digital transformation at scale. Bill Russell 00:00:48 Yeah. Bill Russell 00:00:49 So what's, what's the focus right now for health systems? Bill Russell 00:00:52 What are they Cynthia Perazzo 00:00:52 looking at? Cynthia Perazzo 00:00:53 Well, the good news is that most health systems have finally gotten Cynthia Perazzo 00:00:56 the joke that digital is going to be. Cynthia Perazzo 00:00:59 And the C-suite is now looking around, asking the question Cynthia Perazzo 00:01:02 on how, how are we going to do Bill Russell 00:01:03 yes. Bill Russell 00:01:04 You know, it's, it's when I was see, I was interesting. Bill Russell 00:01:06 Cause we would look at these projects and we would, uh, the technology wasn't easy. Bill Russell 00:01:13 I mean, we still needed companies like yours, who would help us to Bill Russell 00:01:15 identify cause there's so many players. Bill Russell 00:01:17 I mean, we're at the health conference, you just walked through there and it's Bill Russell 00:01:20 amazing how many players are and you guys would help us sift through those things. Bill Russell 00:01:23 But these really ended up becoming a heavy lift from an operational side. Bill Russell 00:01:26 And I assume that's areas Cynthia Perazzo 00:01:28 where. Cynthia Perazzo 00:01:28 Right. Cynthia Perazzo 00:01:29 And that's really the challenge of 2021 is how do we create the operating Cynthia Perazzo 00:01:33 models that are supported by digital? Cynthia Perazzo 00:01:35 How do we make that transformation? Cynthia Perazzo 00:01:37 You know, picking the technology. Cynthia Perazzo 00:01:38 It turns out is the easy part. Cynthia Perazzo 00:01:40 The hard part is really rewiring your operations to support new processes. Bill Russell 00:01:45 Well, I don't want to minimize how easy it is because when Bill Russell 00:01:49 we looked at an Avia, when I was at St Joe's, we partnered with Avia. Bill Russell 00:01:53 And one of the things you guys did is you went through that landscape of. Bill Russell 00:01:57 Solutions and helped us to say, all right, we're going to do something Bill Russell 00:02:00 around, uh, you know, filling, filling, uh, unfilled or, uh, spots for Bill Russell 00:02:08 physicians and those kinds of things. Bill Russell 00:02:09 And you guys would narrow down the whole field and help Bill Russell 00:02:12 us to evaluate those things. Bill Russell 00:02:13 That's, uh, that's still a big part of what you Cynthia Perazzo 00:02:15 guys do. Cynthia Perazzo 00:02:16 And what we do is understand who the players are in any capability, landscape. Cynthia Perazzo 00:02:20 And part of our value proposition is to help health systems move Cynthia Perazzo 00:02:23 faster through the decision-making. Cynthia Perazzo 00:02:26 And line up the specifications that they have for technical requirements Cynthia Perazzo 00:02:29 with what the, the solution provider. Bill Russell 00:02:33 But I assume what's happening is we get the technology. Bill Russell 00:02:36 A lot of these projects, we get the technology and we put it Bill Russell 00:02:38 in and then we just fall down on the, on the operation side. Bill Russell 00:02:43 And I have enough of those projects under my belt to know that if you don't Bill Russell 00:02:47 get the entire organization bought in, uh, with, with the vision, with. Bill Russell 00:02:54 Uh, with the approach and whatnot, you'll get a lot of silent vetoes along Bill Russell 00:02:57 the way, and it really does slow these Cynthia Perazzo 00:02:58 projects, the silent vetoes, the vein of our health Bill Russell 00:03:02 system. Bill Russell 00:03:03 Well, we all agreed. Bill Russell 00:03:04 It's like, no, no, you agreed with yourself. Bill Russell 00:03:06 And we didn't Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:07 really agree with you. Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:08 We do spend a lot of our time upstream on creating that value proposition, Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:12 really doing the, uh, accounting work on the return on investing. Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:17 Stakeholder management change management. Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:20 It has a different flavor. Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:21 Went in digital. Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:22 Now, when it digital is a team sport, we like to say, so it's not just the Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:26 CIO or the chief innovation officer. Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:28 Even the chief digital officer, you need CFO, human resources, nursing, you know, Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:33 everyone has to play their role to be a Bill Russell 00:03:35 success. Bill Russell 00:03:36 So health systems that work with Avia, it used to be, we, we became members of. Bill Russell 00:03:43 Is that Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:43 the right word members still the same. Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:44 We are a membership organization and part of our value proposition is being better Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:49 together so we can learn from each other. Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:52 We can collaborate. Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:53 It's a very open model, uh, that enables us to have, you know, more Cynthia Perazzo 00:03:57 experience collectively than any one system could have singularly. Bill Russell 00:04:01 So you had the great researchers in the background, but Bill Russell 00:04:03 now you have advisors that are. Cynthia Perazzo 00:04:06 Yeah, we have several levels of advisors now, Cynthia Perazzo 00:04:08 like research is at its core. Cynthia Perazzo 00:04:09 And that part of that research is, you know, understanding what's Cynthia Perazzo 00:04:12 happening in the collective. Cynthia Perazzo 00:04:13 We have a digital transformation guide, which is your client success type person Cynthia Perazzo 00:04:17 who really embeds in the organization to understand how things get done, Cynthia Perazzo 00:04:22 uh, what your critical problems are. Cynthia Perazzo 00:04:24 We have an advisory group that actually helps service the membership, Cynthia Perazzo 00:04:28 identifying those critical projects that you need to get done in support. Cynthia Perazzo 00:04:32 Um, the implementation of those projects. Cynthia Perazzo 00:04:34 And then finally we have a consulting group that's really grown over Cynthia Perazzo 00:04:37 the past four years, um, because of this need to really start at Cynthia Perazzo 00:04:40 the top with a digital strategy. Bill Russell 00:04:43 The, you know, as I, as I'm thinking about this during, during the Bill Russell 00:04:47 pandemic, I would assume your business actually grew during the pandemic. Bill Russell 00:04:51 There was so much movement around chatbots and digital front doors and Bill Russell 00:04:56 engaging people from a distance safely, remote patient monitoring and whatnot. Bill Russell 00:05:01 Your phone rang Cynthia Perazzo 00:05:02 off the hook. Cynthia Perazzo 00:05:03 We were incredibly busy starting right in the February timeframe, uh, because Cynthia Perazzo 00:05:08 virtual visits, helping health systems get, um, video visits, standing up, um, Cynthia Perazzo 00:05:13 contactless testing, contactless visits. Cynthia Perazzo 00:05:16 Um, so it was, it was the activity levels were fever pitch with Avia as with, with Cynthia Perazzo 00:05:21 all of our health systems who were really going through, you know, Uh, levels of Cynthia Perazzo 00:05:26 change and that pace is really maintained. Cynthia Perazzo 00:05:29 Um, we've had some spectacular growth in our business. Cynthia Perazzo 00:05:32 Um, you know, one of the things we're most proud of is when new members join us. Cynthia Perazzo 00:05:36 Um, and we've had really incredible, um, staying power with the existing members. Cynthia Perazzo 00:05:40 So it's really gratifying to build a network that's really committed Cynthia Perazzo 00:05:44 to this level of transformation. Bill Russell 00:05:47 Wow. Bill Russell 00:05:47 So what's top of mind from a, from a technologist. Bill Russell 00:05:51 So this week in health, it, we have a lot of practitioners listening to this. Bill Russell 00:05:55 You know, what, what, what are the, the, and we talked earlier about some Bill Russell 00:05:59 of the primary projects that people are looking at, but is it digital front door? Bill Russell 00:06:03 Is that one of the things or is it bots? Bill Russell 00:06:05 Is it robotic process automation? Bill Russell 00:06:07 I mean, what's Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:08 the focus. Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:09 Yes, yes. Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:09 Yes. Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:09 So digital front door, you know, has become table stakes. Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:12 So there's a lot of folks still trying to put the pieces together there, but what's, Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:17 you know, what's top of mind for people, you know, because of the workforce. Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:21 Burnout. Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:22 And this shortages is how do we change our operating models to create more Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:26 capacity for the workforce that we have. Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:28 So a lot of automation, business process redesign, um, we've been talking to just Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:33 really cool companies who are doing, um, new orchestration technologies to Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:39 enable, um, technology, to help move a patient through a care journey in a much Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:43 more automated and personalized way. Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:45 That's what I'm really excited about. Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:47 Automation, orchestration and personalized. Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:50 I think if we could get our act together around personalization, Cynthia Perazzo 00:06:53 a lot of really positive changes could happen in our school. Bill Russell 00:06:57 Well, that's been the holy grail of personalization. Bill Russell 00:06:58 We have all this data and we're getting better at even collecting Bill Russell 00:07:02 personal data from, uh, from consumers and from patients. Bill Russell 00:07:06 And it's bringing all that stuff together to do personal insights. Bill Russell 00:07:09 Like I need to be told different things than you do with regard to health. Bill Russell 00:07:13 And that's still feels a little ways Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:15 off to me. Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:16 Yeah. Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:17 It is. Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:17 I think we're starting to get our data house in order. Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:19 Folks are starting to understand what types of data that they need. Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:22 We had a really fantastic discussion in the service of health equity and what type Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:26 of information you need to personalize an experience, um, to help close gaps Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:30 in health equity, like culturally relevant information that can help us Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:35 guide a person through their journey in a way that's more relevant to them. Bill Russell 00:07:40 Well, tell me about the health conference. Bill Russell 00:07:43 It's fun to be in front Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:44 of people. Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:44 Again, it is fun to be in front of people. Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:46 And I think the venue has been fantastic, you know, and the amount of Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:51 companies that are here is astounding. Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:53 Um, I do wish more of my health system friends were here, uh, to see this, Cynthia Perazzo 00:07:57 but, um, bill and I will be ambassadors and bring back the information that Bill Russell 00:08:01 we're learning. Bill Russell 00:08:02 That's what I said yesterday on my, uh, today's show. Bill Russell 00:08:05 I do a daily. Bill Russell 00:08:07 I was just saying, you know, the thing of note here is that none Bill Russell 00:08:10 of you, my listeners are here. Bill Russell 00:08:11 I mean, there's a handful I saw, uh, I saw a couple of CEO's yesterday, but, but not, Bill Russell 00:08:15 not a lot, uh, some from the Boston area. Bill Russell 00:08:17 And I know that some have a challenge. Bill Russell 00:08:19 I mean, there's the, the chime conferences next week. Bill Russell 00:08:21 So they had a choice and others are still under travel restriction at this Cynthia Perazzo 00:08:25 time. Cynthia Perazzo 00:08:26 So that's what we're hearing to the travel restrictions. Cynthia Perazzo 00:08:29 Uh, but I do think the health group has done a really great job of Cynthia Perazzo 00:08:32 making things available virtually. Cynthia Perazzo 00:08:35 And I think this is a new world. Cynthia Perazzo 00:08:37 We're going to be doing hybrid conferences. Bill Russell 00:08:39 This is I, we joked earlier, this probably could be the Bill Russell 00:08:41 safest place on earth right now. Bill Russell 00:08:42 I mean, it's, they created a little bubble everybody's tested, Bill Russell 00:08:45 everybody's, uh, double vaccinated. Bill Russell 00:08:48 Um, and so, you know, I just, I feel like this is probably safer than Cynthia Perazzo 00:08:54 where I live. Cynthia Perazzo 00:08:55 Yeah. Cynthia Perazzo 00:08:55 It's been a pretty amazing, um, response by the health industry to Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:00 keep work workers and, and our staff. Bill Russell 00:09:04 So have you, have you gone to any of the general sessions Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:06 or I've mostly been on the exhibit hall and doing the hosted Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:09 buyer program, which has been really fun. Bill Russell 00:09:12 Tell us about Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:13 the hosted buyer program is really a great way. Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:15 If you want to come to the conference without paying the price of entry, if Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:18 you're a buyer, a health system or an influencer like Avia, you can meet with Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:23 a variety of, of solution providers. Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:26 Um, have a 20 minute speed. Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:28 So I spent two hours back to back talking to eight companies yesterday, learning Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:32 about kind of what they've been up to. Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:34 What's new with them taking lots of great notes, telling them about what our health Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:38 what's important to our health systems. Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:39 I mean, part of what we want to do at obvious amplify what's Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:42 important to health systems. Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:43 So that solution providers actually get out there and solve those Bill Russell 00:09:45 problems. Bill Russell 00:09:46 So we're in the same business. Bill Russell 00:09:47 I amplify great thinking to propel healthcare forward and your. Bill Russell 00:09:52 The thinking as well to your, to your members. Bill Russell 00:09:54 Absolutely fantastic. Bill Russell 00:09:55 Cynthia, thanks for sitting down with us. Bill Russell 00:09:57 Really Cynthia Perazzo 00:09:57 appreciate it. Bill Russell 00:09:58 Great to see a bill. Bill Russell 00:09:59 Check back for Morris. Bill Russell 00:10:00 The, we continues. Bill Russell 00:10:01 A lot of great interviews, a lot of great conversations. Bill Russell 00:10:03 I'm looking forward to sharing them with you. Bill Russell 00:10:05 That's all for today. Bill Russell 00:10:06 If you know someone that might benefit from our channel, Bill Russell 00:10:09 please forward them a note. Bill Russell 00:10:10 They can subscribe on our website this week, health.com or wherever you listen Bill Russell 00:10:14 to podcasts, apple, Google, overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, you get the picture. Bill Russell 00:10:19 We are everywhere. Bill Russell 00:10:20 We want to thank our channel sponsors who are investing in our mission to develop Bill Russell 00:10:23 the next generation of health leaders. Bill Russell 00:10:25 VMware Hill-Rom Starbridge advisors, McAfee and Aruba networks. Bill Russell 00:10:31 Thanks for listening.