The recent Digital Transformation Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting highlighted critical themes shaping the future of telehealth and virtual care. As healthcare systems nationwide continue to invest in digital innovation, discussions focused on moving beyond broad concepts toward practical, evidence-based implementation.
1. From Vision to Implementation: Making Digital Transformation Practical
Participants emphasized the need to move past high-level discussions of “AI in healthcare” toward specific use cases and measurable outcomes. Key questions included:
- Does AI truly reduce workload, or does it shift tasks elsewhere?
- Are digital tools solving operational problems, or creating new workflow burdens?
- How can organizations ensure technology integrates seamlessly into clinical practice?
The group underscored the importance of workflow redesign, task consolidation, and evaluating whether new tools improve efficiency or merely redistribute complexity.
2. Interoperability and the Future Care Model
Interoperability emerged as a central theme. As health systems adopt new EMRs, smart inpatient rooms, and remote monitoring technologies, ensuring standardized data exchange and cross-facility collaboration is critical.
Key challenges include:
- Data quality and “dirty data” management
- Standardized documentation processes
- Cross-institutional continuity of care
- Hardware interoperability for real-time remote collaboration
With growing workforce shortages, interoperable digital ecosystems may enable shared expertise across facilities and support the evolving “medical model of the future.”
3. AI Deployment: Use Cases, ROI, and Evidence
AI continues to dominate healthcare innovation discussions. Rather than discussing AI generically, the group advocated for:
- Case studies of successful AI deployment
- Clear definitions (generative, agentic, predictive, etc.)
- ROI measurement frameworks
- Evidence of improved outcomes, throughput, and care coordination
While research supporting telehealth value continues to expand post-pandemic, participants noted the importance of generating similarly rigorous data around AI, virtual reality, and emerging technologies.
4. Infrastructure and Equity Gaps
A critical concern raised was the digital infrastructure gap, particularly for rural and under-resourced hospitals. Digital transformation requires significant investment in networking, hardware upgrades, and operational redesign. Participants highlighted the need for continued advocacy and policy engagement to support scalable, sustainable funding models.
5. Looking Ahead: 2026 Priorities
Proposed focus areas for the coming year include:
- EMR interoperability standards
- Data continuum and quality frameworks
- AI implementation case studies
- Workflow impact analysis
- Digital transformation strategies addressing workforce shortages
- Policy developments around AI and CMS/CMMI access models
The discussion reinforced that digital transformation is not about adopting “shiny new technology,” but about solving access, operational, and quality challenges in measurable ways.
Conclusion
Digital transformation in healthcare is entering a more mature phase; one that demands structured implementation, data quality rigor, interoperability, and outcome validation. For institutions like T-Health and ATP, continued collaboration, case-based learning, and policy awareness will be essential to advancing scalable, evidence-based telehealth innovation.
As AI and virtual care tools rapidly evolve, the focus must remain clear:
Technology should enhance care delivery, reduce burden, and improve patient outcomes; not simply add complexity.
