Podcast Interview with Dr. Adam Glasofer, Part 1: “There Are Some Great Ideas Out There.”

You never know where the next big idea will come from.

It’s a talking point often used by leaders seeking to inspire creativity. But at Virtua Health, it’s more than lip service — and not just because the NJ-based organization has its own Center for Innovation. In fact, the idea that resulted in the deployment of intubation boxes to protect both providers and patients during Covid-19 came from outside the organization (and the industry, for that matter).

To Adam Glasofer, MD, who serves as both Chief Innovation Officer and Associate Medical Director of Informatics, it didn’t matter in the least where it originated; just that it had the potential to improve outcomes. “Ultimately, it’s about thinking outside the box and listening,” he said.

During a recent interview, Dr. Glasofer discussed the critical role innovation has played in Virtua’s response to Covid-19, and how the pandemic has “raised the bar” when it comes to digital engagement. He also talked about the organization’s bold plans for l predictive analytics, the challenges they faced in scaling up telemedicine, and what he believes is the “greatest tool” for clinicians.

Part 1



* About Virtua Health

* Co-founding the Center for Innovation w/ CIO Tom Gordon to “keep a pulse on bleeding-edge technologies”

* Crowdsourcing with nurses – “Some really impressive things came our way.”

* Intubation boxes to protect providers & patients

* Balancing dual roles: “It has become more complementary than ever.”

* Telemedicine’s rapid growth – “We were ready for this”

* Challenges with scaling up quickly

* Adoption of digital tools



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Bold Statements

I recognize that I’m in a fortunate position; when I have good ideas, people often listen. But we have 12,000 employees, and among those, not everyone has that same voice.

The perceived benefit by the outsider isn’t always the same benefit seen by those on the inside — that’s what makes this so unique. We learned that the boxes, while helpful with intubation, were even more helpful with extubation.

The effort it took to scale up telemedicine rapidly allowed me to help the digital health and IT teams in getting those things done and getting them in the hands of clinicians. Ultimately, that’s what we’re trying to do; we need to adapt the way that we deliver care for this new normal.

For a standalone provider, it’s easy to set up; but for a large health system with 12,000 employees and over 200 different care locations, it’s not. You can’t just flip a switch. You have to build that framework and that infrastructure.

A lot of our hold-ups previously were on the clinician side. They’re used to the way they do their job, and it can be scary to make such a change drastic. But this has forced them to do just that.

Gamble:  I think the best place to start is with some information about Virtua. Can you provide a brief overview?

Glasofer:  Virtua is a comprehensive, suburban community health system with expansive offerings. We have five hospitals, as well as two freestanding ERs, multiple urgent cares, and a very large ambulatory practice with health centers and surgical centers. We really span the gamut of providing full care for our community.

 

Gamble:  What about the Virtua Center for Innovation — how did that come about, and what does it aim to do?

Glasofer:  The Center for Innovation was founded by myself and our CIO, Tom Gordon, a little over three years ago. The intent was two-fold. One,