The Gap Between Healthcare Realities and Tech Innovation: A Reflection for Developers
Many developers venturing into healthcare technology lack firsthand clinical experience, yet they often present their solutions as groundbreaking. Having spent three years working in a hospital environment, I’ve seen firsthand how disconnected some of these vendor solutions can be from actual clinical workflows.
For instance, I recently observed a startup demo a patient intake system that, unintentionally, would have increased appointment durations by an additional 20 minutes. Their team had never engaged with front desk staff, who have optimized patient check-in processes over years. It’s a clear reminder that understanding the intricacies of clinic operations is crucial—those staff members possess invaluable insights that no amount of pure software engineering can replace.
Admittedly, I’ve been guilty of similar mistakes early in my own development journey. I once created a basic patient scheduling app, thinking I was providing a simple, elegant solution. However, I quickly learned that healthcare involves complex processes like insurance authorization, provider credentialing, and various appointment types. Real progress came only after spending six months shadowing and collaborating with clinic staff to develop a genuinely helpful tool.
This disconnect—developers designing solutions without observing in a real healthcare setting—can be problematic. Creating a system from a remote location without understanding the day-to-day realities during peak seasons, such as flu outbreaks, can lead to ineffective or even harmful outcomes. When breaking things in healthcare, it’s not just an inconvenience—it can directly impact patient care, such as missing essential medication refills.
Has anyone else experienced a humbling moment in healthcare technology development? Or is it just me realizing that simply “digitizing everything” doesn’t suffice? True innovation requires empathy, experience, and a willingness to learn from those on the front lines.
