The Winning Edge: Enhancing Business Impact Through Technology Analysis
By Amanda Norris
February 28, 2025
In today’s environment, healthcare systems require a definitive understanding of the return on investment (ROI) before embracing new technology. This article explores how to accurately assess the ROI of technological investments in the healthcare sector.
Healthcare leaders need a well-defined business plan before they make decisions on new technology adoption, especially when it comes to virtual care. During the pandemic, virtual care gained significant momentum. Providers needed to ease the strain on hospitals, and patients wanted to access care from the comfort of their own homes. Federal and state regulators adapted and relaxed telehealth restrictions to expand access, and payers like CMS altered their rules to provide financial reimbursement for virtual care services.
However, now that the acute phase of the pandemic is over, the situation is evolving. Many waivers enacted during that period have expired, patients are increasingly expressing a preference for in-person visits, and healthcare executives are challenged to revise or redefine how virtual or digital health care services can be sustained and scaled.
So how can health systems and hospitals effectively define the ROI of a telehealth platform or other digital health tool in this current context? There are several critical factors to consider in the process. They include clinical outcomes, provider workflows, and the existing workforce shortages. Furthermore, there must be a clear financial benefit associated with the technology. How can all of these varied priorities coexist in a business plan?
In a recent webinar, HealthLeaders addressed this issue with David Higginson, EVP and Chief Innovation Officer at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and Stephen Hunter, VP of Digital Strategy and Innovation for the Allegheny Health Network, part of Highmark Health. The webinar offered in-depth analysis of this complex issue.
Amanda Norris serves as the Director of Content for HealthLeaders.
