Health systems are the taxi industry in an Uber world

Robert DeMichiei tells Top of Mind 2019 Summit to embrace consumerism in health care or be disrupted

There’s no shortage of discussion about the need for hospitals and health systems to better cater to consumers and their demands for a better experience in health care.

Robert DeMichiei, Chief Financial Officer for UPMC, laid out the dire situation facing health care in stark terms during the Center for Connected Medicine’s Top of Mind 2019 Summit.

“Is health care basically a taxicab company in an Uber world? I say, absolutely,” DeMichiei told the audience at the Summit, which included health care influencers and C-suite leaders from health systems and technology companies.

Embracing consumerism in health care

Robert DeMichiei talks consumerism in health care at CCM
Consumers increasingly expect more from health providers – from easier, more convenient access and scheduling to greater information and communication via mobile devices – but few traditional health systems are providing those services. Yet more and more companies are making moves to step into the void.

There are many companies vying to disrupt health care just like Uber did to the taxi industry. While tech giants such as Amazon and Google receive the lion’s share of the media attention for their efforts, DeMichiei said traditional health systems should be most worried about health insurers.

“They’re in-sourcing health care. They’ve added sites of care. Aetna has the Minute Clinics through CVS. United owns Med Express.”

Embracing consumerism in health care and developing a better consumer experience is the only way to be successful in the long term. His take: “If we do not adapt to this and embrace this passionately we will cease to exist.”