Revolutionizing Healthcare with Technology and Humanity

Imana Mo Minard, the Director of Nursing at Corewell Health, illustrates how advanced technology can effectively enhance care delivery. Minard underscores the significance of programs like virtual immersion and Telesitter, and technologies such as electronic medical records. She emphasizes the power of these innovations to improve patient safety, streamline processes, and address staffing shortages. While championing technological solutions, she reminds us to never lose sight of our humanity in this critical profession.

What is your career journey in the healthcare industry, from your initial roles to your current position? What skills have you gained and applied along the way?

I embarked on my healthcare career as a paramedic with the Detroit Fire Department EMS, where I dedicated over a decade of my life. In parallel to my job as a paramedic, I took the decision to expand my knowledge and skillset by becoming a nurse. For two years, I juggled these dual roles, a period that tested my resilience and refined my multitasking abilities.

My nursing career began in the emergency room (ER) of Detroit Medical Center, located in the heart of downtown Detroit. It was there that I learned to quickly adapt, make swift decisions, and carry out life-saving procedures under immense pressure. My dedication and ability to lead were soon recognized, and I moved up the ranks, becoming first a supervisor, then a manager of the ER, and finally the Administrative Director of the emergency rooms at Detroit Receiving Hospital, Harper University Hospital, and Hutzel Women’s Hospital. I also held responsibility for the observation unit during my managerial and directorial roles.

After dedicating almost a decade of my career to Detroit Medical Center, I moved on to Beaumont Health. This was, however, short-lived as we merged, and our name was changed to Corewell Health East. Presently, I serve at the East Farmington Hills location.

Despite no longer solely focusing on the emergency room, my role here is more all-embracing than ever. I now manage the entire hospital. We have undergone a few reorganizations, and my current primary responsibilities include overseeing our Emergency Center at Farmington Hills, our freestanding campus Emergency Center, and our Outpatient Center. Beyond that, I manage five medical-surgical units, the hemodialysis department, our IV team, PICC nurses, and our floating pool.

During my tenure at Corewell Health East, I have also handled critical care, emergency management, the respiratory department, and transportation services. Despite the constant changes and challenges, it has been a fulfilling journey that has significantly shaped my career and impact in healthcare.

What is a significant challenge that you face in your acute care hospital, and how does it relate to the long-term care industry?

Working in an acute care hospital presents unique challenges. One significant hurdle that I face pertains to long-term care - specifically, the process of placing patients into long-term care facilities. The insurance authorization process can be protracted, sometimes extending up to days, and we often find ourselves caught up in a web of strict criteria laid out by insurance companies.

Such constraints, particularly when dealing with patients who urgently need care in a long-term facility, can cause severe bottlenecks. If we fail to streamline the process of patient placement, it adversely impacts hospital throughput. This issue escalates when we have patients awaiting transfer to external facilities occupying beds within our acute care hospital. The resulting backlog affects various areas of our operation, from our emergency departments and operating rooms to our catheterization (CATH) labs.

At the same time, we must recognize that long-term care facilities are under considerable strain as well. They are grappling with staffing issues much like we are, which extend across all industries. The shortage of qualified personnel to care for their patients mirrors acute care challenges. This overarching staffing crisis is a systemic problem that we must collectively address.

What are the latest projects on which you are working in your current organization? What are some of the technologies you are using to ensure its success?

Currently, one of our most exciting initiatives is the pilot of a virtual immersion program at one of our sites. 

This program, which we hope to roll out system-wide, could be particularly beneficial in our medical-surgical areas where we experience acute staffing shortages.

New graduates these days tend to gravitate toward specialty areas like the ER, critical care, and labor and delivery. Unfortunately, med-surg nursing seems to be less popular. While it is not completely bereft of interest, it is safe to say it is less popular among the new breed of nurses. To counter this, we are introducing a virtual nurse who can assist with assessments, act as a resource for on-site nurses, and facilitate discharge planning. This innovative approach has me quite excited.

I have always advocated for integrating technology into our healthcare practices. Whether it is nursing staff or any other staff member, any tool or technique that aids in better patient care is something I wholeheartedly endorse. I believe in leveraging our electronic medical records, our equipment’s data integration capabilities, and our communication tools, like our iPhones and the mobile heartbeat program. When presented with a chance to test an upcoming tech solution, I am typically one of the first to step up.

It is crucial to capitalize on technology, especially given the increasingly difficult task of sourcing labor across all sectors, healthcare included. After all, we are in the business of human care, and we must have all the necessary tools at our disposal to continue providing safe and effective care. I view technology as an ally in this endeavor, and I am always eager to explore its full potential.

What technological trends do you look forward to that will change the future of the landscape?

I genuinely love every aspect of my work, especially the innovative solutions we employ to deliver care more effectively. One such innovation that excites me immensely is our Telesitter program. Using a camera in the patient’s room, we can communicate with and redirect patients who might inadvertently interfere with their drains and tubes. This tool has been instrumental in preventing falls and associated injuries, which is a significant win for patient safety.

Again, I would like to emphasize my excitement about the virtual nurse initiative. I am also extremely enthusiastic about our telehealth services, especially regarding psychiatry. We have been piloting this for about a year in our emergency department, and the results have been so positive that we are making it a permanent feature. This has notably improved our length of stay metrics for psychiatric patients, aiding us provide necessary resources and care for our mental health population.

“We are humans caring for other humans in a profession deeply rooted in empathy and compassion. In times of unprecedented challenges like we are experiencing now, we must strive to support our teams and adapt to new situations.”

And then there are the various systems that integrate seamlessly with our electronic medical record, which I love. These integrations significantly reduce human error. For instance, the ability to scan a patient’s arm band and have the information automatically populate into the electronic medical record is a game changer. It enhances efficiency and patient safety.

Honestly, all these technological advancements in healthcare are thrilling. They streamline processes and reduce errors as well as help us provide better, safer care. It is a blessing to witness and be a part of this technological evolution in healthcare.

As an ending note, what is your advice for other senior leaders and CXOs working in the industry?

I cannot stress enough the importance of always keeping in mind our humanity or the human touch, especially in patient care. We are humans caring for other humans in a profession deeply rooted in empathy and compassion. In times of unprecedented challenges like what we are experiencing now, we must strive to support our teams and adapt to evolving situations.

No one could have foreseen the extent to which our healthcare system would be regulated, influenced by cost and length of stay considerations, and bound by patient criteria. The world of healthcare has transformed dramatically. Yet amid all these changes, it is crucial to keep sight of the human element, reminding ourselves that we are human beings serving in a human-centered profession.