Healthcare has always been complex, and that complexity is magnified by systems that often struggle to keep up with the needs of patients and providers alike. The introduction of healthcare technology has brought innumerable opportunities and challenges to the field of medicine.
Dr. Douglas Slakey, founding chair of Health Systems Science at Belmont University, recently joined NetGain Technologies’ Breaching the Boardroom podcast to share his perspective on the state of healthcare and how leaders can rethink the role of IT and innovation in driving long-term improvements.
Challenges in Medicine and Healthcare Technology
Health Systems
One of the key challenges, according to Dr. Slakey, is that medical education has historically focused almost exclusively on clinical excellence while leaving out a crucial piece: the systems in which care is delivered. The rise of health systems science—the study of how people, processes, and technologies come together in healthcare environments—is an attempt to fill this gap. Without it, providers are left navigating outdated structures that fail to support the realities of modern medicine.
Many frustrations clinicians face today stem from this disconnect. Front-line workers operate within highly centralized systems that often dictate care pathways. They rely on rigid rules and approvals rather than empowering physicians to use their judgment. This has fostered a growing sense of burnout, inefficiency, and mistrust. Worse still, key performance indicators like “shorter length of stay” may not align with what drives positive patient outcomes.
Rural Hospitals
Compounding these issues is the financial instability of smaller/rural hospitals. Larger healthcare systems have been taking over many of the smaller hospitals in local towns and communities. These acquisitions are often driven by economic necessity, particularly in regions where population density cannot support specialty care—but they raise questions about access, equity, and the sustainability of local healthcare delivery.
Data Management in Healthcare Technology
Technology offers hope, but it’s not a silver bullet. Telemedicine, wearable devices, and remote offer exciting possibilities for more personalized and distributed care. But there are still barriers to meaningful adoption. For one, the electronic health record (EHR) was originally designed to serve billing and documentation—not clinical insight. As a result, providers are overwhelmed with data and alerts that are difficult to act on. Working towards streamlining that information can help shift it into something more useful and actionable.
Another major challenge lies in data ownership and management. Dr. Slakey notes that patients today still don’t truly own their health data. Unlocking that data—and giving individuals the ability to share it easily with trusted providers—could improve care coordination and lead to more patient-centered experiences.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is yet another growing concern. When ransomware or system outages hit a rural hospital, the results can be catastrophic—especially when there’s no manual backup process in place. As more care delivery depends on digital systems, the need for secure, redundant infrastructure becomes even more critical.
Where do we go from here?
Dr. Slakey encourages a leadership model rooted in compassion, collaboration, and context. Whether it’s integrating social determinants of health, embracing decentralized team structures, or focusing on more personalized care, the path forward starts with empowering the people closest to the patient—both providers and caregivers.
As healthcare leaders, embracing healthcare technology complexity will be key to building a system that truly supports the long-term health journey of every individual. Dr. Sharkey promotes rethinking healthcare workforce training and incentive alignment. He also challenges rethinking how to leverage technology not just to digitize processes, but to truly enhance care.
After all, every one of us will be both a patient and a caregiver at some point in life. Solving these challenges isn’t about “us versus them”—it’s about building a system that works better for all of us.
Check out NetGain’s full podcast with Dr. Slakey!
More Information
Dr. Douglas Slakey is an internationally recognized transplant surgeon, founding chair of Health Systems Science at Belmont University’s College of Medicine, and bestselling author of The Process Manifesto. https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-slakey-md/
