Transforming Healthcare: How Franciscan Health is Leading the Charge in Observability and Automation

The healthcare landscape is evolving quickly, especially for systems like Franciscan Health, a network of 12 hospitals in Indiana and suburban Chicago. To stay efficient amidst the complexities of technology and data, they realized a cleanup was necessary.

When Sarang Deshpande joined Franciscan Health three years ago, he found a jumble of technologies and tools. Each had been chosen for its usefulness at the time, yet the collection created confusion. “The technology maturity in healthcare often lags behind other sectors,” Deshpande explains. Nonprofit hospitals often prioritize patient care over new technologies, and this was especially true before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the crisis forced many to reassess their reliance on outdated systems.

Before the pandemic, Franciscan Health bought tech tools as needed without a cohesive strategy. The main source of patient data comes from their electronic medical record system, but they also manage various billing and reporting systems. This complicated structure led to challenges in data access and accountability. “With so many platforms, we had no standardized way to handle data,” Deshpande notes. This lack of organization made it hard to ensure accurate and timely data reporting.

Healthcare systems are known for their slow tech adoption rates. According to a recent survey by the American Hospital Association, only 18% of hospitals report being “very prepared” for digital transformations. This gap highlights the pressure many healthcare providers feel, especially after COVID-19 pushed them to adopt technology more rapidly.

The varied tech tools at Franciscan led to operational inefficiencies. “When an issue occurred, it had a localized impact, which highlighted the need for a better system,” Deshpande explains. As they navigated digital transformation, resources became limited. “Labor costs are skyrocketing,” he adds. Many healthcare systems, including Franciscan, strive to do more with less, emphasizing the need for technology not only at the patient level but also internally.

To tackle these challenges, Franciscan Health turned to the observability platform, Pantomath. This platform aims to streamline data operations by automating tasks, which reduces human error. Deshpande emphasizes that while automation is crucial, human oversight remains essential for validation and correction.

With Pantomath, Franciscan Health could reallocate their workforce to prioritize smarter work through AI and other technologies. “Our goal is to establish consistent monitoring and improve data accuracy,” Deshpande states. The system spans five regions that were once independent entities, making integration a significant task.

A key measure of success for Deshpande’s team is whether they can grow and adapt without increasing their labor costs. The path forward involves migrating existing on-premises infrastructure to the cloud while creating new use cases for their data platform. Deshpande predicts that the next couple of years will focus on migration and consolidation, ultimately aiming to reduce costs and enhance operational efficiency.

The need for innovation in healthcare is undeniable. As technology continues to advance, organizations like Franciscan Health must prioritize effective integration and collaboration to enhance patient care while managing internal processes. Moving forward, healthcare providers will need to embrace this digital shift to keep pace with an ever-evolving industry.

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