Healthcare
7 min read

Key Insights from Hyro’s Digital Front Door Day 2024: The Future of Healthcare is Here
Liat Kozuch Field Marketing Lead and Podcast Host
Key Insights from Hyro’s Digital Front Door Day 2024: The Future of Healthcare is Here

In today’s fast-paced world, patients expect healthcare services to be as seamless as ordering an Uber ride or a pizza. Hyro’s Digital Front Door Day 2024 provided a glimpse into this transformation, showcasing the latest innovations designed to streamline the patient experience, reduce operational complexities, and leverage the power of AI in ways that genuinely enhance healthcare delivery.

Experts at the event outlined a future where patients can interact with healthcare systems just as effortlessly as they do with retail platforms, ensuring that getting medical care is no longer a frustrating, time-consuming ordeal. 

Here’s an expanded look at the insights shared during this forward-thinking event, and why the future of healthcare is not only digital but also patient-centric.

“The traditional healthcare experience is inaccessible and frustrating for many patients, with long wait times, complex processes, and limited access to information. The front door is still closed for many.”
Israel Krush
CEO & Co-Founder, Hyro

To Solve Patient Frustration, Healthcare Must Become Seamless

Healthcare systems have long been criticized for their inefficiencies and complexities. At Digital Front Door Day, speakers highlighted how patients often struggle to schedule appointments or access test results due to bureaucratic red tape. It’s no surprise that 76% of patients are dissatisfied with their healthcare experiences. The delays, confusion, and lack of responsiveness make what should be simple tasks—such as booking a doctor’s appointment or getting a prescription filled—a frustrating endeavor.

The concept of the Digital Front Door aims to tackle these pain points by making healthcare interactions as simple as ordering a product online—scheduling a check-up within minutes, receiving reminders, and accessing lab results without a lengthy wait. It’s not just about speeding up the process, but about fundamentally transforming how healthcare services are delivered to the patient.

Speakers at the event underscored that the future of healthcare lies in eliminating the friction that patients currently face. Whether through online scheduling systems, virtual assistants, or automated reminders, the goal is to reduce the time and effort patients spend navigating the healthcare system. By doing so, healthcare organizations will improve patient satisfaction, build stronger relationships, and ultimately foster better health outcomes.

"We're really trying to create a user experience, a patient experience that is frictionless and gets them the care that they need at the right place and the right time.”
Elbridge Locklear
SVP Chief Information Officer, Summa Health

AI-Powered Healthcare is Here

AI is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of modern healthcare. At Digital Front Door Day, speakers discussed the immense potential of AI to revolutionize patient care by automating time-consuming tasks, enhancing patient interaction, and offering personalized health solutions. But the consensus was clear: AI should serve as an augmentation to human intelligence, not a replacement.

Healthcare professionals spend a significant amount of time on administrative tasks—such as filling out paperwork, managing appointment schedules, and retrieving patient information. By automating these tasks, AI can allow doctors and nurses to focus on what truly matters—patient care. AI can ensure that patients receive timely care, accurate information, and personalized treatment plans without the delays that plague the current system.

One of the most promising aspects of AI is its ability to improve patient engagement. AI-powered systems can interpret patient data and behavior to create more tailored healthcare experiences. For instance, AI chatbots can answer patient queries in real time, assist with appointment bookings, and guide patients through self-service options—all while learning from interactions to provide even better service over time. In this way, AI can reduce the workload on healthcare professionals while improving patient outcomes.

AI’s role in healthcare is clear: It’s not just about making systems smarter—it’s about making care more human by freeing up healthcare workers to focus on personal interactions and care quality.

“AI can automate many of the routine tasks that patients have to perform when accessing healthcare services, such as scheduling appointments, finding providers, and managing their medical records.”
Amir Dan Rubin
CEO and Founding Managing Partner, Healthier Capital

Responsible AI: Three Key Pillars

With great power comes great responsibility, and nowhere is this more true than in healthcare. One of the strongest messages from Digital Front Door Day was the importance of Responsible AI implementation. In an industry as sensitive as healthcare, there is no room for errors, miscommunication, or “creative” responses when dealing with a patient’s health data.

Control, Explainability, and Compliance were the three pillars emphasized throughout the discussions. AI must be able to provide precise, reliable information that patients can trust. For instance, when asking about test results or scheduling an appointment, the response needs to be clear and error-free. Any inaccuracies or inconsistencies could erode trust in the system and lead to potentially harmful outcomes for patients.

Speakers stressed that Responsible AI means ensuring that AI systems are built on accurate data and subjected to rigorous testing before deployment. Furthermore, it’s crucial that these systems continue to evolve, learning from interactions and improving their accuracy. Trust in AI will play a major role in its adoption, and healthcare systems must prioritize transparency to maintain that trust.

Breaking Down Barriers: Simplifying Healthcare Access

Healthcare is complex by nature, but its access points don’t need to be. At Digital Front Door Day, the conversation often returned to one fundamental issue: healthcare is hard to access for too many people. Whether it’s because of long wait times, difficult navigation through insurance systems, or a lack of understanding about what steps to take next, patients often feel lost in a confusing system.

Digital Front Door strategies aim to break down these barriers by creating user-friendly systems that simplify the patient experience. Whether it’s booking an appointment with a specialist, getting a prescription refill, or receiving follow-up care instructions, these tasks can and should be streamlined.

When patients are provided with easy-to-use digital tools that offer clear instructions and efficient scheduling, they are more likely to engage in preventive care, follow up on medical advice, and address health concerns sooner rather than later. As one speaker noted, convenience and accessibility are key to ensuring patients don’t delay essential treatments or screenings. By making the process seamless, healthcare systems can improve overall health outcomes and reduce the administrative burden on staff.

"Healthcare is too hard to access. Too many of us who work in healthcare become personal concierges for our families and our friends. And it's wrong.”
Pamela Landis
Senior Vice President, Hackensack Meridian Health

Trust is the Backbone of Healthcare

Trust is the bedrock of healthcare, and Digital Front Door Day reinforced this principle repeatedly. Trust is essential not only between patients and healthcare providers but also between patients and the digital systems they interact with. 

As healthcare becomes increasingly digitized, the relationship between patients and technology must be built on confidence and security. Digital tools that provide clear, consistent, and accurate information will foster trust, ensuring that patients feel secure in using them. Healthcare systems, in turn, need to ensure that they are transparent about how patient data is used, stored, and protected.

By building trust through reliable, secure digital solutions, healthcare providers can create stronger relationships with patients and encourage more active participation in their health journey. Trust isn’t built overnight, but it can be nurtured through consistent, positive digital interactions that put the patient first.

"At the end of the day, healthcare is still humans taking care of humans. And so how do we layer technology, whether it's AI or other things, into that equation in a responsible way that doesn't disrupt or disconnect that patient relationship?"
Patrick McGill
EVP, Chief Transformation Officer, Community Health Network

Addressing Complexity with Smart Solutions

Healthcare’s complexity is often a barrier to both patients and providers. Administrative processes are cumbersome, clinical workflows are intricate, and regulatory requirements add layers of complication. One of the key takeaways from Digital Front Door Day is that healthcare providers must embrace smart, intuitive solutions to simplify these complexities.

AI and digital tools are already making headway in this regard. From automating administrative tasks to providing patients with self-service portals, healthcare systems are reducing friction and making care more accessible. These solutions not only streamline patient interactions but also help providers manage their workload more efficiently. 

Additionally, technology is playing a pivotal role in improving healthcare providers’ decision-making processes by offering real-time data analytics. This allows doctors to make more informed decisions, reducing the time spent gathering information and enabling quicker, more effective patient care. Ultimately, these smart solutions will help healthcare systems address both the clinical and administrative challenges they face.

"We need to be more transparent about how different systems can work together, how your data remains secure, and how these digital solutions can make your experience easier."
Sarah Richardson
President, 229 Executive Development Community, This Week Health

Future-Proofing Healthcare: Preparing for 2025 and Beyond

As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, one of the key discussions at Digital Front Door Day centered on future-proofing healthcare. Technology is moving at an unprecedented pace, and healthcare systems must adapt quickly to keep up. Experts emphasized that healthcare leaders need to start thinking about the future now, particularly as we approach 2025.

From mobile-first strategies to AI-driven patient engagement, the future of healthcare will be heavily reliant on technology. But more importantly, healthcare organizations need to build flexible, resilient systems that can adapt to the rapid changes in patient needs and technological advancements.

The ability to continuously innovate will separate successful healthcare systems from those that fall behind. The Digital Front Door is a prime example of how healthcare can evolve by meeting patients where they are—online, on their phones, and seeking fast, reliable answers.

Looking Ahead

Hyro’s Digital Front Door Day 2024 painted a compelling picture of healthcare’s future—one where technology, particularly AI, plays a central role in making healthcare more accessible, patient-centric, and efficient. By focusing on responsible AI use, simplifying healthcare access, and building trust through transparency, healthcare systems can meet the challenges of tomorrow head-on. 

The future of healthcare is already here, and it’s digital, seamless, and designed with the patient in mind. As healthcare continues to evolve, the Digital Front Door will be the key to unlocking a more personalized, accessible, and effective healthcare experience for all.

Watch all Digital Front Door Day 2024 recordings here

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About the author
Liat Kozuch Field Marketing Lead and Podcast Host

Liat Kozuch is Hyro’s Field Marketing Manager & Video Podcast Host. Prior to becoming an audio superstar, Liat served as the Director of Operations, Events, & Sponsorships at Future Media Conferences, so as you may have already guessed, a jack of all trades. When she’s not interviewing the world’s leading healthcare and real estate professionals, you can find her taking endless selfies with her Australian Sheppard Thomas.

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