Keep trying. pic.twitter.com/W94L6dz83f
— Warren Whitlock (@WarrenWhitlock) May 10, 2015
Ok, to be honest, I don’t really want to fact check if Einstein really said this or not. You might know how quotes from famous people were often not said by said famous person. However, that doesn’t really matter to me since the above quote was too interesting not to share.
I really like the idea that the key to solving really challenging problems is to stay with the problems longer. The biggest challenge I think we face in healthcare IT is that far too many people are running around like chickens with their head cut off. I understand completely why it’s happening. The regulations and stimulus have created this maniacal set of requirements that require a bit of running around like crazy people.
I don’t think the major problems of healthcare can be solved through a maniacal chasing of incentives and regulations that we see in healthcare today.
If we want to really go after and solve major problems, then we have to stay with the problems a little longer and not head off to the next problem too quickly or even ignore a problem that seems challenging or even impossible. I realize that this is much easier said than done. We easily let the fires of today prevent us from preventing the fires that will come tomorrow, next month, and next year. It’s natural to do.
The thing that gives me most hope is the amazing people working in healthcare. The majority are great people trying to make a difference for good. Now we just need those good people working in healthcare IT can take a bit more time and stay with the problems of healthcare a little longer before they move on to put out the next fire.
You are right on! Unfortunately, the people writing the regulations for the industry have set some of those distracting little bonfires that are diverting attention away from true progress…oh, well…like you said, just keep solving the problem and we’ll wind up with something amazing despite the distractions.
Peggy