| | December 201719UTLOOK Healthcare Tech Variability: Cost vs Benefit Balance GameBy Suma Gaddam, SVP & CIO, Care New England Health System You may have heard the term "variability" used in multiple contexts before. Oxford dictionary defines the term variability as a lack of consistency or fixed pattern; liability to vary or change. Variability is measured in descriptive terms usually by describing the spread or dispersion of data. There are multiple statistical methods to measure and describe variability such as range, standard deviation and variance.The definition of variability seems to have a negative connotation, in that the object being measured changes constantly or is unpredictable and does not conform. In the context of organizational change management, change comes with a price tag. It could be in the form of dollars, resources, time or a combination of those. On the flip side, one could argue restricting variability could negatively impact innovation. That could be a true statement in the context of organizations whose primary business is innovation and their survival is dependent on bringing to market innovative solutions to address business challenges or enabling their customers to achieve competitive advantage in the market spheres. We all know true innovation is not cheap and not an endeavor that could be done as a business activity carried out alongside an organization's primary business or major revenue generating agenda. Most organizations tread along the middle road where there is a respectable balance in assuming the investment risk of undertaking and infusing controlled, disruptive variability vs. forging the path of pure innovation and be continuously disruptive to their primary business.Technology Variability, a Hidden Driver of Clinical and Business VariationWhat we tend to not pay significant attention to is the hidden cost of variability arising due to technology variability. I define this term by stating it is the disparate and diverse nature of vastly necessary but often redundant and un-integrated/able technologies and platforms meant to meet the distinctive needs of an ecosystem of users. One could argue the use Suma GaddamCIO INSIGHTS
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