Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend the IdHIMA Annual Meeting in Boise. It was a well-run, insightful event that brought together professionals from across Idaho’s health information, technology, and compliance landscape.
What stood out to me was less about any single session—and more about the recurring themes that quietly challenged assumptions across healthcare and beyond. Several sessions, especially those on AI implementation, workflow design, and behavioral health interventions, asked an important question:
Are we solving the problems that matter most?
Revisiting the Basics: Systems, People, and Priorities
One keynote featured a simple but memorable concept:
G.R.O.S.S. — Get Rid of Stupid Stuff.
It was paired with a drawing made by a young patient years ago—depicting her doctor turned away, focused on a computer. The message wasn’t new, but it remains relevant. The tools we build—especially in data and technology—can either enable human connection or unintentionally erode it.
In healthcare, that misalignment has consequences. But it’s a challenge that extends to every industry. At infoVia, we regularly see it play out in data systems—when legacy processes persist long after their value has expired.
That’s why the idea behind G.R.O.S.S. resonated. Not because it was flashy, but because it reminded us to routinely evaluate what we’ve allowed to become normal.
Practical Innovation: Food, AI, and Governance
Day 2 introduced two areas that, while quite different, both emphasized practical impact.
The first was food as medicine. While this isn’t a new concept, the conversation focused on the disconnect between what we know works and what we actually incentivize. Behavioral compliance remains a significant barrier—fueled by system design more than patient resistance.
The second centered on AI in clinical settings. The team from St. Luke’s, Molly Zimmer and Jason Hudson, shared six core principles for responsible implementation. It was a grounded session that avoided hype and focused on governance, equity, and privacy—key issues for any organization evaluating AI.
What I appreciated was the focus on design intent. Whether building an algorithm or revising a policy, the goal isn’t novelty—it’s alignment with the real needs of the people the system serves.
Beyond Healthcare: Relevance Across Industries
While the conference focused on health information management, many of the challenges discussed are just as present in other sectors:
- Outdated data governance practices
- Workflow complexity that adds noise, not clarity
- Disconnects between strategy and daily execution
- Systems that generate data without generating insight
These are solvable issues—but only if we’re willing to ask:
Is this still serving its purpose?
At infoVia, we spend a lot of time with clients who are working through these exact questions. Our approach is structured, pragmatic, and focused on long-term capability- not dependency. Our offerings include:
- Modern Data Strategy – Actionable roadmaps tied to business objectives
- Data Architecture- Warehouses designed for performance and accessibility
- Data Governance- Practical frameworks for security, quality, and compliance
- Managed Services – Operational support that frees internal teams to focus
- Technical Enablement- Upskilling that builds lasting internal capacity
We’re here to help simplify complexity and ensure your data ecosystem works for you – not the other way around.
If you’re reassessing what “good” looks like in your data practice, let’s talk.
Recent Comments