Unlocking Efficiency and Innovation: Six Key Takeaways from HIUG

The recent Healthcare (HIUG) conference was a valuable platform for industry professionals, experts, and users to gather and exchange insights on the most recent trends, innovations, and best practices in the healthcare sector. With a focus on Oracle Cloud HCM, PeopleSoft, and supply chain management, the conference covered a wide range of topics that were highly relevant to the industry. As newcomers to HIUG, we were delighted to discover that it surpassed our expectations, offering a wealth of knowledge through its profound sessions and fostering an intimate atmosphere that encouraged meaningful discussions among attendees.

Dennis Noonan-Sloan set the tone for the conference with an enlightening session on the impact of storytelling in speeches and presentations. He emphasized that incorporating storytelling techniques breathes life, emotion, and relatability into your message. The power of storytelling captivates attention, deepens comprehension and retention, and fosters a profound connection between the speaker and the audience. By embracing storytelling, speakers can truly engage and inspire their listeners on a deeper level.

During the HIUG conference, Oracle's keynote speaker, Dr. Sarah Matt, captivated the audience with her presentation on "Exploring Shifts in Healthcare: How Technology and Consumerism are Changing the Landscape." Dr. Matt's insightful discussion shed light on the tremendous opportunities unfolding in healthcare and emphasized the critical role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enabling unbiased trials and decision-making. The evolving healthcare landscape is witnessing a significant shift as patients increasingly become active participants in their healthcare decisions. Patient experience and engagement have taken center stage due to the demand for personalized services. Harnessing the power of AI, healthcare professionals can unlock new possibilities to enhance patient outcomes, optimize resource allocation, and ensure the delivery of efficient and effective care.

On the healthcare side, Dr. Matt underscored the empowerment of patients through increased access to information, the transition towards personalized medicine, the growing importance of remote care and telemedicine, and the heightened focus on data privacy and security. These factors shape the new era of patient-centric healthcare.

From a technological standpoint, integrating digital health tools and wearables has revolutionized patient monitoring and self-management. Electronic health records have improved accessibility and enabled real-time tracking. Oracle's advancements in scalable data analysis empower healthcare organizations and professionals to address patient needs proactively. Dr. Matt provided a compelling example of Oracle's ability to aggregate millions of data points of COVID data and trials specifically focused on the impact of the vaccine on pregnant women.

The transformative role of AI extends across industries, with healthcare standing at the forefront of potential advancements for better patient outcomes. Dr. Matt highlighted how AI-powered decisions eliminate biases, leading to personalized treatment plans and reducing medical errors through enhanced support systems for clinicians. Ethical considerations and transparency in AI algorithms were acknowledged as areas of concern, with regulatory frameworks yet to emerge fully.

The promise of AI in healthcare holds tremendous potential, and collaborative efforts will be vital in shaping a future where technology and compassion intertwine to improve patients' lives worldwide. Below, we have outlined the key themes and takeaways from the various enlightening sessions held during this exceptional event:

• Embracing Cloud HCM Applications: One of the conference's central themes was the transition from traditional HR systems to Oracle Cloud HCM applications.  Emphasis was put on the benefits of adopting cloud-based solutions, including improved scalability, accessibility, and enhanced user experience.  We gained valuable insights into the successful implementation and utilization of these applications in healthcare organizations.
• Streamlining Procure-to-Pay Processes: Optimizing procurement and pay processes was another significant focus at the conference. The sessions provided real-world examples of improving efficiency, reducing costs, and increasing automation within the procure-to-pay cycle. Attendees learned about leveraging PeopleSoft features, such as Fluid usability and automation tools, to accelerate and optimize procurement lifecycles.
• Automating Accounts Payable: A key theme that emerged during the conference was the importance of automating accounts payable (AP) processes. Cottage Health presented its case study highlighting the benefits of automating invoice processing, including reducing manual errors, improving efficiency, and enhancing financial control. Attendees gained insights into leveraging AP solutions, like Nimbello, to streamline AP workflows, integrate with external systems, and enable electronic invoice confirmations and change orders.
• Integration and Automation: Integration and automation were recurring themes throughout the conference. Integrations were developed for receiving of goods from FedEx / UPS, and demonstrated how organizations can enhance their supply chain operations and finance processes by integrating external systems and automating manual tasks.
• Enhancing User Experience and Training: Several sessions highlighted the importance of user experience (UX) and training to maximize user adoption and productivity. Techniques for improving the PeopleSoft user interface and enabling seamless delegation of tasks showcased the value of guided learning and provided insights into facilitating the onboarding process.
• Data-driven Insights and Analytics: Leveraging data to drive insights and make informed decisions was a prevalent theme. Sessions explored how healthcare organizations can harness the power of analytics tools and visualization platforms to gain valuable insights into their operations, financial performance, and patient outcomes. 

For more information about integrating your ERP system with an automated AP process, contact us or learn more here.