Playing the Infinite Game: Why it Matters for the Future of Healthcare

I love a good book, especially when I can apply its lessons in my everyday life and work. One such work is “Finite and Infinite Games” by James P. Carse. Although it was published in 2013, long before things like COVID or even AI invaded our public consciousness, the book’s message sticks with me. You see, Carse distinguishes between two types of games — those played solely with the purpose of winning (finite) and those in which the goal is to advance the game itself (infinite).

Applying this to healthcare, we can sometimes get wrapped up in finite games, where success is marked as a singular moment in time, measured by some arbitrary metric.There is a classic set of rules, and the game is played from a scarcity mindset. Someone is ultimately declared the winner, while everyone else loses.

I think we would be wise to shift conventional thinking and consider healthcare as an infinite game instead, an exciting one with endless challenges, high stakes, and immeasurable rewards. As Carse explains, in the infinite game, rules are fluid, new players are allowed entry, and new opportunities surge.

Today, healthcare is well-suited for this, thanks to advances in technology and its ability to adjust and account for industry-specific regulations. We have a chance to apply technology consistently and persistently to advance care over the long haul.

Level One
The entry point, or start of the infinite game, is to identify a key problem that needs solving. Are patients waiting longer than you would like? Is your billing system a pain? What about the way you chart — can you see relevant patient information clearly? Do you get reminders when it’s time to follow up?

There’s likely an app to address any conceivable issue you have. Excellent healthtech solutions abound today. Recent research from Grand View Research showed that there were nearly 350,000 mHealth applications hosted across different app stores last year. Additionally, the report revealed that the global mHealth apps market size was estimated at $32.42 billion in 2023 and estimated to grow at a CAGR of 14.9% over the next six years, so even more good things are to come.

With such a large market of possible solutions - in addition to cloud-based software and platforms — where do you begin? Start with the thing that is plaguing you most. Once that is clearly defined, investigate vendors. You can find quality vendors on app marketplaces that work with your Electronic Health Records (EHR), for example. This is a great way to identify new solutions and read reviews from other providers who are already using them to learn more about whether they will meet your needs. Or ask your colleagues and peers. Maybe attend industry conferences to learn about new offerings and their impact. Even a little online research can set you off and running.

Enjoy the process as part of the infinite game. Discover cutting-edge technologies that assist across clinical workflows, alleviate tedious tasks, and increase both accuracy and efficiency - or whatever your needs might be. Doing so is good for patients and your practice.

Leveling Up

Just like any good game, you’re charged with moving forward. Implement your first solution. Work through the kinks, and then repeat the process to address another specific challenge. Providers and practices typically rely on a wide range of applications, from practice management software to their EHR, telehealth, credentialing, and clinical support or research, as well as billing and patient communications — and much more. And within each system, there are tools to make them run better, smarter and faster or that enrich the experience for users or patients.

In short, there is a seemingly limitless supply of options for improving care today. New solutions are hitting the market all the time. It’s good to experiment. Of course, some will work better than others; there will be some bumps and maybe unforeseen outcomes — good, bad and surprising. That’s ok. You still move forward in the quest to advance care.

What’s important, though, is protecting patients. You still have to follow regulations (which could be considered the loose structure of this infinite game), and you cannot take risks with their health. Any new technology should be carefully vetted and tested before being used in a clinical setting.

Just because the infinite game’s rules are more fluid does not mean they don’t exist. Whether weighing a treatment protocol proposed by AI against human knowledge and judgment or simply ensuring that data is secure, healthcare leaders can make forward progress while still keeping patients top of mind.

An Ongoing Journey
Healthtech is entering a period of unprecedented innovation driven by high-value goals to improve the lives and experiences of patients and providers. New solutions enable execution to become much sharper and more focused. The time has come to take advantage so that we can attain those immeasurable rewards — and then continue on to the next big discovery.

The challenges never end; the game never ends. Likewise, the ever-evolving pursuit of better care and mechanisms for delivery should never end.