Thinking Backwards to Move Healthcare Forward: How Dyslexic Problem-Solving Approach Can Break Down Complex Healthcare Challenges
Dyslexic Thinking in Health Informatics—Wait, What?
You probably read the title and thought, what does dyslexic thinking have to do with health informatics? But hear me out.
First off, fun fact: Dyslexic Thinking is now an official skill on LinkedIn. Yep, it’s a coined phrase, and honestly? It’s an asset that AI can’t replicate as well as humans can (at least, not yet).
When people hear “dyslexia,” they usually think of reading struggles. But dyslexic thinking isn’t about not being able to process information—it’s about processing it differently. In health informatics, where recognizing patterns, analyzing complex systems, and solving critical problems are essential, dyslexic thinkers bring something unique to the table.
How Dyslexic Thinkers Solve Problems Differently
Okay, stay with me here. Let’s take something simple—assembling furniture.
A linear thinker follows the instruction manual step by step, reading carefully and completing each section before moving on.
A dyslexic thinker might not read the instructions at all. Instead, they look at the final picture, mentally deconstruct it, and figure out the most efficient way to put it together.
Now, apply that to health informatics.
Most healthcare problems are not solved in a neat, step-by-step process. When something breaks in a hospital system, the real issue might not even be where the problem appears.
Instead of just fixing what looks broken, dyslexic thinkers naturally work backward, seeing how all the pieces fit together to uncover the actual root cause.
Example: The Chain Reaction of a Broken Process
A hospital is struggling with delays in patient discharge.
? A linear thinker might say, “Okay, let’s make the discharge paperwork process faster.”
? A dyslexic thinker will step back and ask, “Wait. What happened before this?”?
After working backward, they realize:
? The real problem isn’t the paperwork—it’s that lab results aren’t coming in on time.
? That’s because orders aren’t being placed early enough.
? The delay is happening because the EHR system isn’t prompting providers at the right time.
The actual issue started much earlier in the workflow.?
Reverse Engineering Thinking
This is the power of Reverse Engineering Thinking (I'm pretty sure I just made this up, but hey - sometimes the best concepts come from seeing things differently!). Instead of assuming the broken piece is the problem, this framework helps us trace the issue backward to find the actual weak link. Think of it like being a detective who starts at the crime scene and works backwards to understand the entire sequence of events. In healthcare, this means not just fixing the obvious symptoms, but understanding the entire chain of events that led to them.
When we reverse engineer a problem, we're actually building a more complete picture of the system. We're not just asking "What broke?" but "What series of events had to happen for this to break?" This approach reveals not just the problem, but the entire ecosystem around it. It's like having x-ray vision for processes - you see through the surface issue to the underlying structural challenges.
And yes, while I might have just coined this term, the concept itself is something dyslexic thinkers have been doing naturally for years. We're just finally putting a name to it and recognizing its value in solving complex healthcare challenges.
The Future of Health Informatics Needs Reverse Engineering Thinking
According to Microsoft,
“Studies show that dyslexic thinkers are highly sought after by employers, especially as we enter the Fifth Industrial Revolution, a phase of industrialization where humans can use AI to create more sustainable, human-centric solutions. Dyslexics excel in creative thinking, complex problem-solving, and effective communication, making them ideal contributors in this era.” (Microsoft, 2024)
The world is shifting toward a future where AI can handle routine tasks, but it cannot think critically, solve complex problems, or adapt creatively in the way humans can. This is where Reverse Engineering Thinking thrives.
Industry 5.0 and the Demand for Reverse Engineering Thinkers
A report from Made By Dyslexia and Randstad Enterprise, “Intelligence 5.0: A New School of Thought Rethinking the Intelligence Needed in Industry 5.0,” found that some of the most in-demand skills across every industry are the ones dyslexic thinkers naturally possess:
? Complex problem-solving
? Adaptability & resilience
? Communication & collaboration
? Creative thinking & innovation
Many traditional approaches focus on fixing what is immediately visible. Reverse Engineering Thinking challenges this by teaching professionals to step back, analyze the entire system, and pinpoint where the real issue began.
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Why Reverse Engineering Thinking Needs to Be Embedded in Health Informatics
If healthcare systems are going to improve, problem-solving approaches need to shift. Instead of looking for solutions in the obvious places, Reverse Engineering Thinking encourages professionals to unravel problems from the ground up.
Consider these examples:
? A patient keeps missing follow-up appointments. It is easy to assume they are non-compliant. The real issue may be that the scheduling system does not send reminders at the right time.
? An AI model is making biased clinical predictions. It is tempting to blame the algorithm. However, the problem may stem from the training data being biased from the start.
? A hospital is struggling with high readmission rates. The knee-jerk reaction is to assume it is a discharge process issue. In reality, patients may not have access to the right post-care resources.
Without Reverse Engineering Thinking, teams may continue fixing the wrong things—over and over.
The Scientific Foundation of Reverse Engineering Thinking
Transforming Complex Problem-Solving in the Digital Age
When we think about innovation in problem-solving methodologies, we often focus on new technologies and tools. However, sometimes the most powerful innovations come from fundamentally rethinking how we approach problems themselves. This is where Reverse Engineering Thinking comes into play—not just as a technique, but as a methodology for tackling complex systems challenges.
The Science Behind the Solution
Dyslexic thinking is far more than just a unique way of processing information—it's a rigorous methodology that mirrors key scientific principles. Just as the scientific method revolutionized our approach to discovery, Reverse Engineering Thinking is transforming how we understand and solve complex systemic problems.
Consider the traditional scientific method:
Now, look at how Reverse Engineering Thinking adapts these principles:
The Critical Difference: Non-Linear Analysis
What sets this methodology apart is its non-linear approach to problem-solving. Traditional troubleshooting often follows a straight line from problem to solution. However, in complex systems—whether in healthcare, technology, or any modern infrastructure—problems rarely follow linear paths.
Reverse Engineering Thinking acknowledges this complexity by:
The Power of Systematic Deconstruction
When we unpack complex systems, we're not just troubleshooting—we're engaging in a sophisticated form of root cause analysis that aligns with how complex systems actually operate. This methodology transcends traditional linear problem-solving by emphasizing the interconnections between components, much like how modern systems thinking approaches complex challenges.
Application in Modern Technology
In our current technological era, where systems are increasingly interconnected and problems rarely have simple, surface-level causes, this approach becomes invaluable. By methodically working backward through system failures, we can identify not just where something broke, but why the break occurred in the first place.
Key Applications:
Looking Forward
As we continue to build more complex and interconnected systems, the ability to think systematically and trace problems to their root causes becomes increasingly critical. Reverse Engineering Thinking isn't just another problem-solving tool—it's a fundamental shift in how we approach complex challenges in the digital age.
Final Takeaway: Reverse Engineering Thinking is the Future of Health Informatics
Dyslexic thinking is more than just a unique way of processing information. It is a methodology that has the potential to transform health informatics.
We need to adopt this approach to problem solving. Enabling professionals to see problems differently. The ability to spot a failing system and unpack and understand the root cause instead of troubleshooting the same symptoms without solving the problem.
Many of the most valuable problem solvers in health informatics do not just look at what is broken. They step back, reverse-engineer the entire system, and fix what actually caused the issue.
Health informatics needs more professionals who think this way. Next time you are faced with a problem, avoid looking only at what is broken. Step back. Deconstruct it. Work backward. Solve the problem at its source.
That is Reverse Engineering Thinking. This is how we build better healthcare.
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