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Michelle Paster
It’s HIP to Be Compliant
HIP HIP HIPAA? Okay maybe not. I admit it. Nothing sounds fun, exciting, or “hip” about compliance. Keeping track of every record throughout its lifecycle, and ensuring its protection is a daunting challenge. One where every request, workflow, and transaction is dictated by a set of written policies and procedures – and, any deviation from [...]
All Cards on the Table In Vegas: HIMSS 2012 – The Perfect Time to Call VNA Vendors Bluff
There’s no doubt in my mind that vendor neutral archiving (VNA) will be a hot topic of discussion at the upcoming HIMSS conference. The technology’s benefits are undeniable. With the ability connect data across multiple disparate systems; the VNA enables healthcare organizations to provide a comprehensive view of the patient record. What’s more they can [...]
The Forecast for HIMSS 2012 is Cloudy and I’ve Got 3 Reasons Why That’s a Good Thing
Cloud storage is not new. In fact, it’s been a topic, if not one of “the” topic, of discussion at HIMSS for the last few years. Yet, despite capturing the attention of the healthcare industry early on, the level of adoption amongst this typically risk adverse market has been slow at best. So, what reason [...]
HIMSS 2012 Is All a Buzz about the Cloud but Is Anyone Really Using It?
Today’s healthcare market is all a buzz about the cloud. In fact, it is being featured at the upcoming HIMSS conference as one of the top 6 “hot topics.” A notable ranking considering the endless list of high priority initiatives healthcare organizations are currently undertaking (for example building ACOs, achieving Meaningful Use, and how could [...]
Once Again, Halamka Gets It Right: When It Comes to Health IT, It’s All About the Process
Once Again, Halamka Gets It Right: When It Comes to Health IT, It’s All About the Process
In a recent CMIO article, John Halamka (MD, CIO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center) offers a compelling reason as to “Why every hospital larger than 50 beds needs a CMIO.” As usual, his argument was well thought out, poignant and, as always, dead accurate. That said, it was not the lead topic that struck me but rather a single point within the context of the article, “Clinical applications are only as good as the processes they automate.” While seemingly so obvious, this essential component is often overlooked. As healthcare providers race to become fully electronic and meet meaningful use requirements, there is often little time to stop and re-evaluate legacy processes. But what is the risk if you don’t? Well, to name a few: extra costs, loss of productivity, and ultimately undermining the very thing you are striving to do which is make your data more meaningful and useful.
Manual processes are not independent of digital processes and vice a versa. Unfortunately, there are far too many “me too”, here-today-gone tomorrow vendors out there looking to capitalize on today’s health IT boom. With limited, if any, expertise in healthcare space these vendors are poorly positioned to help you uncover and address inefficiencies in existing workflows. This lack of expertise often proves disastrous. In fact, an Accenture study of 15 CIOs found that most underestimated the time and costs associated with implementing advanced EMR by nearly 100%. Why is that?
