The widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) has revolutionized the management and transfer of patient information across the healthcare ecosystem. However, to realize the vision of consolidated data views spanning care facilities, these disparate EHR systems must be integrated through interoperable interfaces. Effective integration weaves together discrete data repositories into a cohesive fabric, enabling […]
Healthcare’s biggest challenge? Finding and keeping qualified staff. According to the American College of Healthcare Executives' latest annual survey, Hospital CEOs cite personnel shortages as their top issue—ranking recruitment woes higher than financial challenges, care quality, cybersecurity, or other perennial concerns. COVID-19 burnout is fueling resignations and retirements by front-line healthcare workers, and those who […]
Often the need for managed services isn’t recognized until it’s too late, as in when: projects pile up and topple over burnt-out staff timelines run amuck, and it’s impossible to keep up with critical benchmarks financial objectives go out the window, and budgets go haywire We’re working during unprecedented times. Industry-wide, health systems and hospitals […]
Heraclitus said, “You cannot step into the same stream twice.” This metaphorical insight is frequently acknowledged but oft not appreciated. All things, both living and inanimate, are changing. We have no choice, as change is inevitable, but managing change is possible. Without planning and consideration, we may be swept away by the turbulence when we […]
The Basketball Tournament (aka TBT) is a 64-team, single-elimination tourney that invites teams from all over the U.S. to compete for a $1M prize each summer. This year, TBT organizers faced the challenge of managing a complex COVID-19 safety protocol to keep ~1,000 participants and staff healthy during the two-week tournament as it played out […]
Epic UGM is back in-person for 2021! The conference begins on Monday, August 23rd, and concludes on Wednesday, August 25th. Similar to pre-COVID years, the conference is taking place in Verona, Wisconsin at Epic’s campus; however, this year there is a full-vaccination requirement to attend. Streaming options will be available for the Executive Address. Epic […]
The migration to a new Patient Accounting System (PAS), most often as part of an organization’s larger Electronic Health Records (EHR) implementation, requires extensive planning and preparation from revenue cycle management leaders. Due to an increasingly complex payer environment and expectations that PAS’ fit seamlessly into an organization’s tech stack, proper planning and input from […]
Three large employers using regular COVID-19 testing to screen essential workers report success in their efforts to prevent worksite COVID-19 outbreaks. Executives leading the testing efforts at these companies also say that careful planning and communication are keys to implementing a seamless testing program with minimal disruption to the workday. In a recent webinar now […]
Colleges across the United States returned to campus in the fall of 2020 after a spring semester of remote learning and a summer break. Campuses quickly developed and adopted numerous strategies for frequent COVID-19 testing and data reporting in order to ensure the safety of students, faculty, staff members, and the neighboring community. A new […]
Herd immunity for COVID-19 through vaccination is still months away, according to U.S. health experts, but even then, many epidemiologists warn that the pathogen, in some form, will circulate for years, requiring employers to take long-term steps to protect employees. Low-cost interventions such as symptom screening and physical distancing provide some protection but often miss […]
An American Hospital Association study estimates financial losses for U.S. based hospitals at a staggering $320 billion for the year 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has significantly impacted IT spending and forced IT leaders to explore new ways to reduce the cost of IT while ensuring care continuity. Reducing “keep the […]
Smell loss (or Anosmia) is one of the first and telltale symptoms of Covid-19, according to the CDC. That’s why a growing number of experts advocate screening for loss of smell as a simple, cost-effective way to prevent Covid-19 spread. “My impression is that anosmia is an earlier symptom of Covid-19 relative to fever, and […]