From mainframes to individual PCs, computers have revolutionized health care. In reality, however, the full potential of this powerful technology is far from realized. In spite of its promise, inflexible or poorly customized computer systems can actually result in reduced employee productivity, wasted management time and erroneous data. Health Systems Management Network can assist you in assuring that your hardware and software supports and enhances operational functions and planning capabilities.
Every healthcare executive knows the potential of electronics to streamline and automate data processing. Medical Records, Patient Accounts, Financial Services and scheduling are just a few of the areas where electronics have become absolutely essential. Enormous investments have been made, not only in hardware and software, but also in staff time on the infamous "learning curve." Rarely are the systems used to their full potential, and rarely has the investment paid off to the degree that healthcare executives had envisioned at the outset. There is a gap that inevitably exists between the capability of the technology and the reality of its day-to-day use. Finding and removing this gap can offer surprisingly large improvements in employee productivity, management information quality, and billing speed and accuracy. Health Systems Management Network professionals can provide a detailed operational assessment of your needs and system capability as well as design a results-oriented management based upon operational needs.
Management Information Specialists from Health Systems Management Network
can pinpoint the weaknesses in the interface between the system and the users
and lead in the implementation of changes. Our overall philosophy is that
it is essential that the electronic system match the logic of the organization
it is intended to serve. Often this requires both a review of the hardware
and software configuration, and reorganization of procedures, policy and staff.
Commonly identified problems that our operational assessments have uncovered
may seem familiar to you: We have found that many users do not have enough
basic knowledge of the system to enable them to cope with non-standard operations
or to maximize the efficiency of standard procedures. Very often the standard
reports (preinstalled on a system) do not coincide with management information
needs. This requires the generation of "ad hoc" reports, typically
assembled by hand from numerous standard reports, at a very high cost. Little
training or documentation of basic procedures is provided to users, resulting
in overdependence upon a few "computer whizzes" in the organization.
Data backup is insufficient or results in lost historical data. Duplicate
functions in various departments are done in different ways on different systems,
resulting in poor data integration, rekeyboarding and inefficiencies.
Our engagements begin with observing and interviewing the users of the system(s), their supervisors and managers and those individuals on the receiving end of the information the system is intended to provide. The goal is to understand the departmental/service operational objectives and the context in which the systems support the users. Concurrently, we analyze the capabilities of the various hardware and software systems in place or being considered. In addition, we review the documentation of the systems and the training provided for users. Most importantly, we also analyze the information flow within your hospital. With this understanding of the skills of the users, the capability of the systems and the needs of the organization translated into operational specification, we will produce a detailed management plan that will yield substantial improvements in productivity and information quality and accessibility. With increasing demands upon all healthcare providers for lower costs, additional electronic reporting and electronic data interchange for claims and reimbursement, it will be imperative that automated data processing be as efficient, accurate and flexible. Call us for a preliminary discussion on ways that we can help you meet these challenges.
