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We’re living in remarkable times. The Information Age has swiftly evolved from a lofty promise to a reality, right before our eyes.

In the past, many non-accounting technologies were seen as peripheral or excessive in the healthcare sector. Yet in recent years, as newer technologies facilitate enhanced quality of care and core operations, they are migrating into to the very heart of healthcare enterprises.

Significant advances are materializing in virtually every discipline, integrating technologies via IP (Internet Protocol) networks:

• Information Technology: hardware, software, security, integration;

• Communications: IP PBX, VoIP systems and services, unified messaging, wireless;

• Document Management and Electronic Medical Records: copiers, scanners, facsimile, storage, retrieval and managed distribution;

• Medical-Specific Solutions: contributing to diagnosis and treatment;

• Networks: LANs, WANs, wireless and cabled infrastructure, routers, bridges, etc.;

• Security and Access-Control: fire, burglary, video, monitoring, biometric-based access;

• Audio-Video Systems: professional presentation, content distribution, videoconferencing;

• Facilities Monitoring and Management: climate control and lighting, utilities metering, etc.

Exciting days indeed, but not without their challenges. These technologies are diverse. They are complex and rapidly changing.

Healthcare professionals are often required to make major decisions regarding technology planning, procurement and deployment. It is unrealistic to expect healthcare leaders to make large-scale technology decisions alone, and it is virtually impossible to remain up-to-date on the latest developments or pending technologies.

Additionally, healthcare leaders must deal with technologies within the larger context of operations, logistics and compliance: multi-site integration, security issues such as HIPAA and the new PCI standard, LEED and other environmental issues, mobile employees, disaster preparedness and communications continuance, and technology financing options. It is little surprise they frequently fall into the arms of the most recognizable national brands … whether the solutions offered are the best fit or not.

In this paradigm, small community hospitals and physician practices have been disadvantaged. Most cannot afford the in-house expertise of dedicated information or technology officers to inform major decisions. Also, smaller providers have been largely neglected by major developers and manufacturers, which focused on large, enterprise-scale customers.

That scenario is changing, however. Some of the latest technologies offer small enterprises clear advantages –– large-enterprise features at surprisingly small business prices. Further, in many cases, rural hospitals can fund at least part of these technologies by federal and state grants.

With this paradigm shift, the only gap remaining relates to technology knowledge and planning … but that gap can be bridged, allowing small and medium-sized healthcare organizations to leverage technology to their advantage.

No matter what the size and type of your organization, there are a few strategic components essential to successfully securing and deploying complex technologies:

1. Forge a Master Technology Plan. You cannot rely on technology sales representatives to provide you with a comprehensive technology vision or effectively chart your long-term integrated course. That is not their role; their primary function is to sell specific solutions. Whether or not you engage an integrated technology consultant or lead this initiative internally, a Master Technology Plan is essential.

2. It must be consistent with your mission, operations and culture. The plan and its solutions must be robust enough to handle increasing demands. It must be scalable, allowing a path for future growth. It must effectively take into account technology gaps and overlaps. It must address compliance issues and disaster recovery.  It must be comprehensive and map a realistic path from where you are to engage all technologies over the next five years.

3. Engage your staff. You need their contribution to compile an accurate needs assessment that informs the content your plan. You also need their early and ongoing “buy in” as you deploy new technologies. If your new technologies do not address their needs … or if you do not enjoy their support, your spiffy new technology will collect dust while you’re still paying for it –– both literally and figuratively.

4. Find ways to identify technology trends and discard technology fads. The stakes are too high to make major financial and resource commitments to dead-end technologies. Your technology asset commitments need to contribute to increased quality of care, reduced costs, increased productivity and a fatter bottom line for many years to come. Acquiring the technological equivalent of an Edsel won’t get you to those destinations.

5. Ready, aim, fire! Keep your new initiative moving and in proper order. You want “ready, aim, fire!” Don’t put yourself and your organization in the painful position of “fire, ready, aim”. And by all means, don’t slip into the stagnation of “ready, aim, aim, aim, aim … .”

6. Look in the mirror and say, “I don’t need to understand exactly how a technology works to use it to use it to our advantage.” Many decision-makers delay or defer technology decisions simply because they’re intimidated by technology. You probably have only the most general idea of how your email, cell phone and computer works, yet you use them all productively every day. Focus on a technology’s true benefits to your organization –— not it’s features. Identify benefits you will actually use to your advantage, and you are on your way towards zooming in on the right technology. You can do it.

Healthcare decision-makers need brand-neutral answers on a variety of technology issues and concise insights beyond what spec sheets and feature lists can offer. They need briefings to explain the true benefits and risks. Leaders need help sifting out fads from trends. Moreover, these explanations need to be in plain English— not “Geek” or “Techanese” that emphasizes mind-numbing technical specs.

I am beginning to assemble a neutral, free resource at www.biztechadvisor.com. In time, it will systematically provide crucial information needed for major decisions. And best of all, these resources will be comprehensible … there is even the start of a Geek-to-English Dictionary, as well as links to other useful sites. While it’s only in its infancy, I hope this service lends valuable, practical and accessible tools to busy decision-makers.



<i>John Randall Dennis is an Integrated Technologies Consultant with The Horizons Group, www.thehorizonsgroup.us </i>



August 2008

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