Volume 5 - Issue 6 - October 2010

Editor's Notes

By: Donna Carroll
Editor - The MEDITECH Community Bulletin
VP, Business Development & Recruitment - Systems Personnel

Welcome to the latest issue of The MEDITECH Community Bulletin.  Below are just a few of the items found in this month's newsletter.

But first, I’d like to mention that I will be attending the first day (Tuesday 10/26) of the HITSE New England Conference in Westborough, MA on October 26-27.  I noticed that many of the presenters as well as vendors registered are faithful readers, advertisers, or newsmakers featured in The MEDITECH Community Bulletin.  If you’re attending the conference, please make a point of finding me to introduce yourself…I can’t wait to meet many of you face-to-face!

• We have a special contribution in our Guest Spot column this month.  Glenn Wiens of Newton Medical Center in Newton, Kansas, has shared a very useful utility, the ED Monitor, which he developed.  The ED Monitor may prove to be a useful tool for your facility, too, and Glenn was kind enough to share his code with us.

• In this month’s Tricks of the Trade column, John Sharpe of Comstock Software features MEDITECH NPR Report Impact Analysis for the 5.6 CS and MAGIC platforms.

• Our Featured Employer column this issue describes two positions with one of Systems Personnel's clients, an acute care hospital in New Jersey.  The hospital is growing their IT staff and is seeking a Senior Clinical Analyst and a Senior Financial Analyst to join their team.

• As usual, there are numerous press releases in this issue’s Recent News section.

• All information and content for the November 2010 issue of The MEDITECH Community Bulletin must be received no later than Thursday, November 4th. Thank you.

Until next time...
Donna

Guest Spot: ED Monitor Paints Picture for Newton Medical Center

Contributed by: Glenn Wiens, Newton Medical Center

Newton Medical Center, located in Newton, Kansas, is an 103-bed, not-for-profit facility dedicated to providing health care services to residents of Harvey and surrounding counties, offering a wide variety of services and professional specialties.

Glenn Wiens, Integration Specialist and DBA for Newton Medical Center, has been reading The MEDITECH Community Bulletin for several years now and has periodically emailed us about some of the helpful hints he's gleaned from John Sharpe's Tricks of the Trade column.  However, he's always hoped to find additional tips for MEDITECH Data Repository users.  Well, last month's column about how to use DPMs, Segments, & Fields to map your way from NPR to the DR inspired Glenn to dust off one of his projects and make it mail-ready for our next issue.

The Emergency Department Monitor is a self-updating utility which displays ED activity for the last 24 hours.  Some time ago, Wiens was approached by one of their ED physicians requesting a graphical depiction of their ED patients with event history and acuity level.  According to Wiens, "It is something I wanted to learn to do, so I worked through it step-by-step. It could probably be improved by someone who knows more about Java Graphical User Interface coding, but it does work."  Not only does it work, but it has helped Newton Medical Center paint a picture for their ED staff to know exactly what's going on with their patients over a 24-hour period.

Below is a sample screen-shot of the finished application.   Click here to enlarge and view the full-sized image.

The ED Monitor features:

• The current date and time in the upper left-hand corner.
• Just below it is a vu-type meter as well as a number.  The number represents the acuity level of patients currently in the ED.  The meter graphs this number against activity for the last 24 hours, showing what acuity is compared to the last day.
• The main display area is laid out with the hours of the day (from midnight on the left to 11:59 pm on the right).
• The horizontal blue line represents the current time.  Patients are shown as horizontal lines with associated events as vertical tics.
• The section to the right of this is the legend area.  The horizontal lines are colored according to their acuity level.
• The various events are grouped into broad categories of similar types.  Each event category is colored according to the legend.

Wiens wrote the code for his ED Monitor in Java with embedded SQL against the MEDITECH Data Repository.  Click here to view the code as a text file and follow his instructions to compile the code.

While Newton Medical Center's ED staff was the immediate beneficiary of Wiens's determination and dedication, we can all agree that their patients will ultimately benefit from this utility.  And now, thanks to Glenn's contribution to our newsletter, many other facilities and their patients can benefit, too.  Thank you, Glenn.

***

Glenn Wiens is Integration Specialist and DBA for Newton Medical Center in Newton, Kansas.  Glenn earned his B.S. in Business Administration from Newman University and has 20 years of Healthcare IT experience.  At Newton Medical Center, Glenn is responsible for managing the MEDITECH Data Repository and Mirth HL7 Interface Engine.  Feel free to contact Glenn with feedback or any questions at glenn.wiens@newmedctr.org.

Tricks of the Trade: MEDITECH NPR Report Impact Analysis for the 5.6 CS & MAGIC Platforms

By: John Sharpe, President, Comstock Software, Inc.

Part I: Searching Reports for Fields using the MEDITECH 5.6 Platforms

New projects, system upgrades and implementations are sure to affect your custom NPR reports.

Many reports use macros and fragments to access information from modules other than the primary DPM the report uses.  Subject areas such as Vital Signs, Inputs and Outputs are often retrieved by reports written in modules other than PCS.  Reports written in ADM, EDM, LAB, OE, & PHA frequently reference this documentation.

If a new Nursing Assessment includes queries from other MIS Assessments or MIS Screens, this new data source could impact other reports.  Your reporting requirements will determine whether to include or exclude the new Assessment and its MIS Queries to ensure existing reports continue to meet the needs of the report users.

As you consider the challenges in keeping customer defined documentation in synch with customer NPR reports; you might feel overwhelmed.  Fortunately, the Search Report for Field routine is just the tool for the job.  This routine was designed to identify free text in custom NPR reports.  You can access this MEDITECH utility from the standard NPR menu.  This search utility produces a report, a report you can work from, to update your custom NPR reports.

For MEDITECH Magic, use option 58 to perform your search.

Enter your 'search for' criteria at the prompt; examples include Lab Print Numbers or Test Mnemonics, MIS Queries or Assessments, Nursing Interventions & more.  Search all DPMs using the BEGINNING and END keywords.   Enter 'Y' for all report sections from Field Names to Macros.

For MEDITECH Client Server, access Miscellaneous Routines, then Search Reports for Fields.

Enter your 'search for' criteria at the prompt; examples include Lab Print Numbers or Test Mnemonics, MIS Queries or Assessments, Nursing Interventions & more.  Search all DPMs using the BEGINNING and END keywords.   Enter 'Y' for all report sections from Field Names to Macros.

The Search Reports for Fields routine will search all of your NPR reports based on your search criteria.  If you have a large number of reports (some hospitals have thousands of custom reports), this can take 10 minutes or longer.  Once the Search Routine completes, you can review the NPR reports that may be affected and make a case by case decision on whether this report needs to be updated.

Part II: Using Search Reports for Fields to Prepare for your MEDITECH 5.6 Upgrade

If you are currently planning a migration to 5.6; it is likely MEDITECH will recommend you inactivate any reports that aren't in use, before the upgrade.

To identify reports not in use:

• Construct and run a report based in the NPR.REP.rw.usage.log segment to learn which reports are regularly used.  Refer to these reports as active.
• Construct and run a report out of NPR.REP.main to list all reports.
• Compare the two lists.  I prefer to use SQL Server (Microsoft Excel or Access are good choices too) to filter out the reports not in regular use, this will be the start of reports you may inactivate.
• Use 'Search Reports for Fields' to search all reports for the word 'fragment'.
• Mark reports, called as fragments by reports in use, as active.

As you complete these tasks, you will have a candidate list of reports, to review for inactivation.  Once reports have been inactivated, they can no longer be run from the menu or report writer.  Because fragments are reports called by other reports, they do not have to be active to be run.  Inactive fragments can still be called by a production report; which means … that a production report is at risk whenever it contains a call to an inactivated fragment.  A little preparation at this stage of the 5.6 update, will make your upgrade to 5.6 a lot easier.

GLOSSARY:

- DPM stands for Data Procedure Module.  A DPM is a collection of Procedures, Screens and Reports that work within a set of Data Definitions.

- Fragments are reports than can be included in other reports.  They typically are not setup to run as standalone reports from the menu.

John Sharpe is President / NPR Consultant at Comstock Software, Inc. Learn more about NPR Report Writing at the MEDITECH NPR Report Writing Blog.

Featured Employer: Sponsored by MeditechCareers.com

The online career hub for MEDITECH professionals

Every month, we feature one employer who has advertised their job posting on our affiliate web site: MeditechCareers.com. In addition to the basic job posting, we provide some information about the employer, their location and environment, and highlight them as a "Featured Employer" in this newsletter.

To advertise your MEDITECH-related opportunity on MeditechCareers.com and become a "Featured Employer", contact Donna Carroll at 413-569-1111.

Systems Personnel's Featured Client
Northern New Jersey

We have been engaged by our client on an exclusive basis to conduct this national search.

About the Organization:

Our client is a 260-bed, acute-care, non-profit community hospital with approximately 1,500 employees. It features some of the most sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic equipment available. More than 600 physicians representing more than 60 different specialties hold staff privileges. They are supported by allied health professionals who utilize the most current technologies and on-going education in treatment, while never losing sight of the importance and dignity of each individual patient. The hospital serves residents from more than 25 communities and provides care for people of all ages. It has been recognized for excellence for programs from obstetrics to geriatrics. Its many services include a state-of-the-art emergency department, cancer care from diagnosis to treatment all under one roof, a weight loss surgery program, a pain management center, a sleep health institute, and a comprehensive wound healing center.

About the Location:

Located just 35 miles outside of New York City, our client is located in in the heart of the Boston-Washington corridor. As a fast-growing county with unsurpassed natural beauty, the county offers "the best of both worlds": neighborhoods that provide small town charm without sacrificing accessibility to big city amenities. Their suburban towns, rolling mountains, and sophisticated downtowns all offer a diverse array of housing, cultural, and recreational opportunities. Numerous nearby activities and can be found at the Jersey shore, Poconos, and in New York City. From its Colonial beginnings to the vibrant 21st century mecca that it has become, the county boasts many thriving communities. Fifty of the Fortune 500 companies have offices located in the area. New Jersey's seventh largest county now boasts notable museums, outstanding forums for the arts, exquisite gardens, parks and outdoor recreation, multimillion-dollar shopping centers and exceptional air, rail and bus transportation services that serve thousands of commuters daily. From such humble origins, this great county arose.

About the Department:

There are approximately 22 people in the IS department, comprised of different groups: Analysts, Networking, Technical, Telecom, and Programming. The Analyst group currently has a Lead Clinical Analyst with a team of 5 Clinical Analysts; and a Lead Financial Analyst with a team of 2 Financial Analysts. They are a cohesive group, and collaborative team. The Analysts all work together in the same building, off-site from the hospital. They are a MEDITECH MAGIC 5.63 environment, currently LIVE with all core clinical applications as well as EDM, ORM, BMV, and eMAR. They in the process of implementing Clinical Review, and future projects include the implementation of PCM. Financial applications in use include B/AR, AP, GL, MM, CWS, MRI, ADM, and ABS. They are use numerous third-party vendor applications such as Kreg Budgeting, ADP Payroll, TC1 Time & Attendance, and McKesson Medical Necessity.

Position Profile: Senior Clinical Systems Analyst (JOB # 1778)

Reporting to the IS Director, you will be responsible for supporting and optimizing MEDITECH’s advanced clinical applications (EDM, ORM, BMV, eMAR), and meeting the challenge of computerized physician order entry (POM) and on-line documentation (PDOC). Performing project management, providing application support/optimization, and developing strong relationships with the clinical user community will be your primary focus.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree required, preferably in computer science or related field of study
• Clinical background in nursing or other related clinical healthcare preferred
• Project management certification and/or experience
• 5+ years of MEDITECH clinical application support experience
• Prior experience supporting MEDITECH's advanced clinical applications (EDM, ORM, BMV, eMAR)
• Solid knowledge of clinical healthcare operations & processes including Emergency Services, Surgical Services, Nursing Documentation and Medication Administration
• Must be a change agent, know systems functionality and can promote the functionality to meet user needs
• Must possess strong customer service skills

Position Profile: Senior Financial Systems Analyst (JOB # 1779)

Reporting to the IS Director, you will be responsible for supporting and optimizing MEDITECH’s revenue cycle applications (primary focus on B/AR), as well as other financial applications (AP, GL, ADM, CWS), and performing NPR report writing. Performing project management, providing application support/optimization, and developing strong relationships with the financial user community will be your primary focus.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree required, preferably in computer science or related field of study
• Background in patient accounting or other related financial healthcare field is preferred
• Project management certification and/or experience
• 5+ years of MEDITECH B/AR application support experience
• Knowledge of NPR with at least some level of report writing experience
• Solid knowledge of financial healthcare operations & hospital revenue cycle including billing, reimbursement, contracts, denial management, and managed care provisions
• Must be a change agent, know systems functionality and can promote the functionality to meet user needs
• Must possess strong customer service skills

How to Apply:

Please email your resume to Donna@CarrollSearch.com,  and reference JOB # 1778 or 1779.  For additional details, call Donna Carroll at 413-569-1111.

Recent News: Happenings in the MEDITECH & Health IT Community

HIMSS Expands Educational Offerings with PMI Training

CHICAGO, IL, October 19, 2010 — Expanding its offerings of distance educational opportunities, HIMSS announces it has been approved by Project Management Institute to become a PMI Registered Education Provider (REP), effective October 2010.

PMI REPs are educational organizations demonstrating capability of providing world-class and effective project management training. Through PMI’s rigorous quality criteria for course content, instructor qualification and instructional design, REPs provide the project management training necessary to earn and maintain Project Management Professional (PMP)®, Program Management Professional (PgMP)® and other PMI professional credentials.

Read article...

EMR Connectivity Discussed at Radiology Business Management Association 2010 Fall Educational Conference

FRISCO, TX, October 14, 2010 — Leaders from Corepoint Health, a healthcare integration software leader, and Austin Radiological Association (ARA), one of the largest providers of outpatient imaging in central Texas, successfully participated as presenters at the Radiology Business Management Association, also known as RBMA, which took place in Austin, Texas on September 25 – 29. The title of the session was Interfacing with Electronic Medical Records (EMRs):  Preparing Your Internal Workflow to Support External Growth.

Sonal Patel, vice president of client services at Corepoint Health, and Jason Wilson, software engineering manager at ARA, presented on EMR interfacing best practices and implementation approaches. The presentation provided insight to attendees on key steps when interfacing to EMRs, as well as other lessons learned from experiences in interfacing to EMRs leveraging an integration engine.

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MEDITECH to Open New Office in Freetown, Mass.

WESTWOOD, MA, October 5, 2010 -- Riverfront Business Park, LLC (Churchill & Banks) and Medical Information Technology, Inc. (MEDITECH) jointly announced today plans to enter into an agreement for MEDITECH to purchase approximately 135 acres of land at Riverfront Business Park in Freetown, Mass. The health care software provider, headquartered in Westwood, Mass., plans to build an estimated 180,000 square foot office building at this site, and employ over 800 people at this new facility. Construction is expected to start in 2011, once all Town and State approvals are obtained, with occupancy expected to occur in 2013.

"Working with Fall River Economic Development and Riverfront Business Park to help MEDITECH expand to our town has been a great experience," said Lawrence N. Ashley, chairman, Freetown Board of Selectmen. "MEDITECH is widely known as a company that gives back to the community and this is a fantastic opportunity for Freetown, for Fall River and for our entire region with the new jobs and the much needed tax revenue. The Board of Selectmen has worked hard with by-law changes and infrastructure work to attract companies like this. The positive results of the hard work of many is certainly proof positive that working with Fall River on a Regional level works and works well. At the end of the day, we all benefit."

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CCHIT Announces First ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 Certifications

CHICAGO, IL, October 1, 2010 -- The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®) announced today that it has tested and certified 33 Electronic Health Record (EHR) products under the Commission’s ONC-ATCB program, which certifies that the EHRs are capable of meeting the 2011/2012 criteria supporting Stage 1 meaningful use as approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).  Certification is required to qualify eligible providers and hospitals for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  The certifications include 19 Complete EHRs, which meet all of the 2011/2012 criteria for either eligible provider or hospital technology, and 14 EHR Modules, which meet one or more – but not all – of the criteria.

CCHIT was among the first organizations to be recognized by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) as an Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB). ONC-ATCB certification aligns with Health Information Technology: Initial Set of Standards, Implementation Specifications, and Certification Criteria for Electronic Health Record Technology published in the Federal Register in July 2010 and strictly adheres to the test procedures published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the time of testing.

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Providence Health, California Partners with Summit Healthcare to Implement Dictionary Management Technology for their MEDITECH 6.0 Migration

BRAINTREE, MA, September 27, 2010 – Providence Health & Services, California Region has successfully begun their MEDITECH 6.0 migration and have realized a need for integration and automation technology as they continue with their migration efforts. After an evaluation process, Providence has selected Summit Healthcare as their vendor partner to meet their dictionary management and data migration needs. They have purchased the Summit InSync and Summit Scripting Toolkit technology and are currently underway with the implementation phase.

As an IDN, Providence wishes to standardize dictionaries across all five California facilities with some immediate needs in the Pharmacy. One of the first projects will be to synchronize the Providence Tarzana Medical Center and a partner’s sub level facility, a pediatric unit both running the MEDITECH 6.05 platform. The Providence team realized the complexity of dictionary management especially with the clinical modules and needed to invest in robust, proven technology to carry them through their standardization process.

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Corepoint Health and Interface People Announce Partnership for Complete MEDITECH Integration Solution

FRISCO, TX, September 9, 2010 — Corepoint Health, a leader in healthcare integration software, and Interface People (IPeople), a leading software and services firm specializing in MEDITECH integration, announced today a partnership which offers a complete bidirectional interfacing solution for MEDITECH hospitals. This partnership leverages their unique interfacing expertise and significant MEDITECH customer base to deliver a unified solution to further simplify the complexities of healthcare integration.

Corepoint Integration Engine is a robust integration platform used to manage interface connections and facilitate communication of electronic data between healthcare vendor applications. For hospital information systems such as MEDITECH, an integration engine is particularly helpful with interface monitoring and management.

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Worth a Read: Articles of Interest to the Health IT Field