News & Information for the MEDITECH Community
Volume 3 - Issue 3 - April 2008

The MEDITECH Community Bulletin is a periodic newsletter covering a broad range of topics that are relevant to the MEDITECH community.  In addition, this newsletter provides a forum for guest contributors including consultants and, of course, MEDITECH customers. The MEDITECH Community Bulletin is published and distributed free of charge to you by Systems Personnel, a professional search firm specializing in the Healthcare IT and Management market.  Visit us online at www.CarrollSearch.com.

If this is the first time you're reading the The MEDITECH Community Bulletin, consider it a warm smile and a handshake as we introduce our newsletter to your company.  If you're a long-time recipient, we hope that you'll find this issue of the The MEDITECH Community Bulletin just as useful as always.

Thanks for your continued ideas, contributions, and feedback!

Regards,
Donna Carroll

QUICK LINKS:  

Industry Spotlight  |  Tricks of the Trade  |  Featured Employer

Recent News  |  Worth a Read  |  Contact Info

Industry Spotlight:  CARING is at the Heart of Nursing Informatics

By:  Donna Carroll, Editor

Around this time last year, I was writing an article examining the role which Nursing Informatics (NI) professionals play in the implementation and management of healthcare information systems.  As I look back, I realize the phenomenal growth the NI field has undergone in just one year’s time. But, what many people don’t realize is just how long NI professionals have actually been present in the healthcare IT field.  Although NI professionals were not named as such in the early 1980’s and did not receive the same attention which they do today, there was one small group of visionary nurses who believed in the importance of their work and foresaw the value of a professional network in their field.  Those few nurses were the co-founders of what is known today as CARING.

CARING is a nursing informatics organization whose mission is to advance the delivery of quality healthcare through the integration of informatics in practice, education, administration, and research.  The organization was developed by area nurses in 1982 as a non-profit undertaking to provide a forum for the advancement of automated healthcare information systems.  Some of their stated objectives include:

• Provide educational experiences including contact-hour events

• Publish educational and informational articles

• Act as a clearinghouse for seminars, positions and speakers

• Provide a professional network for healthcare information systems professionals

I recently had the opportunity to visit with three members of CARING’s Board of Directors (BoD) to hear their perspectives on the importance of the NI field and how membership in the organization can benefit NI professionals in the advancement of their careers.

Susan K. Newbold, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN, FHIMSS

Susan Newbold is an Associate Professor of Nursing Informatics at the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing.  She has a PhD, is a Board Certified Informatics Nurse (RN-BC), a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), and a Fellow of Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (FHIMSS).  Susan is also one of the co-founders of CARING and currently serves as the Membership Chair on CARING’s BoD.  By her own admission, it is clear that Susan never misses an opportunity to recruit a new member.  At the time we spoke, she had just signed up a new member from Iceland, adding the 31st country to the organization’s membership.  One of their recruitment strategies is to offer trial memberships to students, thereby jump-starting their opportunities for networking and career development in the NI field.

QUESTION:  As one of the founding members of CARING, what were your reasons for starting the organization?

Founded in 1982, CARING was originally organized by three nurses from the greater Washington, D.C. / Maryland / Virginia area who were user liaisons for the IBM Patient Care System.  We called ourselves the Nursing Medical Information System Roundtable, and later changed our name to the Capital Area Roundtable on Informatics in NursinG, now CARING.  At the time, there were no formal education programs for nurses working with computer systems – only classes by vendors and on-the-job training.  Paula "P.J." Hallberg, Susan McDermott, and I met to determine our roles in the development and implementation of IBM’s Patient Care System in our hospitals.  Through attendance at the Symposium for Computer Applications in Medical Care (SCAMC, which is now AMIA), we met other "computer nurses."  Our early meetings were held almost monthly in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, and newsletters were later introduced to help announce meeting minutes and organizational updates.

CARING's influence quickly grew beyond the Washington, D.C. area as other nursing informatics groups were initiated and collaborated with the assistance of CARING members.  CARING has steadily grown in number and benefits over the years.

QUESTION:  Tell us a little about the CARING members and their typical background?

Today CARING has nearly 1700 members from 50 states and 31 countries with new and renewing members almost daily.  Twenty (20%) of our members are certified in Nursing Informatics.  Many have higher degrees in nursing -- masters (59%) and PhDs (8%).  Many of our members are pioneers in nursing informatics and luminaries in the field.  Half of our members work in hospitals.  Most nurses were trained on the job.

QUESTION:  I’m sure you’ve seen the NI field grow and change in many ways over the years.  What are some of the more significant changes that you’ve observed?

There have been many changes in the field of nursing informatics.  Today we are "informatics" nurses rather than "computer" nurses as in the early days, now reflecting that we do much more than support a piece of hardware.  Now we have education at the certificate, masters, post-masters, doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) and PhD levels, some of which is on-line.  I teach at Vanderbilt School of Nursing where we have on-line masters, post-masters, DNP, and PhD programs available for informatics nurses.  There are more conferences available to the informatics nurse today, such as the joint ANIA/CARING conference being held this month in Maryland.  We have changed with the growth of technology.  We can communicate with each other through our active e-mail list and web-based meetings.  Also, nursing informatics is spreading to the nurse at the bedside.  As hardware and software became less expensive and more available, it is becoming ubiquitous in the healthcare environment and translators are needed to select and implement systems in healthcare.  We are working to unite various nursing informatics groups through the Alliance for Nursing Informatics, and to speak with one voice.

Stephen Prouse, MS, RN-BC

Another BoD member we spoke with is Steve Prouse.  Steve is also a Board Certified Informatics Nurse (RN-BC) and is currently Director of Applications for Upper Chesapeake Health System in Maryland, a MEDITECH site.  He has been a member of CARING since 2001, and a BoD member for the past 3 years.  Steve is currently Secretary of the Board and Webmaster for the CARING web site.

QUESTION:  As the Director of Applications for a MEDITECH facility, tell us about your own philosophy regarding the role of NI specialists?

Last year my role changed from managing just the clinical applications to encompass all applications: clinical, financial, and administrative.  Part of me wishes I could just limit my scope to the clinical realm, but they are all so tightly woven that I find it necessary to understand all the applications in some depth.  The informatics specialists in my organization bridge their clinical expertise with new and existing technologies to optimize patient safety, satisfaction, and clinician efficiency.  They support those who provide our core product—patient care—and provide them with the tools necessary to safely and effectively guide, document, and administer all aspects of care.  I believe they need to possess three unique characteristics: (1) the desire to solve complex problems and get things done; (2) knowledge of the organization, its culture and politics; and (3) the ability to tap into lessons learned from past clinical experiences.  Technical and computer strengths are necessary, but are not on the top of my list when bringing on new team members.  I can teach the technology, it's those other skills I can't teach.

QUESTION:  How can other MEDITECH customers benefit from joining an organization such as CARING?

CARING provides networking and educational opportunities outside the MEDITECH circuit.  The MEDITECH community is rather tight with MUSE, the MEDITECH-L, MIX road shows, and now MEDITECH's own Nursing Information Workshop.  However, CARING can provide the MEDITECH community with additional perspective outside the MEDITECH domain.

We do have numerous MEDITECH users as members of CARING.  I would estimate that in the Maryland area alone, approximately 50% of our members are from MEDITECH sites.

QUESTION:  As webmaster for the CARING web site, tell us about some of the site features which are available to members.

Some of the hallmark features of the web site include our membership database and the ability for members to find one another using its advanced search capabilities.  Other features include a calendar of events, an active job board, and the newsletter repository.

Edward A. Stern, RN

Ed Stern, one of CARING’s newest BoD members, has perhaps a more technical background than many in the organization.  An RN by trade, Ed worked for the American Red Cross for many years and participated in the international deployment of office automation technology, as well as development of the organization’s Internet strategy.  Ed actually left the healthcare industry for a period of time where he focused his career in the pure play technology marketing world with some internet start-ups.  He then returned to the healthcare industry a number of years ago.  Ed is now an independent consultant in the NI field where he works on a variety of informatics related projects for a diverse client base.  Ed has been a member of CARING for approximately 4 years and was elected to the BoD last year.  His focus in NI is ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking.  He works with CARING members to try to look beyond the traditional avenues for NI professionals.  His personal interests are to educate the non-NI world about the importance of nursing informatics and to try to find new areas where NI professionals can bring value to others.  Another one of Ed’s responsibilities as a BoD member has been to assist with the evaluation and selection of a new Job Board for CARING.  The new CARING Job Board will be launched in April or May, and one of the features includes a searchable resume database.

QUESTION:  What are some of the special industry events that CARING hosts or sponsors?

CARING is a member-focused organization.  We enable our network of members to create their own growth within our organization.  We also co-host an annual national education conference.  In fact, this is the second year we’re co-hosting the joint ANIA/CARING conference which takes place this April 17th to 19th at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center on the banks of the Potomac River in suburban Washington, D.C.  This year’s theme focuses on “Monuments and Milestones for the Future”.  The conference is primarily focused on education, offering CEU hours for different sessions.  There are several different workshops to attend, an exhibitor hall, and plenty of networking opportunities.

CARING also provides various webinars to our members.  Webinar content ranges from formal training with CEUs to “tips and tricks” and case studies which our members would like to share.  Additionally, we support regional efforts of some of our CARING members.  Since the member network is our biggest asset, we try to assist any of our members’ efforts to grow this very young nursing base profession.

QUESTION:  What are some of the various benefits that CARING members enjoy?

CARING is about the people.  Since NI is still a relatively new field, it is defined, re-defined and expanded daily.  What one person thinks of tomorrow can be shared with a few thousand peers in real-time as a CARING member.  You can enhance your ideas, share your ideas, and even formulate new ones with the help of your CARING peers.  Some of the specific benefits which CARING membership offers are:

• access to a network of 1700 informatics professionals in 50 states and 31 countries

• an active e-mail list with the option to have messages in digest format

• an on-line, searchable membership directory

• quarterly newsletter and on-line archive

• job bank with employer-paid postings

• reduced rate for the Computers, Informatics and Nursing journal subscription

• annual CARING luncheon during AMIA and annual dinner during SINI

• membership in the Alliance for Nursing Informatics, www.allianceni.org

• meetings and conferences around the nation and the world

QUESTION:  Why did you want to join CARING and seek appointment to the BoD?

NI is a very young nursing profession.  As an NI professional on a daily basis I take my skills and abilities as a Nurse and combine them with my background in Information Technology.  This is a relatively young concept (when you compare it to nursing history).  The NI professional has great potential as a career for many nurses, and an even bigger impact on nursing practice as we advance further towards an electronic clinical realm.  Anything I can do to be a part of and assist those efforts as a member of the CARING BoD is my pleasure.

In talking with these three members of CARING’s Board of Directors, it’s easy to sense the dedication and commitment to their chosen field.  CARING’s slogan of “Connecting, Sharing, & Advancing Healthcare Informatics” says it all.  That kind of enthusiasm and passion is why CARING is at the heart of Nursing Informatics.

To learn more about CARING, please visit their web site at www.caringonline.org.

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Tricks of the Trade:  First Class Denizens of the Universe (Part 1 of 3)

Contributed by:  John Sharpe, President, Comstock Software, Inc.

As a MEDITECH Client Server Analyst who is aspiring to greater responsibilities, no doubt you’ll find yourself writing NPR reports.  This article is the first in a series of three where we examine strategies to keep you in the lime light for all the right reasons.

In Part 1, we grow eyes in the back of our heads by writing an NPR report to keep an eye out for runaway NPR jobs.  There’s nothing good about a midnight call for an NPR report that’s been consuming server resources and has your name on it.  To head that situation off at the pass, let’s write a report we can run at the end of the day to double back on our jobs.

The NPR.JOB.TABLE.main detail segment contains the information we’ll need for this report.  To keep the format simple, this report will be structured as a DOWNLOAD.  For more detail on MEDITECH Downloads, see the links at the bottom of this article.

On page 2 of the report writer; we’ll set a SELECT on user.  This will allow us to return only the jobs for the relevant user: you.

On page 3, we set the following fields: db, user, client, start.date, start.hhmm, comment, appl.svr, ring, job.urn & process.number.  For additional fields, we’d want to refer to the MEDITECH Data Definitions @ http://meditech.com/prrw/pages/RWbbASdatadef.htm.

To run the report, enter the appropriate user mnemonic and DOWNLOAD path.

Realistically, at the end of the day, you’d just run this to the ‘Browser’.  But I’ve taken the liberty to import the data into Microsoft Excel for display purposes.

From the report, you can see that I might not be aware of the jobs started at 0900 & 1517.  If these jobs were reports that shouldn’t be running thru the night, the end of the day is a great time to catch them and prevent a potential middle of the night rendezvous with the on-call person or MEDITECH.

MEDITECH Download Tips:
- http://comstock-software.com/blogs/npr/2006/01/meditech-npr-download-tips.html
- http://comstock-software.com/blogs/npr/2007/10/multiples-in-downloads-npr-report.html

John Sharpe is President / NPR Consultant at Comstock Software, Inc.  John hosts the ‘Meditech NPR Report Writing’ blog at http://comstock-software.com/blogs/npr/ where you can learn and read more about NPR Report Writing.

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Featured Employer:  FREE Job Advertising

Every month, we feature one employer and allow them to advertise their job posting in our newsletter FREE of CHARGE.  The featured employer will also have their job advertised on our MeditechCareers.com web site.  If you're interested in getting your job advertised for FREE, simply email us the job description, along with your full contact information, and we'll contact you for additional details.

Ascension Health Information Services
Amsterdam, New York

About the Organization:
Ascension Health Information Services (AHIS) is a subsidiary organization of Ascension Health.  With more than 850 associates and 1,500 associated team members, AHIS is one of the largest healthcare IT services companies in North America.  Ascension Health created AHIS to make better use of Systemwide IT resources and to support achievement of Ascension Health's Strategic Direction.  Through AHIS, the organization leverages its size by achieving operating efficiencies through technology advancements, data center consolidation, best practice implementation and shared resources teams.  AHIS was formed not only to support system growth and change but also to improve IT capabilities, disaster recovery, security, and business operations.

Consistent with its Mission to serve all people with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable, Ascension Health is an innovative leader in transforming healthcare through patient-centered, holistic care of the highest clinical quality, and provided $808 million in care of persons who are poor and community benefit last year.  Ascension Health is the nation's largest Catholic and nonprofit health system, with 106,000 associates serving in 20 states and the District of Columbia.

About the Location:
St. Mary’s Hospital, Amsterdam, N.Y., a member of Ascension Health, is the largest acute care hospital in the Montgomery, Fulton and surrounding regions with 152 beds and more than 1,100 associates.  The organization has more than 260,000 outpatients visits a year.  Their range of services is designed to fulfill the total healthcare needs of the community, while being the lowest cost provider including surgical care, cancer care, outpatient and emergency services.  More than a hospital, St. Mary’s has become a highly accessible healthcare system with four off-site family health centers and seven behavioral health service locations in two counties.  St. Mary's has been recognized by Health Grades for general surgeries and maternity services.

Founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1903, St. Mary’s Hospital is dedicated to improving the health of the entire community, providing healthcare services that address the spiritual, social, emotional and physical needs of patients, with special attention to the poor and vulnerable.

St. Mary's Hospital at Amsterdam is located in upstate New York within close proximity to the Capital Region.  The hospital’s history and heritage stretches to the colonial days of the pre-Revolutionary War in the early 1700s and the creation of the byzantine Erie Canal that heralded the dawn of Montgomery County as "the Gateway to the West."  The area is bordered to the southwest by Cooperstown in Otsego County, to the south by Schoharie County, to the north by Fulton County in the foothills of the Adirondacks, and to the northeast by Saratoga County.  The beautiful Adirondack mountain region is a short drive away and offers outdoor activities including camping, biking, swimming, hiking and skiing.  Additionally, major metropolitan cities such as Boston, Manhattan, and Montreal are easily accessible by car or train.  The area offers a number of outdoor activities, from stock car racing at Fonda Speedway, to quieter pursuits at any of the seven recreation areas for hiking, bicycling, fishing, boating or just relaxing.  Golfers can enjoy three 18-hole courses, including one designed by Robert Trent Jones.  There are no less than 18 sites of historic and cultural interest, including a martyr's shrine, and sites related to the Mohawk Indians and the Revolutionary War.  Agriculture is a main industry in Montgomery County, as evidenced by a landscape dotted with dairy farms and produce stands.  It's not uncommon to see a horse-drawn wagon making its way along a country road, indicative of the area’s Amish population.  Local architecture ranges from farmhouses to more stately Victorians, to Revolutionary-era homes, to mill buildings that are remnants of the Industrial Revolution.  Shopping malls and retail centers can be found in the town of Amsterdam and in downtown areas.  Quaint stores offer personal service and one-of-a-kind items.  Dine out at one of the local restaurants, or take in a movie at one of the local theaters.  Other cultural resources are less than an hour's drive away, including horse racing and concerts at Saratoga Springs, or sporting events, performances and museums in Albany, the state capital.

About the Department:
St. Mary's at Amsterdam offers a team work environment where everyone contributes to the services provided at the facility.  The hospital’s Health Information Systems (HIS) platform is Meditech MAGIC where a fully-integrated system is implemented using Meditech from patient scheduling and registration to billing and accounts receivables along with third-party vendors including Iatrics, and Pyxis.  The IS department includes 15 application support and technical staff including management and administration.  The hospital is currently deploying programs and processes to further enhance clinical quality and service excellence through implementation of key clinical solutions such as Physician Order Entry, Bedside Medication Verification, and Emergency Department Management.  St. Mary’s is pro-active in moving to a fully functional electronic health record (EHR).  St. Mary’s is looking for a highly-qualified, energetic, experienced individual for this key role.  This position reports to the Manager of Application Support.

Current Position(s) Available:

Senior Software Solutions Development Analyst
Permanent, Full-Time

Description:

• Development and implementation of advanced clinical modules as directed by the IS steering committee and organizational objectives outlined in the hospital's strategic plan

• Training of end users in the use of the system, the use of new features and for new implementations

• End-user support for existing clinical modules, and responding to user requests – clinical staff and physicians – in a timely manner

• Serves as a project manager - defines project scope, goals, time-frames and the ability to meet project objectives

Qualifications:

• 3-5 years of hands-on development, training and support experience in healthcare information system implementations

• Advanced clinical implementation experience in at least one of the following areas: Physician Order Entry, Bedside Medication Verification or Emergency Department Management

• Excellent interpersonal, time-management, communication, facilitation and team skills

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment

• Ability to form relationships with physicians, mid-level providers and office staff, especially as related to implementations of Physician Order Entry and other clinical applications that change how physicians and staff use technology to treat patients and document their progress (required)

• Four-year degree or equivalent experience; RN or further education in computer science or programming is a plus

How to Apply:
To apply for this Job, please e-mail your resume to Denise Dodge and reference job "Senior Software Solutions Development Analyst - Amsterdam, N.Y."

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Ascension Health Information Services
Pasco, Washington

About the Organization:
Ascension Health Information Services (AHIS) is a subsidiary organization of Ascension Health.  With more than 850 associates and 1,500 associated team members, AHIS is one of the largest healthcare IT services companies in North America.  Ascension Health created AHIS to make better use of Systemwide IT resources and to support achievement of Ascension Health's Strategic Direction.  Through AHIS, the organization leverages its size by achieving operating efficiencies through technology advancements, data center consolidation, best practice implementation and shared resources teams.  AHIS was formed not only to support system growth and change but also to improve IT capabilities, disaster recovery, security, and business operations.

Consistent with its Mission to serve all people with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable, Ascension Health is an innovative leader in transforming healthcare through patient-centered, holistic care of the highest clinical quality, and provided $808 million in care of persons who are poor and community benefit last year.  Ascension Health is the nation's largest Catholic and nonprofit health system, with 106,000 associates serving in 20 states and the District of Columbia.

About the Location:
Lourdes Health Network in Pasco, Washington, is part of Ascension Health, the nation's largest Catholic and non-profit health system.  Lourdes Health Network consists of several facilities throughout the tri-cities area Washington state.  Lourdes strives to meet the healthcare needs of those we serve with Lourdes Medical Center providing critical access hospital needs, Lourdes Counseling Center caring for those with mental health needs, Lourdes at Broadmoor taking care of local businesses and their employees, and a network of physician clinics caring for Mid-Columbia families.

Founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1916, Lourdes Health Network is dedicated to improving the health of the entire community, providing healthcare services that address the spiritual, social, emotional and physical needs of patients, with special attention to the poor and underserved.

The tri-cities area is made up of three neighboring cities: Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland.  The cities are located at the confluence of the Yakima, Snake and Columbia rivers in southeastern Washington.  Total population is now just over 200,000 people.  Boasting a desert climate, the area receives an average 300 days of sunshine with only 7 to 8 inches of rain every year.  Temperatures range from as low as 10°F in the winter to as high as 110°F in the summer.  The region receives occasional snow most years.  The large Cascade Mountain Range to the west contributes to the desert climate, which is far drier than the famously wet western side of the state.  Generally speaking, residents of the tri-cities area live a laid-back, relatively slower-paced lifestyle.  Despite the size of the combined cities' populations, the area maintains a feel of being several small-towns that neighbor each other, rather than that of a mid-sized metropolitan area.  The lack of a major airport (the largest serves only Seattle, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Las Vegas) as well as the proximity to any major cities, further contributes to the atmosphere, and creates a more isolated feeling.  Many residents prefer these characteristics of the area, citing them as the reasons for low crime and easy living.  Known as "The Heart of Washington Wine Country," the tri-cities region houses more than 150 wineries within a 50 mile radius.  Visitors can sample award winning wines, or enjoy breathtaking views of beautiful vineyards.  Sharing the same latitude as the world-famous Burgundy and Bordeaux regions of France, the Columbia Valley has the perfect soil conditions and temperature for making great wines.  Due to the tri-cities' exceptional climate, golf is one of our most popular sports.  With seven beautiful courses and two championship putting courses to choose from, there is a challenge for the most experienced golfer as well as the beginner, right here.  The area’s inviting waterways beckon water lovers from all over the region to enjoy sailing, power and pleasure boating, waterskiing, swimming, fishing, windsurfing and much more.  Current higher education opportunities in the tri-cities area include Washington State University Tri-cities, a four-year branch campus of Washington State University located in Richland (2000 students) and Columbia Basin College, a large two-year community college (6000 students).  The main campus is located in Pasco while a branch campus and a large nursing school are located in Richland.

About the Department:
Lourdes Health Network offers a team work environment where everyone contributes to the services we provide to the facility.  Our HIS platform is Meditech MAGIC where we have implemented a fully integrated system using Meditech from patient scheduling and registration to billing and accounts receivables along with third-party vendors including Iatrics, and Pyxis.  The IS department includes eight application support and technical staff including management and administration.  We are currently on the ground floor of deploying programs and processes to further enhance clinical quality and service excellence through implementation of key clinical applications including Bedside Medication Verification and Physician Order Entry.  Here's your opportunity to join us in transforming our environment into a state-of-the-art, 21st century showcase.  This position reports to the IT Director.

Current Position(s) Available:

Solutions Development Analyst
Permanent, Full-Time

Description:

• Serves as a project manager for assigned projects including the ability to define project scope, goals, time-frames and the ability to meet project objectives

• Development and implementation of advanced clinical modules as directed by the IS steering committee and organizational objectives outlined in the hospital's strategic plan

• Training of end-users in the use of the system and the use of new features as well as training for new implementations

Qualifications:

• Excellent interpersonal, time-management, communication, facilitation and team skills

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment

• Ability to form relationships with physicians, mid-level providers and office staff especially as related to implementations of Physician Order Entry and other clinical applications that change how physicians and staff use technology to treat patients and document their progress

• Four-year degree or equivalent experience; RN, further education in computer science or programming is a plus

How to Apply:
To apply for this Job, please e-mail your resume to Denise Dodge and reference job "Solutions Development Analyst - Pasco, Wash."

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Other Featured Employers on MeditechCareers.com

Please visit MeditechCareers.com to view all of our Featured Employers.
Current opportunities exist with the following organizations.

POSITION:	EMPLOYER:	LOCATION:
Application Analysts	Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital	Lebanon, New Hampshire
Application Engineers	HCA Healthcare	Nashville, Tennessee
Several MEDITECH positions	New England Baptist Hospital	Boston, Massachusetts
Multiple MEDITECH Opportunities	Systems Personnel	Various U.S. Locations

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Recent News:  Clinical Excellence Takes Center Stage at Nurse Informatics Workshop

Source:  http://www.meditech.com

One of the most important goals for any health care organization is achieving clinical excellence, in order to improve patient outcomes as well as remain competitive in this demanding industry. However, I.T. alone cannot guarantee success—caregivers, and nurses in particular, must learn to use these technologies effectively in order to become driving forces for quality care.

These issues will take center stage at MEDITECH's upcoming Nurse Informatics Workshop, which will be held April 10th and 11th at our Canton facility. This year's Keynote Speaker, Sandy Summers, is the Executive Director of the Center for Nursing Advocacy, and will be discussing how the media's image of nursing and public misconceptions can adversely affect health care.

"We're looking forward to having a very interesting slate of speakers this year," says Event Coordinator Sharon Collins. "In addition to Summers, we'll also feature a panel discussing several innovative approaches to training nurses on new technologies. Hand-off communication, error reduction, and medication verification will be big topics as well."

Nurses will also have opportunities to learn more about how to efficiently use I.T., through expanded and improved track sessions. "We began holding track sessions last year, as a way to engage nurses more with the Development process, in a forum that is smaller and easier to answer questions," says Collins. "This year, we're improving on the concept by holding track sessions specifically dealing with our newest enhancements, which tend to be the most popular topics of discussion. We're really excited about this year's sessions."

Two separate sessions, one for each of our MAGIC and Client/Server customers, will focus on the most significant new enhancements to our Nursing products. These sessions will encourage an active dialogue between MEDITECH staff and our customer users. "Other sessions will show how nurses can get the most out of their Patient Care System, and we'll have an introduction to MEDITECH for those attendees who are newer to the system," says Collins.

Nurses can earn up to 8 Contact Hours for attending this year's workshop. For nurses wishing to participate remotely, the event will also be accessible via WebCast.

More info:  http://www.meditech.com/MIX/Pages/2008nurseworkshop/titlepage.htm

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Recent News:  PHR Initiatives Raise Privacy Concerns, Legal Experts Say

iHealthBeat, March 27, 2008 -- Big-name companies developing initiatives to offer Public Health Records are raising privacy concerns because most of the firms are not covered under HIPPA rules.  Some states are passing additional laws and many of the larger firms like Google and Microsoft are using strict privacy standards, but the responsibility is on the consumer to understand the company’s privacy policies.

More info:  http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2008/3/27/PHR-Initiatives-Raise-Privacy-Concerns-Legal-Experts-Say.aspx?topicID=54

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

Improving Patient Safety by Taking Systems Seriously
By:  Stephen M. Shortell, PhD, MBA, MPH; Sara J. Singer, PhD, MBA
JAMA, January, 2008

The need to address the entire patient system from birth to hospice to make strides in patient safety is discussed.  You can read the JAMA article as well as listen to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s “Author in the Room” discussion of this article.  Topics covered include the barriers that need to be addressed to assure safer care and the “culture of systems” that must be established to make real progress.
Read article

Corralling Documents
By:  Brian Albright
HealthCare Informatics, March, 2008

Because Document management and imaging (DMI) systems are becoming a crucial part of the migration to an EMR DMI solutions vendors are providing a wide range of capabilities.  ProMedica Health Systems walks the ready through their process of cost justification and system selections for their document management application.
Read article

Backbone of an EMR
By:  Suresh Gunasekaran
HealthCare Informatics, March, 2008

A look at the major components of a pharmacy system implementation and how they have major impact on enterprise-wide IT projects.
Read article

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