The Case for Decision Support: Safer Medication Management and Lower Costs HCT Project Volume 4, January 30, 2007
Putting the right information in the hands of the right people at the right time via a systematic deployment process is a key success factor in an organization’s ability to ensure the safety and quality of medication use while managing drug costs.
Jerome A. Osheroff, M.D., Thomson Healthcare Micromedex, Gina Moore, Thomson Healthcare Micromedex

 Center of Excellence Certification Yields Ongoing Rewards HCT Project Volume 4, January 30, 2007
By using data to affect outcomes, Bay Medical Center's Heart Institute was the first in Florida to receive the JCAHO distinction – called the Gold Seal of Approval – and among the first in the nation to receive national accreditation in heart attack treatment.

 Integrating Decision Support to Optimize Care HCT Project Volume 4, January 30, 2007
Thomson Healthcare provides clinical and management decision support solutions that enable healthcare organizations to simultaneously improve quality of care, patient satisfaction, market growth and profitability.

 WiFi-Based Patient Monitoring HCT Project Volume 4, January 30, 2007
Healthcare is an ideal environment for the use of wireless and mobile computing technologies. From a process perspective, the hospital of today can be compared to a logistical or supply chain operation. There are multiple departments through which the patient moves, while at the same time, critical patient-specific information is needed for real-time decision support. Clinicians must have access to this information at the right time – wherever they are – without increasing their workload.

 Make the Vision of IDNs, RHIOs and Health Information Networks a Reality HCT Project Volume 4, January 30, 2007
dbMotion is the award-winning provider of the proven dbMotion™ Solution for interoperability and secure health information exchange.

 Business Intelligence and the High-Performance Provider HCT Project Volume 4, January 30, 2007
Using business intelligence tools to transform data into actionable insights, healthcare providers can better measure, manage and improve how they do business. To this end, providers will create a list of parameters to monitor and compare with established benchmarks to measure high performance.
Lewis Redd, Accenture, R. Wesley Champion, Accenture

 SAS® Gives Healthcare Organizations The Power to Know® HCT Project Volume 4, January 30, 2007
SAS® software is used for a variety of applications in more than 1,000 U.S. healthcare organizations, enabling healthcare leaders to turn complex data into the business intelligence needed to produce the most successful outcomes.

 High Performance: A Road Map to Payer Success in U.S. Healthcare HCT Project Volume 4, January 30, 2007
The only constant in the healthcare industry is the existence of continual change. In an ever-evolving business climate, what can payers do to outperform peers? The answer lies in their ability to harness change through a series of high-performance attributes used to define success.
Peter Kongstvedt, M.D., Accenture, Erik Swanson, Accenture

 Unparalleled Insight Drives Improvement in Hospital Operations, Strategic Planning, Marketing and Patient Care HCT Project Volume 4, January 30, 2007
Solucient is the leading expert at turning data into actionable insights, and is the most trusted source in the healthcare industry for decision-making tools and services that drive business growth, manage costs and help deliver quality care.

 Leadership Strategies for Reaching Top Performance Faster HCT Project Volume 4, January 30, 2007
It is not an easy task to move an average-performing hospital forward. Encouraging signs, such as the success of the 100,000 Lives Campaign and optimism on the part of hospital leaders, suggest that progress is being made. However, an objective analysis of publicly available data suggests otherwise, showing that nearly 2,000 boards and CEOs still face the problem of demonstrating any measurable improvement in performance during their tenure.

 Making the Case: An Evolutionary Strategy to Achieve Interoperability HCT Project Volume 4, January 30, 2007
I’m not suggesting that these efforts were ill-advised or ill-conceived. But as I’ve analyzed these initiatives, it has become apparent to me that there may well be a different, strategic approach that can accomplish the interoperability many integrated delivery networks seek and that can bypass many of the innate barriers that have largely stymied these efforts to date. I call this an “evolutionary” or “stepping stone” approach to interoperability.

 One Version of the Truth: Driving Enterprise Performance HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
Business Objects is the world's leading business intelligence software company. Our technology solutions enable health care organizations to track, understand, and manage enterprise performance, leveraging the information that is stored in an array of corporate databases, enterprise resource planning, and customer relationship management systems.
Alan Probert, Business Objects

 Catholic Health Initiatives - Developing an Enterprise Web-Based Knowledge Management System HCT Project Volume 3, November 14, 2005
Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) is a $6.7 billion national not-for-profit health care organization consisting of 69 hospitals; 43 long-term care, assisted and independent living and residential facilities; and five community-based health organizations located in 19 states.

 Collaboration: An Essential Element Of the Regional Exchange HCT Project Volume 3, November 14, 2005
Developing a functional EHR is not possible unless the constituents involved work together to determine its scope, how it operates, security measures, means of funding and governance.
Mary Edwards, Accenture

 Federated and Centralized IT Architecture Models for Portable EHRs HCT Project Volume 3, November 14, 2005
Approaches to IT architecture to support the goals of portable EHRs have been discussed throughout the healthcare industry.
John Quinn, Accenture

 Laboratory Services: A Key Island of Information for EHR HCT Project Volume 3, November 14, 2005
In the grand scheme of patient care, laboratories do far more than just receive orders and return results. They aggregate and provide fundamental information upon which clinicians base critical decisions.
Jeff Hawley, Accenture, Ashif Jiwani, Accenture

 Patient-Controlled Personal Health Records for Patients and Physicians HCT Project Volume 3, November 14, 2005
Providing information that is accurate, secure, private, comprehensive and up to date at the point of clinical decision making and care will assure the best possible outcome at the lowest cost.
Marie Savard, M.D., Healthways, Inc., Jim Pope, M.D., F.A.C.C., Healthways, Inc., James K. Geraughty, M.D., NewQuest Health

 Q and A With Scott Whyte HCT Project Volume 3, November 14, 2005
A VP of IT at Catholic Healthcare West explains the impact that clinical genomics could have on electronic records.
Scott Whyte, Catholic Healthcare West

 The Logical First Step for EHR: E-Prescribing HCT Project Volume 3, November 14, 2005
With more than 3 billion prescriptions written every year, medication prescribing has become one of the nation’s most paper-based, inefficient processes — one prone to life-threatening errors.
Jodie Thellin Skyberg, Accenture

 The Role of Centralization In Building the NHIN HCT Project Volume 3, November 14, 2005
Adopting a centralized approach to building their data infrastructure provides inherent benefits at each level of the NHIN.
Matthew Quinn, Teradata

 A Health Care Revolution in the Making: Intelligent Mobile Solutions HCT Project Volume 2, July 17, 2004
Today’s practitioners face a new world of medicine – a highly mobile environment where they must treat patients based on dynamically changing medical information while adhering to the operational demands of the health care enterprise.
R.J. Mathew, Skyscape, Inc.

 A Key Opportunity for Return on Value: Capturing Comorbid Condition Documentation HCT Project Volume 2, July 17, 2004
Anesthesiologists can become critical facilitators of improved documentation of comorbidity, resulting in safer patient care and enhanced revenue for surgical patients.
Jerry Stonemetz, DocuSys

 Driving and Measuring Supply Savings HCT Project Volume 2, July 17, 2004
Supply chain management presents enormous opportunities for health care executives seeking to reduce costs across the organization and gain new efficiencies. But to make it a long-term success, they need a program that will consistently measure and track savings.
Judy Rowe, Neoforma

 Health Information Technology: Implications for Healthcare Organizations HCT Project Volume 2, July 17, 2004
In the spring of this year, President Bush established a vision of interoperable electronic health records within 10 years, and appointed David Brailer, MD, PhD to serve as the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (HIT). This established a focal point for action and captured the attention of both the health care industry and the nation.
Peter Kongstvedt, M.D., Accenture, John Quinn, Accenture, Hindy Shaman, Capgemini

 Payer and Provider Collaboration For Disease Management HCT Project Volume 2, July 17, 2004
Because effective disease management has significant impact on the quality of care delivered and on overall costs, it is a logical arena for collaboration. For it to occur, however, a natural distrust that generally exists between payers and physicians must be overcome.
Wendy L. Wilson, M.D., Accenture

 Personal Health Information HCT Project Volume 2, July 17, 2004
A personal health record opens up unprecedented opportunities for improved safety and better care and disease management. Its maintenance must be a collaborative effort between the patient and the provider, a partnership that assures each patient the best results.
Manuel Lowenhaupt, M.D., Accenture

 The Automation and Centralization of Data Results HCT Project Volume 2, July 17, 2004
By implementing a process to convert results into standard electronic messages, health care institutions have the opportunity to significantly improve their bottom line, physician efficiency, and quality of care.
Robert Keet, M.D., F.A.C.P., Axolotl

 The Triangle of Transformation HCT Project Volume 2, July 17, 2004
How Internet-enabled communication among consumers, providers, and payers will drive lower overall costs and better patient care.
Terri Wimms, Cisco Systems, Inc., Frances Dare, Cisco Systems, Inc.

 Patient Access HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
A patient's entry into and discharge from the hospital are points of contact that can affect the patient's satisfaction with the entire hospital experience. Fragmented information systems with disparate applications for handling patient registration, insurance and authorization processing, billing, scheduling, and clinical processes must give way to fully integrated systems to prevent loss of revenue and dissatisfied "health care consumers."
Deborah Maslia, Capgemini, Linda McAuley, Capgemini

 Protecting Private Health Information With Role-Based Authorization HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
There are several reliable methods for meeting HIPAA compliance for authentication, authorization, and accountability, including passwords, digital certificates, tokens, and biometrics. Compliance can be simple, but no one piece of software can do it all.
Michelle Netten, Secure Computing Corporation

 Providing New Solutions for Care Coordination HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
Successful care management programs share common designs incorporating collaborative, inter-disciplinary care teams; information repositories; standardized communication protocols and care-management processes; continuously monitored outcomes; and reduced care team administrative tasks.
Rodd Padden M.B.A., Canopy Systems, Inc., Phil Beauchene, R.N., M.H.A., Mind My Heart, Kathleen Anderson, B.S.N., M.H.A., W.V. University Hospitals

 Question & Answer with Jeff Goldsmith, President of Health Futures, Inc. HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
Jeff Goldsmith discusses how clinical IT will integrate a patient's history with embedded best practice guidelines to help clinicians design the best possible treatment plan.
Jeff Goldsmith, Ph.D., Health Futures, Inc.

 Question & Answer With John Haughom, M.D., Senior VP of Health Care Improvement at PeaceHealth HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003

PeaceHealth

 Reducing Practice Variation HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
There is a growing body of clinical evidence supporting leading practice interventions for treating specific medical conditions. Embedding and automating these leading practices within a computerized physician ordering system helps to ensure that the most current medical knowledge informs treatment decisions, and variations from accepted practice will be based on the patient’s specific circumstances and risks.
Robert B. Williams, M.D., Capgemini, Steve Margolis, M.D., Capgemini, Jane Neumann, M.D., ProHealth

 Smart Cards and Clinical Care Delivery HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
In the search for fast, secure, and accurate patient clinical information storage, smart cards offer advanced options to care providers and patients. Smart card technology allows health care providers and health care organizations to streamline medical processes, participate in secure health care data exchange, as well as increase quality of service through improved data access.
Dr. Bruno Lassus, D.D.S., Gemplus

 Special Section: Clinical Documentation HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
Clinical documentation is often viewed as a necessary evil: a cause for overtime work, an incomplete patchwork of irrelevant or out-of-date data, or a task done to avoid legal or regulatory consequences. In this section, we make the case for designing, building, and implementing automated clinical documentation according to a new paradigm, one with the power to transform clinical practice and yield major benefits to health care organizations, clinicians, and patients.
Carol Belmont, Capgemini, Bonnie Wesorick, R.N., M.S.N., CPM Resource Center, Helen Jesse, R.N., M.S., Capgemini, Michelle R. Troseth, R.N., M.S.N., CPM Resource Center, David Brown, M.A., Eclipsys

 Special Section: Technology Overview HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
In this section, John Quinn offers an in-depth examination of core information systems. His discussion includes a look at the management of large hospital information systems, core building components and systems integration, and data management and architecture.
John Quinn, Accenture

 Technology in Health Care: Building an Integrated Infrastructure HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
A significant obstacle to making clinical care available one is system interoperability. Designing and implementing a modern replacement for limited-interoperability legacy systems can be an expensive, chaotic, and time-consuming endeavor. A less disruptive and costly alternative is to add an XML-based integration layer over existing systems.
Mark Blatt, Intel Corporation

 A Structured Approach to Physician Adoption of Technology HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
One of the most significant barriers to computerized physician order entry or other advanced clinical systems is a lack of clinician adoption. Value cannot be realized if clinicians won't use the technology. A structured methodology can help health care organizations foster clinician adoption.
Barbara A. Crowell, Dearborn Advisors, LLC

 Achieving Standardization Through CIS Implementation HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
Standardization of clinical processes and practices is the reason for the effort and expense of building a clinical information system. It is the means by which quality and safety of patient care are improved, efficiencies realized, and costs reduced.
Robert B. Williams, M.D., Capgemini, Jay Toole, Capgemini, Michele Salvaneschi, R.N., Capgemini

 Ambulatory Care HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
The integration of inpatient and outpatient applications and data-sharing is a pressing need in the health care industry. Buyers should be cognizant of the integration capabilities of CIS systems before making a CIS purchasing decision.
Kip Perlstein, Capgemini

 Challenges in Health Care: What It Takes for Health Leaders to Manage Clinical Care HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
Clinical transformation can help health care organizations adapt to the dynamic range of forces that drive marketplace change. These forces include payor pressure, consumerism, and regulation.
Jay Toole, Capgemini, Shantaram Rangappa M.D., M.S.H.A., Capgemini

 Child Life Specialists: A Vital Resource For Children And Their Families HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
For a small child, or even a teenager, the prospect of being hospitalized with an illness, having surgery, or seeing a loved one in intensive care can be an intimidating and unnerving experience. To help in these emotionally trying circumstances, many families have come to rely on Child Life Specialists, trained professionals who combine a sensitive, caring touch with an in-depth knowledge of hospital and medical procedures. Providing support and compassion through this difficult time, Child Life Specialists serve as an important liaison and work closely with children, and their parents, to reduce the anxiety associated with hospital stays and visits.
Hillary Gannon, CCLS, Polaroid

 Clinical Information Systems: Enterprise Versus Departmental Solutions in Obstetrics HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
The computer industry has not yet developed systems that incorporate specialized departmental functionality with standard CIS applications such as CPOE, clinical documentation, and automated medication administration records. Until integrated solutions are available, health care organizations need to carefully weigh the pros and cons of using departmental systems in conjunction with their enterprise clinical system.
Helen Jesse, R.N., M.S., Capgemini

 Connecting Health Care Users to Information: Convenience, Security, and Authentication Management HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
Secure, simplified authentication is more of an issue than ever as the demand for access to clinical data spreads from hospitals to clinics, doctors' offices, and patients. One solution is to separate and extract the authentication process from the underlying application. Authentication services can then be provided as a "network service."
Daniel Palestrant, BNX Systems

 Denial Management: The Last Mile in Predictable Revenue Collections HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
The gateway to reducing denial rates and meeting projected revenue collection is a thorough understanding of reimbursement contracts, payer procedures, and claim denials. Proactive denial management software applications that adapt to the latest payer denial strategies can further decrease denial rates.
Thomas Stevens, Altary

 Enterprise PACS: Practical, Proven, and In Demand HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
Picture Archiving and Communication Systems are a crucial component of truly integrated, effective patient care and information services. Institutions of every size, mission, and financial capacity can no longer afford to delay PACS investment.
Brad Levin, AMICAS

 Health Care Technology: A History of Clinical Care Innovation HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
The future of health care innovation is best understood if we take a moment to look at how we got where we are today. What have been the obstacles? How is the industry overcoming these obstacles? Who are the leaders in terms of change, and what kind of changes can the industry expect in the future?
R. L. Johnson & Associates

 Integrated Results Reporting Information System: The First Phase of Clinical Decision Support HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
Complete, organized, timely, and usable medical information via a Results Reporting Information System (RRIS) can be the first step towards clinical decision support. Moreover, RRIS is both easier to implement and more rapidly adopted by health care workers than other new systems.
William Bria, University of Michigan

 Integrating Clinical Systems and Health Information Management: Automation Using Internet-Based Tools HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
Automating the management of clinical data through a centralized electronic repository via the Internet improves efficiency and reduces costs. The online consolidation of physician notes and hospital records moves the industry progressively toward the EMR paradigm.
Robert Keet, M.D., F.A.C.P., Axolotl

 Interview with Suzanne Delbanco, Executive Director of The Leapfrog Group HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
Suzanne Delbanco discusses how information systems can improve the quality of health care while reducing costs and empowering both patients and providers.
Suzanne F. Delbanco, Ph.D., The Leapfrog Group

 Lessons Learned in Physician Design and Use of Advanced CIS and CPOE — It's About Time! HCT Project Volume 1, July 01, 2003
Designing and implementing an advanced CIS is a complex and high-risk journey. To this end, physicians need to get on board from the project's inception. Physicians have the clinical perspective necessary for a successful implementation.
Robert B. Williams, M.D., Capgemini