• Scottsdale Institute Benchmarking Program Article, Co-Sponsored by Impact Advisors, Published in Journal of Healthcare Information Management

    Article finds that 100 percent of participants see significant value in program

    CHICAGO, IL – October 28, 2015 –– Impact Advisors, LLC, a leading provider of healthcare information technology services, and the Scottsdale Institute (SI), a not-for-profit membership organization of health systems advanced in IT, today announced the publication of the peer-reviewed article, “A Unique Approach to Business Analytics: The Scottsdale Institute Health IT Benchmarking Program,” in the Journal of Healthcare Information Management (JHIM). Impact Advisors co-sponsored the article and continues to partner with SI to offer critical support and insight to address the challenges facing SI member organizations.

    The article highlights Scottsdale Institute’s Benchmarking Program and highlights how Scottsdale Institute members are using this data and program to compare and analyze IT spend, connect with peer health systems, and discuss IT spend at the board and senior executive level. The article also focuses on the value that members are realizing after participating in the program. The article was authored by David C. Classen MD, MS, CMIO at Pascal Metrics, a Patient Safety Organization (PSO) and an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Utah, and co-authored by Jason Fortin, Senior Advisor at Impact Advisors.
    “We were happy to partner with the Scottsdale Institute on this article that highlights its highly valuable Benchmarking Program,” said Andy Smith, President and Co-Founder of Impact Advisors. “It’s a unique tool that is proving to be instrumental in helping health systems make IT spending decisions and we are proud to support it.”

    The Benchmarking Program is a departure from current approaches to business analytics. It facilitates one-on-one comparisons of detailed IT cost data between similar healthcare organizations. The data is normalized to account for structural differences in IT departments, which allows for “apples-to-apples” correlations. The Benchmarking Program was originated by Spectrum Health.

    “In this post EMR environment and with meaningful use incentives winding down, budgetary pressures are at an all-time high for CIOs,” said Shelli Williamson, Executive Director, Scottsdale Institute. “Our Benchmarking Program is a critical tool for CIOs leading an effort to optimize costs over the next five to 10 years. The program also enables individual, private networking and provides tools for Board-level conversations. Any health system may participate, and there is no cost.”

    The article also includes results from a survey that was sent to Scottsdale Institute members in late 2014. Scottsdale Institute received a survey response from 76 percent of benchmarking analytics leads – or 29 organizations representing a total of 60 health systems, 598 inpatient facilities, and 4,790 outpatient/ambulatory facilities. A full 100 percent of survey respondents agreed with the statement “my organization finds value participating in this healthcare IT Benchmarking Program.”

    “The IT cost benchmarking service has been a great service that CIOs have found significant value and benefit from,” said Brent Snyder, CIO, Adventist Health System. “In comparing costs with other entities, most other databases don’t identify what’s being supported in the IT budget. SI’s design seems to provide a nice middle ground. It segments the organizations into relevant groups so you can see which organizations are at about the same level of clinical IT development as yours, or who are using the same vendors.”

    To read the article, “A Unique Approach to Business Analytics: The Scottsdale Institute Health IT Benchmarking Program,” please click here.

    For more information on Impact Advisors, visit www.impact-advisors.com or visit the company on Facebook.

    About Impact Advisors, LLC
    Impact Advisors, a distinguished healthcare information technology consulting firm, improves its clients’ healthcare delivery through technology. As a trusted healthcare leader, the firm helps hospitals and health systems maximize clinical and operational performance with its Best in KLAS® strategic advisory, implementation and optimization services. Since its inception, Impact Advisors has consulted to more than 140 hospitals and health systems nationally and internationally. The firm has earned a number of industry and workplace quality awards including Best in KLAS® for seven consecutive years, Healthcare Informatics HCI 100, Crain’s Chicago Business Fast Fifty and Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work. For more information about Impact Advisors, visit www.impact-advisors.com.

    Posted 10.28.2015

  • CHIME Applauds Senate Passage of Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015

    ANN ARBOR, MI, October 27, 2015 – The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and the Association for Executives in Health Information Security (AEHIS) today welcomed  passage of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (CISA) by the Senate. Once enacted by the president, CISA will represent a significant advancement in cybersecurity and better enable the nation’s chief information officers (CIO) and chief Information security officers (CISO) to better protect patient health information.

    CISA will allow CIOs and CISOs to share threats and vulnerabilities through a secure national information-sharing infrastructure with the necessary liability protections in place and will not risk patient trust. As an important piece of the nation’s critical infrastructure, it is vital that healthcare organizations have the tools and information they need to identify and more effectively defend against growing cyber threats.

    CHIME and AEHIS are especially encouraged that the Senate-approved bill includes language that would establish a cybersecurity framework specifically focused on healthcare and instructs the Department of Health and Human Services to identify a specific leader on cyber preparedness. Earlier this month, CHIME held a briefing calling on the federal government to work with healthcare stakeholders to develop industry-specific standards for protecting health information from cyber criminals. In fact, CHIME and AEHIS have been leading advocates for much of the healthcare-specific language included in the Senate-passed CISA bill, including:

    1. HHS should convene healthcare industry stakeholders to develop industry-specific standards for protecting health information from cyber criminals and other sources of threats.
    2. HHS should promote better cybersecurity information sharing between the private sector and government, and enhance collaboration and information sharing amongst the private sector.
    3. Congress should pursue legislative action to strengthen information-sharing networks across public and private stakeholders, with emphasis on healthcare.

    “The nation’s CIOs and CISOs have been assigned the daunting task of securing patient information in a highly digital environment. Threats are evolving and there’s no respite on the horizon. We’ve seen bad actors target large insures, academic medical centers and community hospitals alike. We need to ensure our CIOs and CIOs have the resources they need, including the ability to share cyber threat information, to protect patient data,” said CHIME President and CEO Russell Branzell, FCHIME, CHCIO.

    Healthcare providers and vendors are working to create an infrastructure that supports a more connected delivery system, where patient medical records can be accessed by clinicians when and where they are needed. CHIME applauds lawmakers for recognizing the unique nature of healthcare and laying the foundation needed to combat cybercrime and maintain patient trust.

    “Federal leadership is critical for ensuring the nation’s hospitals and health systems, big and small, urban and rural, are better equipped with the resources they need to secure patient information. The healthcare sector has become a prime target for bad actors and it’s important that the federal government works in conjunction with the industry to ensure provider organizations understand best practices to protecting patient data,” said Charles E. Christian, FCHIME, LCHIME, CHCIO, chair of the CHIME board of trustees.

    About CHIME
    The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With more than 1,700 CIO members and over 150 healthcare IT vendors and professional services firms, CHIME provides a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate; exchange best practices; address professional development needs; and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and healthcare in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit chimecentral.org.

    About AEHIS
    Launched in 2014, the Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Security provides an education and networking platform for senior security IT leaders. AEHIS was formed under the auspices of CHIME, the premier professional membership organization for chief information officers (CIOs) and other senior healthcare IT leaders. For more information, please visit aehis.org.

    Contact:
    Matthew Weinstock
    Director of Communications and Public Relations, CHIME
    734.249.8917
    [email protected]

    Posted 10.27.2015

  • Intelerad Forms Partnership with Kailo Medical™

    Partnership will make Kailo Medical’s SonoReview™ electronic worksheet & structured reporting solutions available to InteleViewer™ clients

    DENVER, CO & MONTREAL, CAN – October 27, 2015 — Intelerad Medical Systems™, a leader in distributed medical imaging solutions, today announced a partnership to integrate Kailo Medical’s SonoReview solution with Intelerad’s product suite. Designed for both sonographers, technologists and radiologists, SonoReview provides highly customizable reporting templates and electronic worksheets that save time, and produce clear and concise reports.

    “SonoReview is a very complete and well-rounded solution that complements our existing offerings nicely,” said Chris Henri, CTO, Intelerad. “As opposed to other solutions on the market, SonoReview takes input from all stages of workflow and produces dynamic, natural language reports. It provides comprehensive support for ultrasound including obstetrics, gynaecology, vascular, musculoskeletal, small parts, breast, abdominal and echocardiography, as well as other modalities, such as DEXA and nuclear medicine.”

    In addition to preventing transcription errors, SonoReview seamlessly integrates measurements from modalities and voice recognition packages, resolves the legibility issues associated with handwritten worksheets, and enables referring physicians to review sonographer worksheets, drawings and graphs directly within a diagnostic or clinical viewer.

    “Having SonoReview integrated with Intelerad’s software will yield significant efficiency gains and clinical benefits,” said Bernard Duscher, Co-Founder and Director, Kailo Medical. “In addition to saving radiologists up to 50% of their time for various ultrasound studies, the solution is both agile and feature-rich, allowing historical study comparison, image review, interactive touch-based markup, and the ability to start and stop examinations directly from their PACS workstation.”

    Demonstrations of Intelerad’s product suite, including their SonoReview integration will be available at RANZCR 2015 (booth 43), and at RSNA 2015 (booth 3343). To book, click here.

    Kailo Medical will be demonstrating their entire product suite, including SonoReview at RANZCR 2015 (booth 11), and at RSNA 2015 (booth 1508). To book, contact [email protected].

    About Intelerad
    Intelerad Medical Systems is a leader in distributed radiology, specializing in RIS, PACS and cross-enterprise imaging solutions for all types of healthcare organization. Intelerad solutions increase productivity and streamline workflow by overcoming technical barriers in distributed and complex environments. Highly scalable, flexible and robust, Intelerad’s solutions offer high performance and industry leading customer service and support. Intelerad solutions are used in more than 1,000 sites across North America, Oceania and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.intelerad.com.

    Posted 10.27.2015

  • Zynx Health’s Siva Subramanian is Panelist at Partners Healthcare’s 12th Annual Connected Health Symposium

    LOS ANGELES, CA – October 26, 2015

    WHAT:
    Siva Subramanian, PhD, senior vice president of mobile strategy at Zynx Health, will participate in the “Disintermediation IoT Impact on the Hospital of the Future” panel at Partners Healthcare’s 12th annual Connected Health Symposium Oct. 29-30 in Boston. The afternoon discussion focuses on how the increasing availability of healthcare in retail stores and the widespread use of wearable technologies are likely to impact hospitals and other care providers-and the choices consumers are making to achieve cost-effective care.

    TIME/PLACE/REGISTER:
    2:05 to 2:55 pm CDT, Friday, October 30 at the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center in Boston. Click here for registration.

    PRESENTATION TOPIC:
    Retail organizations such as Walgreens, Target, Walmart, and CVS are transitioning from delivering drugs and medical supplies to providing services traditionally managed by primary care and nurse practitioners managed in a private practice. As a consequence of the Affordable Care Act, high-deductible plans, and rapid consolidation of practitioners into closed networks, will the consumer need to make much more conscientious decisions on where care is delivered? In the home, near the home, or in the hospital, for example? And how will wearable devices accelerate the transition away from hospitals to the home or the retail outlet? Panelists will discuss these topics and the choices consumers must make, including with whom to share their devices’ data, in order to achieve the lowest cost/highest value point-of-care delivery.

    INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY:
    Siva Subramanian, PhD, senior vice president of mobile strategy, Zynx Health.

    Pre- and post-event interviews can be arranged. Click here for Subramanian’s photo.

     

    About Zynx Health
    Zynx Health, part of the Hearst Health network, is the pioneer and market leader in evidence- and experience-based clinical improvement and mobile care solutions that provide the care guidance to enhance quality, improve care coordination, and decrease variation across an individual’s health journey. With Zynx Health, healthcare organizations exceed industry demands for delivering high-quality care at lower costs under value-based reimbursement models. Zynx Health partners with healthcare organizations to continuously and measurably improve care every day, for every patient, every time. To learn more, visit zynxhealth.com or call 855.367.ZYNX.

    Posted 10.27.2015

  • Health Catalyst Named Best Place to Work in US Healthcare for Third Year in a Row

    SALT LAKE CITY,UT – October 21, 2015 — Health Catalyst, a leader in healthcare data warehousing and analytics, has been honored for the third year in a row as one of Modern Healthcare’s “Best Places to Work in Healthcare.”

    The Best Places to Work in Healthcare awards recognize employers for their outstanding performance in economic development, employee retention and satisfaction. Health Catalyst placed 16th among medium-sized companies surveyed by Modern Healthcare, and 24th in the survey’s supplier category, which ranks companies that supply products or services to healthcare organizations.  Health Catalyst ranked 41st overall among the hundreds of US healthcare organizations surveyed.

    Founded by industry veterans, Health Catalyst equips healthcare providers with data warehousing, analytics and outcomes-improvement solutions to improve the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of care. The Salt Lake City-based company serves approximately 2,000 hospitals and clinics with more than 50 million combined patients.

    “We are honored to be recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of the best employers in the healthcare industry,” said Dan Burton, CEO of Health Catalyst. “Our mission is to help to fundamentally transform healthcare, and a central part of fulfilling this mission involves attracting and retaining talented team members—individuals who share our mission, enthusiasm and commitment. We appreciate every team member for the great work they perform every day, in an effort to improve healthcare outcomes.”

    The ranking of the winning companies was announced at the Best Places to Work Awards Gala on October 14.  Health Catalyst Chief People Officer Jeff Selander accepted the award on behalf of the company’s nearly 400 employees.

    About Health Catalyst
    Health Catalyst is a mission-driven data warehousing, analytics and outcomes-improvement company that helps healthcare organizations of all sizes perform the clinical, financial, and operational reporting and analysis needed for population health and accountable care. Their proven enterprise data warehouse (EDW) and analytics platform helps improve quality, add efficiency and lower costs in support of more than 50 million patients for organizations ranging from the largest US health system to forward-thinking physician practices. For more information, visit www.healthcatalyst.com, and follow them on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

    Posted 10.26.2015

  • New Data Highlights Progress Toward Industry-Wide Adoption of Electronic Prior Authorization (ePA)

    CoverMyMeds & industry stakeholders publish new data in second release of the ePA National Adoption Scorecard

     

    • Seventy percent of electronic health records (EHR) systems representing the majority of market share are committed to ePA, a 16 percent increase from March 2015
    • Eighty-seven percent of payers representing the majority of market share are committed to ePA, a 20 percent increase from March 2015
    • Eighty-three percent of pharmacies representing the majority of market share are committed to ePA, a 13 percent increase from March 2015
    • Twenty-three states have passed legislation pertaining to prior authorization (PA) and four additional states have pending legislation

    COLUMBUS, OH – October 22, 2015 — CoverMyMeds, the nation’s largest electronic prior authorization (ePA) platform, and its industry partners today released an update to the ePA National Adoption Scorecard. The report, first released in March 2015, highlights the current state of ePA adoption across the health care industry. This release of the report includes updates to the ePA implementation status of EHR systems, pharmacies and payers. Since March 2015, the industry achieved a 10-20 percent increase in commitment to ePA functionality across all sectors of the industry.

    The EHR category has seen significant movement since the initial publication of the ePA National Adoption Scorecard. Most notably, Cerner, Allscripts and eClinicalWorks announced ePA partnerships, and Epic and Practice Fusion launched live ePA functionality. Overall, the EHR segment achieved a 25 percent increase in live ePA functionality since March 2015.

    A new section of this release of the ePA National Adoption Scorecard highlights ePA legislation impacting the industry. The report details 23 states with passed legislation pertaining to ePA, as well as four states – Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio and New York – with pending legislation.

    The ePA National Adoption Scorecard is published with oversight from an advisory board of industry experts, including:

    • Lee Ann Stember: National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP), President
    • Matt Moore: Cerner Corporation, Senior Strategist, Clinical Solutions Management
    • Nick Calla: Cardinal Health, Vice President, Industry Relations
    • Rebecca Snead: National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA), EVP and CEO
    • Adam Kautzner: Express Scripts, Vice President Formulary & Drug Trends
    • Doug Gray: VA Association of Health Plans, Executive Director

    “As a pharmacist and advocate for the industry, specifically an advocate for the patient, I have seen the frustration from all parties when a prescription is denied due to cumbersome policies and procedures related to prior authorization,” commented Rebecca Snead, EVP and CEO of NASPA who authored the foreword for this release of the report. “My involvement in the ePA National Adoption Scorecard represents my commitment to improving the PA process. My hope is that through education the industry will join us in moving toward 100 percent ePA adoption.”

    Overall, the report illustrates positive strides toward industry-wide adoption; however, there is still room for improvement.

    “One area that requires more attention, and is often misunderstood, is the reach of payer ePA implementations,” indicated Perry Lewis, VP of Industry Relations for CoverMyMeds. “Sixty-eight percent of the largest payers have a live ePA solution; however, few extend ePA capabilities to all business lines. While payers work toward full implementation, providers need an ePA solution that allows for a consistent, electronic workflow, regardless of how the payer accepts the transaction.” He continued, “Not all ePA vendors deliver universal electronic compatibility today. Health systems need to be aware of this when selecting an ePA solution. We plan to further detail this in a future release of the report.”

    The ePA National Adoption Scorecard is accessible online and available for download at epascorecard.covermymeds.com. Industry participants are invited to share data that will enhance the report by contacting the CoverMyMeds research team at [email protected].

     

    About CoverMyMeds
    CoverMyMeds is the leader in Electronic Prior Authorization (ePA) and one of the fastest growing healthcare technology companies in the US. They help physicians, pharmacists and their staff complete ePA requests for any drug and all health insurance plans. Their technology integrates with pharmacy systems, EHRs and PBMs to create the most efficient electronic prior authorization (ePA) strategy for all participants. With more than a million PA requests submitted each month, CoverMyMeds is the only vendor using the NCPDP SCRIPT Standard at scale. For information visit www.covermymeds.com.

    Posted 10.22.2015

  • INSIDE CHIME: CHIME15 – Seizing the Moment

    Inside CHIME - header

    Weinstock photo 10.22.15 by Matthew Weinstock
    Director of Communications and Public Relations, CHIME

     

    Marc Probst took the stage in a packed ballroom at the JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes and helped set the tone for the CHIME15 Fall CIO Forum.

    The 2016 Chair-elect of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) Board of Trustees unveiled the organization’s newly minted vision statement: Exceptional Leaders Transforming Healthcare. It’s the culmination of years of work of chief information officers and other senior healthcare IT leaders striving to become strategic partners with the rest of the C-suite and across their organizations, Probst said.

    That message became the unofficial theme of the two-and-a-half day conference. From two-dozen breakout sessions to inspiring keynote addresses to hallway chatter, the nearly 800 health IT leaders gathered in Orlando talked about ways that they are transforming healthcare. It’s about guiding an organization’s strategy, CHIME CEO and President Russell Branzell, FCHIME, CHCIO, said during his opening remarks. CIOs have been clamoring for this opportunity for a while, it is now time to seize the moment, he added.

    During a breakout session on aligning CIO perspectives with the rest of the C-suite, Timothy Zoph, LCHIME, FCHIME, CHCIO, senior vice president, Northwestern Memorial Healthcare, noted that healthcare is seemingly in a constant state of flux and no one is totally sure what the delivery system will ultimately look like. Even so, CIOs must stand and deliver, he said. “Your experience is too valuable to be on the sidelines. It’s going to become a core requirement of your job to be seen as a change leader in your organization,” Zoph said.

    Even sessions that, on the surface, seemed focused on a technology solution, provided a look at how IT is a key — if not the key — driver in delivery system transformation. Randy McCleese, FCHIME, LCHIME, CHCIO, vice president of information systems and CIO, St. Claire Regional Medical Center, detailed his 159-bed hospital’s approach to data exchange, which, he pointed out, data is instrumental to advancing population health management and value-based care.

    In another track session, Mary Carroll Ford, CHCIO, CIO, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and Twosixtwo Fiveonezerozero, CIO, Norton Sound Health Corp., detailed how telehealth and information exchange have improved access to care across Alaska’s vast landscape. They explained some of the challenges, such as integrating telehealth with an electronic medical record, but also highlighted how multiple organizations came together to share data under a unified EMR. This has enabled clinicians to gain immediate access to medical records and promote population health management.

    CHIME15 got off to a positive start with an opening keynote by Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage and Before Happiness. In his lively speech, Achor challenged the audience to embrace the theory of positive psychology — focusing on what helps people develop compassion and optimism. “Every success factor increases when your brain is positive,” he said.

    During a breakfast meeting with the CHIME board, Achor asked about the challenges facing the industry. Board members became anxious as they rattled off a laundry list of items — cybersecurity, compliance with strict regulations, growing demands from across their organizations and more. So he turned the tables and had them discuss all of the positives taking place — advances in telemedicine, the use of IT to reduce medical errors and eliminate inefficiencies and improved patient engagement.

    “The atmosphere in the room suddenly changed. Everyone felt positive,” he said, adding that it’s the role of a leader to promote that positive environment.

    CHIME15 featured equally stimulating addresses from plenary speaker Leana Wen, M.D., who delivered an impassioned message about patient engagement; CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, who offered a global perspective on healthcare and innovation; and author Pamela Meyer, whose expertise in sniffing out liars gave everyone some insights not only in how to spot deception, but how to encourage truth telling.

    Throughout CHIME15, attendees had multiple opportunities to network, share stories and exchange ideas. CHIME Foundation firms, for example, held 94 focus groups with health system CIOs. The Performance Institute (formerly the Best Practices Institute) Solutions Showcase highlighted 30 innovative collaborations between hospitals and vendors.

    Perhaps Wen’s closing comments during her keynote best captured the mood as CHIME15, “We are at a time of unprecedented opportunity.”

    Be sure to mark your calendars for the CHIME/HIMSS CIO Forum, February 28-29, in Las Vegas.

    More Inside CHIME Volume 1, No. 3:

    Posted 10.22.2015

  • INSIDE CHIME: AEHIX15 – Fostering innovation

    Inside CHIME - header

    Weinstock photo 10.22.15 by Matthew Weinstock
    Director of Communications and Public Relations, CHIME

     

    The first official gathering for AEHIS, AEHIA and AEHIT members offered attendees a unique learning opportunity and provided some keen insights into critical issues facing further adoption of health IT. AEHIX15 attendees consisted of three professional membership groups: AEHIS, AEHIA, AEHIT, representing senior IT leaders in applications, security and technology.

    AEHIX15, held October 7-9 in Orlando, FL, featured sessions on security, change management, making IT more user-friendly and patient engagement. Lyle Berkowitz, M.D., associate chief medical of innovation, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and medical director of IT and innovation, Northwestern Memorial Physicians Group, got everyone thinking as he discussed a key limitation in current IT systems.

    “There is nothing in Meaningful Use about usability,” he said. “How come things aren’t usable? Doctors hate EMRs, but they shouldn’t.”

    Innovation is essential for clinicians to get more value out of health IT systems. He cited a program at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., that taps into the EMR to improve patient safety. Queries are run daily within the EMR to identify triggers that may signal an adverse event. Given the challenges most organizations face in underreporting of adverse events, the automated process has made it easier for clinicians to not only identify problems, but implement solutions.

    Berkowitz said that innovation doesn’t have to be grandiose. Rather, he suggested, start small and don’t be afraid to fail, just be sure to learn from those experiences.

    As solutions start coming though, it is important to implement a sound change management strategy. Organizations need to be ready to accept the change that’s coming, said Ellen Swoger, associate CIO, University of Mississippi Medical Center.

    When the medical center began to roll out an EMR in 2010, Swoger identified several gaps. Communications between IT and operations were limited, training programs were lacking and the skill set in IT needed to be brought up to speed on new technologies. A detailed change management program was put into place, including focus groups with employees from all ancillary and clinical services. Training was retooled, physician champions were identified and more.

    AEHIX15 attendees were also given guidance on how to protect their organizations from the risk of a cyberattack. While it is virtually impossible to fully prevent an attack, steps can be taken to mitigate risks when once does occur. Citing a Ponemon Institute study, Steve Olson, principal consultant, Clearwater Compliance, said that criminal attacks in healthcare have grown 125 percent since 2010 and 90 percent of organizations studied had a breach in 2014.

    So what can you do? Olson and Heather Roszkowski, chief information security officer, University of Vermont Medical Center, identified some core strategies: have a strong governance process, implement a communications plan, have a response team and plan, develop metrics and keep vigilant in measuring potential risks.

    For more about the AEHIS, AEHIA and AEHIT, click here.

    More Inside CHIME Volume 1, No. 3:

    Posted 10.22.2015

  • Modern Healthcare Names The Chartis Group Among the Top 20 Employers in Healthcare

    “Best Places to Work in Healthcare” program recognizes outstanding employers in the healthcare industry on a national level

    CHICAGO, IL – October 20, 2015 — The Chartis Group, a national advisory firm dedicated to the healthcare industry, has been selected as one of Modern Healthcare’s Top 20 (#17) “Best Places to Work in Healthcare” for 2015.

    This annual award recognizes companies throughout the healthcare industry that empower their employees to provide patients and customers with the best possible care, products and services. Results are solely based on employee responses to an employee engagement and satisfaction survey.

    “It’s great to see our name on the list this year,” says Ken Graboys, Co-Founder and CEO of The Chartis Group. “The culture of our firm is fueled by the passion, commitment and talent of our people; those who have made a conscious decision to come together to deliver on a shared mission – materially improving the delivery of healthcare. Beyond the great talent of our people, we have been privileged to work with remarkable client leaders, many of whom are on this list, who are elevating the health of their communities every day.”

    A complete, alphabetical list of award recipients for the “Best Places to Work in Healthcare” is available on Modern Healthcare’s website. Rankings were announced at the awards gala October 14 in Nashville.

    This is the first year The Chartis Group has participated in the Best Places to Work program. Aspen Advisors, which joined The Chartis Group in November 2014, has been recognized as a Best Place to Work from 2011 to 2014.

    About The Chartis Group
    The Chartis Group (Chartis) is a national advisory services firm dedicated to the healthcare industry. Chartis provides strategic and economic planning, accountable care, clinical transformation, and informatics and technology consulting services to the country’s leading healthcare providers. Chartis has been privileged to work with over two-thirds of the academic medical centers on the US News and World Report “Honor Roll of Best Hospitals,” seven of the 10 largest integrated health systems, four of the five largest not-for-profit health systems, nine of the top 10 children’s hospitals, emerging and leading accountable care organizations, hundreds of community-based health systems, and leading organizations in healthcare services. The firm is comprised of uniquely experienced senior healthcare professionals and consultants who apply a distinctive knowledge of healthcare economics, markets, clinical models and technology to help clients achieve unequaled results. Chartis has offices in Boston, Chicago, New York and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.chartis.com.

    Posted 10.22.2015

  • KLAS Secure Messaging Report Recognizes Imprivata Cortext as the Most Comprehensive Strategic Solution for Physician-to-Nurse Communications

    Imprivata Cortext Considered Twice as Often as Products from Other Vendors Amongst Healthcare Organizations Making Secure Messaging Purchasing Decisions

    LEXINGTON, MA – October 21, 2015 — Imprivata® (NYSE: IMPR), the healthcare IT security company, today announced that Imprivata Cortext®, the secure communications platform for healthcare, is considered twice as often as products from other vendors amongst customers making strategic secure messaging purchasing decisions, according to a new report from KLAS. Titled, “Secure Messaging 2015: First Look at Who Providers Are Considering and Why,” the report examines the growing and increasingly competitive landscape of secure messaging in healthcare.

    According to the KLAS report, “One of the most important functions provided by secure messaging vendors is the ability for nurses to exchange messages and data with physicians and vice versa, rather than just the ability to facilitate physician-to-physician or nurse-to-nurse communication.” Imprivata Cortext is rated highest with the most sites reporting that doctors and nurses are capable of communicating with each other using secure messaging. Imprivata also stands out for developing a more comprehensive solution that meets the needs of both groups and facilitates better care coordination.

    “We’re pleased that trusted sources of healthcare such as KLAS continue to recognize Imprivata as a leader in secure messaging,” said Ed Gaudet, General Manager of the Imprivata Cortext Products Group. “We are committed to delivering the best user experience for physicians, nurses, and all healthcare employees, patients, and family members involved in patient care.”

    The KLAS report also finds that with the increased fear of HIPAA audits and data security threats, many providers are seeking a secure messaging platform to allow clinicians to communicate in a safe, efficient manner while also improving care coordination inside and outside of the hospital.

    “Our clinical staff relies on Imprivata Cortext for critical communications inside and outside of the hospital,” said Edward Ricks, VP and CIO at Beaufort Memorial Hospital. “The ability to improve communications while sending automated clinical notifications directly from our EMR to Imprivata Cortext enables us to replace pagers and, improve staff efficiency while also enhancing patient safety and satisfaction.”

    To learn more about Imprivata Cortext and how it is being used by leading hospitals and health systems visit www.imprivata.com/secure-communications.

    About Imprivata
    Imprivata® (NYSE: IMPR), the healthcare IT security company, provides healthcare organizations globally with a security and identity platform that delivers authentication management, fast access to patient information, secure communications, and positive patient identification. Imprivata enables care providers to securely and efficiently access, communicate, and transact patient health information to address critical compliance and security challenges while improving productivity and the patient experience. For more information, please visit www.imprivata.com.

    Posted 10.21.2015

  • Dr. Thomas Graf joins The Chartis Group as National Director of Population Health Management

    CHICAGO, IL – August 25, 2015 — The Chartis Group announced today that Thomas Graf, MD, FAAFP, a leader in advancing healthcare delivery, reducing the cost of care and supporting continuous growth and performance improvement, has joined the firm as the National Director of Population Health Management.

    Dr. Graf joins The Chartis Group from Geisinger Health System where he was the Chief Medical Officer for Population Health and Longitudinal Care Service Lines. There, he was responsible for the value reengineering of the care continuum and other population health initiatives including: developing Geisinger’s ProvenHealth Navigator® medical home innovation and the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) portfolio and, with CMS, the Physician Group Practice (PGP), and PGP Transitions Demonstrations as well as Bundled Payments for Care Improvement leading nearly 50 hospitals from across the country in developing their version of Geisinger’s ProvenCare® model. He led the community practice, internal medicine, medical specialties, pediatrics, psychiatry, oncology, neurosciences, women’s health and care continuum service lines in coordinating and accelerating clinical operations and innovation across 22 counties in central and northeast Pennsylvania.

    Dr. Graf has more than 20 years of leadership experience and is recognized nationally for his contributions to medical home innovation and post-acute care redesign. Dr. Graf created the Delta Innovation Incubator program, known for optimizing the care delivery for chronic diseases, leveraging established systems of care and modules for individual disease parameters. He is the content expert for four major projects at the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ) on care design, delivery and innovation as well as the content expert for the American Medical Group Association’s (AMGA’s) collaborative for patients with multiple chronic diseases. Over the course of his career, Dr. Graf has published numerous articles and book chapters addressing the advancement of care, improving health outcomes and population health. He speaks nationally on these topics and on reducing the total cost of care. He is a founding member and former board member of the National Association of ACOs and an international speaker on value-based care, bundled clinical care and payment, accountable care, payment models to support care transformation and value, and medical home.

    “Dr. Graf brings an unparalled level of innovation and hands-on expertise related to effectively managing the health of populations,” says Ken Graboys, Co-Founder and CEO of The Chartis Group. “We look forward to sharing his insights related to improving health outcomes and quality of life, reducing the total cost of care and the potential of public private partnerships with our clients.”

    Dr. Graf will lead the firm’s integrated approach to population health management incorporating thought leadership and insight across all four practices – strategic and economic planning, accountable care solutions, clinical transformation, and informatics and technology. He will help clients envision their role in a more accountable industry and proactively prepare for the future of care delivery. “Being a member of The Chartis Group will give me an opportunity to work with our industry’s leading-edge providers, health systems and organizations, committed to improving care and to being on the front lines of change,” says Dr. Graf, “This is an exciting next step.”

    Dr. Graf received his medical degree from The University of Michigan. He completed his residency in family medicine at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, MI where he then served as Chief Resident and was a member of the faculty. He was also the Director of the Southwest Georgia Family Practice Residency. Dr. Graf received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Michigan.

    About The Chartis Group
    The Chartis Group is the largest national advisory services firm solely dedicated to the healthcare industry. Chartis provides strategic planning, accountable care, clinical transformation and information technology management consulting services to the country’s leading healthcare providers. Chartis has been privileged to work with over two-thirds of the academic medical centers on the US News and World Report “Honor Roll of Best Hospitals,” seven of the 10 largest integrated health systems, four of the five largest not-forprofit health systems, nine of the top 10 children’s hospitals, emerging and leading accountable care organizations, hundreds of community-based health systems, and leading organizations in healthcare services. The firm is comprised of uniquely experienced senior healthcare professionals and consultants who apply a distinctive knowledge of healthcare economics, markets, clinical models and technology to help clients achieve unequaled results. The Chartis Group has offices in Boston, Chicago, New York and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.chartis.com.

    Posted 10.20.2015

  • The Chartis Group Innovation Center Releases Paper Defining Healthcare Delivery Systems as Information Management Companies

    CHICAGO, IL – July 30, 2015 –– The Chartis Group Innovation Center released the white paper, “Healthcare Providers as Information Management Companies,” highlighting the need for healthcare providers to embrace their emerging role as information management enterprises in order to meet the demands of engaging, providing comprehensive access to, and caring for, the consumers and populations they serve.

    Successful care delivery organizations in the future will need to harness emerging healthcare information technologies, virtual and mobile platforms, informatics and advanced analytics in order to care for the communities and populations they serve in an environment defined by value and accountability. New technologies are entering the care delivery landscape that will allow providers to expand their scope (e.g., information, education, engagement and care) and better capitalize on their expertise (e.g., leverage new sources of data to inform clinical and operational decision-making). “As providers evaluate their strategic direction for the future, the challenge they face is to sift through the hype and identify the specific information and technology capabilities that can both create real value and impact, and align with and facilitate achievement of the organization’s strategic objective,” says Tom Kiesau, director at Chartis and the paper’s principal author.

    The white paper highlights:

    • The case for healthcare providers to embrace and build informatics and healthcare information technology directly into the enterprise’s strategic plan – not as an enabler, but rather as a core leading-edge strategy
    • Three evaluation criteria “tollgates” to help healthcare providers make better healthcare technology investment decisions
    • Four key takeaways for healthcare providers as they consider their journey toward becoming a health information management company

    “Healthcare technology has enormous potential to advance care and clinical operations, unlock new capabilities and add meaningful value, but culture trumps everything,” said Kiesau. “Providers must first embrace, then adopt and promote a delivery culture that truly comprehends and appreciates the essentiality of information technology as a strategic core of the future healthcare delivery enterprise.”

    In addition to Tom Kiesau, the white paper’s authors include: Katy Pinter, Principal; Alexandra Schumm, Engagement Manager with the Chartis Center for Innovation; and Laura Stearns, Engagement Manager with the Chartis Center for Innovation.

    About The Chartis Group
    The Chartis Group is a national advisory services firm dedicated to the healthcare industry. Chartis provides strategic planning, accountable care, clinical transformation and information technology management consulting services to the country’s leading healthcare providers.

    Chartis has been privileged to work with over two-thirds of the academic medical centers on the US News and World Report “Honor Roll of Best Hospitals,” seven of the 10 largest healthcare systems, four of the five largest not-for-profit health systems, nine of the top 10 children’s hospitals and many of the nation’s emerging accountable care organizations. The firm is comprised of uniquely experienced senior healthcare professionals and consultants who apply a distinctive knowledge of healthcare economics, markets, clinical models and technology to help clients achieve unequaled results. The Chartis Group has offices in Boston, Chicago, New York and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.chartis.com.

    Posted 10.20.2015
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