• Hard Facts about Soft Skills


    5.21.2019
    Melissa Prusher – VP of global marketing for Avaap

    With intimate knowledge of the inner workings of technology consulting teams, there’s no arguing that hard skills are required for the job. From intensive bootcamps and hands-on application training to securing a range of competency certifications, there’s a lot of pressure on healthcare IT consultants to acquire hard skills for career advancement. 

    Technical ability and subject matter knowledge are important to hiring firms and their clients, but interpersonal people skills, social skills, communication skills, attitude, and social and emotional intelligence also matter. According to the National Soft Skills Association, 85 percent of job success is related to soft skills. 

    So, whether you’re on the hiring side or staffing a project, consider the following attributes when assembling a team: 

    Personality – Charismatic team members can create an enjoyable work environment for others but what’s most important isn’t the ability to light up a room; it’s knowing how to get along with others. Reaching a successful go-live requires lots of communication and coordination, so those able to articulate ideas, build trust, and react with a level head when the pressure is on make for good teammates. 

    Work Ethic – Willingness to put your nose to the grindstone can show that you’re comfortable with performing minor tasks as well as doing the heavy lifting. According to the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, Americans put in more hours, on average, than workers of most industrial nations: 70 hours more than Japanese workers, 99 more than British laborers, and 424 more hours than Germans. Many in-demand consultants rack up impressive hours because they travel a lot or there are milestones to hit to achieve an on-time go-live. Consultants that succeed bring energy to their work and go above and beyond when necessary. 

    Positive Attitude – Mindset is influential and contagious, which is why we put a priority on passion. When individuals love what they do, it shows in the work. They are more likely to focus on goal achievement and inspire those around them. 

    Oral and Written Communication Skills –Most people think they’re great communicators, but according to the latest State of the American Workplace report, only 13% of employees believe their business leaders communicate effectively with the rest of the organization. Sharpening communication skills is important for leading projects, sharing status updates, communicating changes to requirements, potential risks and other project details. Communication style has direct correlation on how people are perceived, so it is critical to communicate confidently and in a transparent manner. 

    Listening Ability– A good consultant asks many questions, but the discipline of listening takes work. Active listening can reveal important considerations and provide the opportunity to connect. When you truly understand the perspective of others, you are most likely to reach productive solutions. 

    Leadership – Problem-solving will build your reputation as a resource and show how you navigate tough situations. Leaders who can leave their ego at the door and use the strengths of those around them create an environment where teamwork works.  

    Soft skills are necessary for all professionals to have. For those willing to put in the effort, soft skills can be learned and, when put in practice, benefited by all. 

    Melissa Prusher is vice president of global marketing for Avaap, a healthcare IT and management consulting firm strategically focused on EHR and ERP enterprise applications. 

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    Posted 5.21.2019

  • CHIME Focus Group Committee Initiated, Off to a Great Start


    5.21.2019
    Chris Hargrett, Associate, CHIME Foundation

    The CHIME Focus Group Committee held its first meeting on Tuesday, April 30, at 10 a.m. via teleconferencing. This committee has been in development for several years and has now come to fruition after some careful planning. Designed to enhance the experience of in-person and online focus groups, the committee to will review and address both Foundation and CHIME member input on the CHIME focus group experience.

    In the first meeting, members reviewed responsibilities and commitments of serving on the committee. Going forward, they will lay out a plan for improving the quality and engagement of the current processes of focus groups; the awareness and participation of members and partners currently not involved in focus groups; and address the concern of attendance and active participation in the focus groups. 

    Along with these purposes, the committee intends to have three defined, overarching goals focused on: 

    • Enhancing the experience of in-person and online focus group sessions 
    • To Increase the awareness and benefit of scheduling focus groups for Foundation partners 
    • To Increase the awareness and benefit of actively participating in focus group sessions by CHIME members 

    Focus Group Committee membership is comprised of a mix of Foundation partners and CHIME members, with the former being the majority. CHIME Foundation firms who held In-person Focus Groups the week of HIMSS19 were asked to participate in a survey about their Focus Group experience and to evaluate the process, logistics, etc., and Committee input was solicited through the survey.  

    Committee structure will include two divisions – the In-person Focus Group Division and the Online Focus Group Division – with each one being responsible for formulating, coordinating and implementing strategies to assist in the active participation of CHIME members and Foundation partners.  

    For more details about the Focus Group Committee or to learn more about committee involvement, please contact the Foundation team via email at [email protected]. Thank you to all our Committee members for devoting their time and energy to making this core piece of the CHIME experience even more valuable for Foundation and CHIME members alike. 

    CHIME Focus Group Committee members: 
    David Baumgardner, Union Hospital 
    Nick Bonvino, Greater Houston Healthconnect 
    Audrey Brislin, Forward Advantage 
    Tim Brown, Infor 
    Bob Cash, KLAS Research 
    Tye Cook, Bluetree Network 
    John Curin, Burwood Group 
    Corrine Cutler, NTT Data 
    Marvin Harper, Harvard Children’s Hospital 
    Judy Kirby, Kirby Partners 
    Mark Hess, Stoltenberg Consulting, Inc. 
    Lydon Neumann, Impact Advisors 
    Jolean Sheffield, QliqSOFT 
    Bonnie Templin, Google 
    Rebecca Whaley, Allscripts

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    Posted 5.21.2019

  • Foundation Members Can Bundle Advocacy Summit and CPES for Savings

    5.21.2019
    Leslie Krigstein – VP, Congressional Affairs
    Mari Savickis – VP, Federal Affairs

    To be effective leaders, CHIME and CHIME Foundation members need to be well educated on many fronts. Last year we added the CHIME Advocacy Summit to our educational and networking programs to help members better understand health IT-related federal policies that impact hospitals, health systems and patients. We also introduced a bundled pricing package, an option that allows members to develop the multifaceted expertise that will drive change in our industry. 

    Our first Advocacy Summit was a great success, and many CHIME and CHIME Foundation members took advantage of the opportunity to bundle the summit with other events. This year we are repeating both the Advocacy Summit and the bundle. We have an even better lineup this year, with five prominent keynote speakers and a program that highlights the many policy changes underway. Every major federal agency and organization will be represented – and speaking of representatives, we have U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, a former CIO, as a keynote. You can learn more about the keynotes here and about the CHIME Advocacy Summit here. 

    The 2019 CHIME Advocacy Summit is June 26-28 in Washington, D.C. We encourage CHIME Foundation members to attend the Advocacy Summit. There is no limit on the number of members from a firm who can attend. Foundation firm members also have a limited-time bundle option for individual Foundation representatives who register for the CHIME Advocacy Summit and the CHIME Partner Education Summit (CPES) in Chicago. CPES is Sept. 4-6. 

    We are offering sponsorship opportunities, too. Check here to see what is available. 

    We hope to see you in D.C. If you have any questions, call us at 734-665-0000 or email [email protected].   

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    Posted 5.21.2019

  • Pivot Point Consulting Launches New Quality-Driven Health Information Management (HIM) Services

    NASHVILLE, TN – MAY 16, 2019 – Healthcare IT consulting leader, Pivot Point Consulting, a Vaco Company, launches new quality-driven Health Information Management (HIM) services to provide trusted, end-to-end support to meet the demands of revenue cycle functions — ranging from coding and advisory services to talent solutions.

    These Health Information Management (HIM) services are supported by our Pivot Point Promise — a 2-week guarantee for hours and travel — as well as our Managed Coding Model that includes — a 95% quality guarantee, 100% pre-bill audit during onboarding, monthly quality assurance and a dedicated Coding Manager.

    ADVISORY SERVICES 

    • Coding and compliance services
    • Denial management
    • Coding audits and education
    • HCC audits and education
    • Technology assessments, selection, implementation and optimization
    • Operational and workflow assessments for HIM, Coding and Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI)
    • Release of information strategy to support regulatory compliance
    • Legal health record and record retention strategy

    TALENT SOLUTIONS 

    • Coding — facility and professional services
    • Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI)
    • Health Information Management — all functional areas
    • Cancer Registry
    • Trauma Registry
    • Interim management — HIM, Coding and Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI)

    CODING 

    • Coding support to integrate with your team
    • Comprehensive assessment and skills testing

    “Pivot Point continues to stay close to the market and adapt our services accordingly. Our investment in Health Information Management is part of our intentional growth strategy — providing quality information and processes to support the healthcare ecosystem.” 
    – Rachel Marano, Managing Partner & Co-Founder, Pivot Point Consulting

    “After spending 20+ years in Health Information Management, I’m excited to be part of a team that’s listening to the market and bringing a range of focused, practical services to meet our clients where they are in their journey.” 
    – Ken Rickert, Director, HIM Services, Pivot Point Consulting

    About Pivot Point Consulting, a Vaco Company 

    Pivot Point Consulting enables healthcare organizations to realize the most value from their technology and data through their advisory, implementation, optimization and managed services. The company provides strategy and talent solutions for providers, payers and life sciences organizations — with 300 consultants serving over 75 clients across the United States.

    Pivot Point Consulting has earned many industry and workplace quality awards including: Highest Rated Vendor in KLAS Implementation Services in the Select Category (July 2017), #1 in KLAS for Epic Consulting in the Select Category (2016) and #9 in Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work in 2016.

    For more information about Pivot Point Consulting, visit http://www.pivotpointconsulting.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.

    Media Contact:
     
    Ellie Andonian
    Pivot Point Consulting, a Vaco Company
    253-232-5513

    [email protected]

    Posted 5.16.2019

  • Impact Advisors’ Named to Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work in Healthcare List for 10th Consecutive Year

    CHICAGO, IL – May 16, 2019 – Impact Advisors, a leading provider of clinical, revenue cycle and information technology services to the healthcare industry, is pleased to announce that it has been selected, for the tenth consecutive year, as one of Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work in Healthcare. Specific rankings will be revealed during Modern Healthcare’s awards gala in Dallas on Sept. 26.

    “It is a momentous honor to know that our associates have considered Impact Advisors one of the best places to work in healthcare for ten consecutive years,” said Andy Smith, President and Co-Founder of Impact Advisors. “We know that great culture drives performance, innovation and unmatched client results.”

    Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work in Healthcare recognition program, now in its twelfth year, honors workplaces throughout the healthcare industry that empower their employees to provide patients and customers with the best possible care, products and services. Each year, 150 companies are recognized on the list, which is compiled using information gathered from employers and employees of companies with at least 25 employees.  Employees are surveyed to evaluate their employer in several areas, including leadership and planning, culture and communications, role satisfaction, working environment, relationships with supervisors, training and development, pay and benefits and overall satisfaction.  To view the complete alphabetical list of honorees, click here.

    “We are most excited to celebrate this recognition with our associates and their families,” said Michael Nutter, Vice President and Happyologist at Impact Advisors. “We are dedicated to the growth and happiness of our associates and being named on this prestigious list for the tenth consecutive year is a testament to our Impact family’s commitment to the healthcare industry and their important work for our clients in the communities they serve.”

    Impact Advisors is committed to maintaining and enhancing firm culture and associate satisfaction. The firm continuously invests in opportunities for its team to enhance their capabilities and provides year-round employee engagement events and activities. Associates are encouraged to participate in the firm’s team-focused health and wellness program, Health Waves, and its virtual “fun” program, Culture Waves, featuring themed activities related to events like the Oscars, March Madness and the Kentucky Derby. Additionally, Impact Advisors celebrates each associate through promoting professional development as a priority, as well as a formal coaching program.

    In addition to recognition by Modern Healthcare on its Best Places to Work in Healthcare list, Impact Advisors has earned a number of other workplace awards including Consulting magazine’s “Best Small Firms to Work For,” Becker’s Healthcare “150 Great Places to Work in Healthcare” and Achievers “50 Most Engaged Workplaces.”

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

    About Impact Advisors

    Impact Advisors is a nationally recognized healthcare consulting firm and trusted partner of industry leaders focused on delivering clinical, revenue cycle, and information technology services to solve some of healthcare’s toughest challenges. Our comprehensive suite of patient access, clinical and revenue cycle services spans the lifecycle of our clients’ needs. Our experienced team has a powerful combination of clinical, revenue, operations, consulting and IT experience. The firm has earned a number of prestigious industry and workplace awards: Best in KLAS® for 12 consecutive years, CRN Solution Provider and CRN Fast Growth 150, Modern Healthcare’s Largest Revenue Cycle Management Firms, Healthcare Informatics HCI 100, as well as “best place to work” awards from: Modern Healthcare, Consulting Magazine, Becker’s Hospital Review and Achievers. For more information about Impact Advisors, visit www.impact-advisors.com.

    Media Contact
    Karli Smith
    Chartwell Agency
    815-977-5343
    [email protected]

    Posted 5.16.2019

  • How 2 Health Systems Rose to Most Wired’s Top Tier in 2018

    5.16.2019
    By Candace Stuart – Director, Communications & Public Relations

    Healthcare's Most WiredCHIME opened the 2019 HealthCare’s Most Wired survey in April, giving all hospitals and health systems the opportunity to participate. Last year’s top 10 recipients showed that any type of healthcare organization – large or small, academic or non-teaching, in an urban or less populated setting – could excel and be a healthcare IT leader. How? For some, teamwork and a culture that supported them played a key role.

    “Getting the right people in the right spot on your team is a critical component to your success,” said Mark Waind, executive vice president and CIO of Altru Health System in Grand Forks, N.D. The 270-bed hospital placed No. 4 among the 647 participants who completed the 2018 Most Wired survey. “Our staff expertise has been foundational to everything we’ve done and all of the success we’ve had.”

    Mimi Taylor, corporate vice president and CIO of No. 3-ranked Baptist Health South Florida, attributed the culture of her 10-hospital, 2,226-bed health system in Coral Gables for her team’s ability to optimize the health IT. That culture starts at the board level and carries throughout the organization.

    “Culture is definitely a key piece,” she said. “Our board lives and breathes technology and understands it as a strategic asset. Our CEO and the executive vice presidents, the various executive leaders, whether they are operational or position leaders, they all get it. The support we get from them – we’re joined at the hip.”

    Waind also credited having a CEO, executive team and board of directors who embraced information technology, understood its value and championed their work. Both CIOs emphasized that the environment that now allows their teams to thrive did not happen overnight. Waind described a push dating back to 2007 to leverage the talent of the IT team, empower them to do their work and then let them enjoy the results. The success achieved has helped build morale and retention. Taylor said it took several years to develop a systemwide vision of IT in a multilayered context that is sustained over time.

    “If IT is going to be successful, they have to be at the table,” Taylor said. “And not just at the table but front and center, intertwined with all of the business decisions at the highest level of the organization.”

    Being named among the top 10 is an honor, but Waind and Taylor found value beyond the recognition.

    “CHIME is going to stretch us,” Waind said. “It is pushing us in the right direction. It’s always nice to be recognized, but the real value is making a difference in the type of care we can provide to our patients. The annual increase to the Most Wired requirements helps drive a continuous improvement to the tools that our providers and staff use to care for our patients.”

    “As rewarding as it is to be recognized, it is not about that,” Taylor agreed. She likened participating only for the title to pursuing Meaningful Use for the incentive payments rather than improved outcomes. “Yes, getting that designation is great but it is to learn, to understand where some of the best in class are in terms of adopting newer technologies and how they are supporting their overall business goals and objectives, and then adjusting the strategic IT goals to make sure they are always aligned.”

    The 2019 survey for domestic hospitals and healthcare systems was opened in early April, followed by an international version and a version for ambulatory healthcare organizations. All will remain open for two months.

    More information about Most Wired is available here. To participate, please email [email protected]. The Most Wired team is available to answer any questions and to help set up log-in access.

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    Posted 5.16.2019

  • News of Note

    5.16.2019
    By Candace Stuart – Director, Communications & Public Relations

    CHIME, Sheba Medical Center in Israel sign letter of intent: CHIME and Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer have signed a letter of intent to create a unique “healthcare innovation lab” within Sheba’s new ARC Innovation Center. The Sheba-CHIME Innovation Lab will provide executive-level healthcare innovation education and promote healthcare innovation globally. Learn more here.

    2019 Most Powerful Women list includes CHIME members: Numerous members of CHIME made Health Data Management’s “The Most Powerful Women in Healthcare IT for 2019 – CIOs and IT Execs” list. Access the full list here.

    Scholarships available for CHIME19 and fall Healthcare CIO Boot Camp: The CHIME Education Foundation is offering full registration/tuition scholarships for CHIME members to attend the 2019 CHIME Fall CIO Forum and full registration/tuition scholarships for CHIME members or direct reports, or AEHIS, AEHIA or AEHIT members to attend the fall Healthcare CIO Boot Camp. The deadline to apply is June 21. Review the scholarships and apply here.

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    Posted 5.16.2019

  • Steps Hospitals Can Take to Avoid Another WannaCry-style Cyberattack

    5.16.2019
    By Leslie Krigstein – VP, Congressional Affairs

    We are nearing the second anniversary of WannaCry, a cyberattack that spread to more than 150 countries, infected 600,000 computers and cost victims up to $4 billion. Healthcare was not spared, with ransomware demands and medical device hacks that crippled health systems and put patients at potential harm. Yet today too many health systems are still not properly equipped to combat the myriad of attacks that could penetrate their networks. They grapple daily with an onslaught of cybersecurity threats, both to patient data and the systems in use to provide life-saving care.

    Here are some of the strategies that cybersecurity leaders in the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and the Association for Executives in Healthcare Information Security (AEHIS) recommend to reduce those potential risks:

    • Adopt a standardized security framework: Self-developed frameworks may comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements but that does not equate to good cybersecurity hygiene. The good news is that many hospitals and health systems have begun to use cybersecurity frameworks like the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s, according to an analysis of the 2018 CHIME HealthCare’s Most Wired survey data. But almost 1 in 5 of participants reported that they still use self-developed frameworks, too.
    • Build a comprehensive security program: That includes having a senior security leader, an adequate budget, governance and oversight committees, and progress reporting. A 2017 study by CHME and KLAS found that nearly all organizations have someone in charge of their security program, though that role is sometimes filled by someone who is not solely dedicated to IT security. More than half of organizations still developing their security program were spending less than 3 percent of their total IT budget on security.
    • Don’t focus solely on electronic health records (EHRs): Healthcare organizations are largely adopting a risk-based approach to cybersecurity and risk mitigation. Unfortunately, to date, much of the risk assessment efforts have been limited to risks posed by EHRs and not across the entire enterprise. As technology has proliferated in healthcare, it is imperative that risk is characterized accordingly.
    • Know your inventory: A 2018 CHIME-KLAS study on the security of medical devices reported that the average number of connected medical devices was approximately 10,000 per healthcare organization. Yet it is not unusual for CIOs and CISOs to routinely discover devices and applications that were not previously known to be operating on their network. About half of the study’s respondents cited organizational factors as the cause of medical device security issues. Streamlining procurement of devices, systems and technology across a healthcare organization can help to better manage medical device inventory.
    • Patching protocols: Organizations must be resourceful when it comes to patching. CHIME and AEHIS members say they actively reach out to vendors to find out when patches are available; sometimes they patch devices themselves, and sometimes they have the vendor do it for them. They have also begun requesting that vendors use contract language that clearly outlines patching responsibilities and timelines.

    The 2018 CHIME-KLAS report estimated that an estimated 33 percent of devices within a healthcare organization are “unpatchable,” with that estimate likely higher in under-resourced and rural healthcare organizations. Defining “end-of-life” for the security of a device when the its useful life may far exceed its security capabilities is a challenge. For most healthcare organizations, margins are tight and capital expenditures are established years in advance. The costs associated with deeming a device to be “end-of-life,” especially in rural and underserved areas, cannot be understated.

    There is often not a direct correlation between cybersecurity end-of-life and useful end-of-life, thus policies that carefully define end-of-life must be in place to address the discrepancy. We encourage healthcare organizations to use the practices listed here to harden their cyber defenses – and to call on Congress and federal agencies to address vulnerabilities like this end-of-life example.

    After all, patients’ privacy and safety are at stake.

    Editor’s note: This article was originally published on May 6 in Health Data Management. People interested in learning more about cybersecurity best practices, updates and other policy issues are encouraged to attend the CHIME Advocacy Summit on June 26-28 in Washington, D.C. More information is available here.

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    Posted 5.16.2019

  • Advice from a CHCIO: Look for Certification in Foundation Members, Too


    5.16.2019
    By Spencer Hamons, CHCIO, CFCHE, FACHE

    You are in a meeting, cautiously optimistic that the upcoming presentation will alleviate some of the challenges you and your health system face. The sales representative steps to the white board, eager to share his company’s solution. He writes P-A-X.

    You cross him off your list before he finishes the second stroke of the X.

    As the former CIO and COO for Taos Health System, I know how important it is for senior healthcare IT executives like CHIME’s membership to have counterparts in the industry who truly understand a health system’s business and how it functions. One seemingly simple error – the faux pax, so to speak, of confusing PACS for PAX, for instance – sends up red flags that this person is not sufficiently knowledgeable to help you and your C-suite meet your goals.

    I had the advantage of experience as a CIO in provider settings before I accepted a position with NetApp. I benefited from CHIME’s educational and professional development resources, including the opportunity to become a CHIME Certified Healthcare CIO, or CHCIO. With NetApp as a Foundation firm, some likeminded colleagues and I teamed up with CHIME and the CHIME Foundation to assist with the creation of a similar credential for Foundation representatives, akin to the CHCIO. I still maintain my CHCIO credentials, but I also pursued the CHIME Foundation Certified Healthcare Executive, or CFCHE.

    While the CFCHE exam differs significantly from the CHCIO exam, it still requires extensive preparation, sets high standards and thoroughly tests an applicant’s knowledge of the healthcare industry, its complexities and its many challenges. Once certified, a CFCHE must commit to ongoing education, just like the CHCIO, and to upholding CHIME’s Professional Standards of Conduct.  For both the CHCIO and CFCHE, embracing the concept of life-long learning is essential.

    The biggest benefit of the CFCHE certification is for the CIO, CTO and other leaders at the healthcare organizations across the county. Leaders looking to partner with any variety of vendors will know that a CFCHE certified individual “gets it.” Unlike a CHCIO, a person holding the CFCHE credential may never have worked in a hospital or health system, but CFCHEs understand how to be strategic partners. Additionally, that individual, and just as importantly, the company they work for, recognize that investing in long-term relationships and industry-specific education is essential for success in this challenging industry. The PAX scenario I described above really happened, and many CIOs probably have a similar tale. The CFCHE is designed to help you avoid such experiences when working with Foundation firms and vendor partners in general.

    Only Foundation firm members are eligible to participate, so CIOs first may want to ask their industry contacts if they belong to the CHIME Foundation, and if they do, do they have staff-members certified as CFCHEs. If they are, you are in luck. If they aren’t, encourage them to pursue it – for your benefit, their benefit and the benefit of the healthcare industry overall.

    If you would like more information about the CFCHE certification process, contact CHIME at [email protected] or feel free to contact me directly at [email protected].

    Editor’s note: Learn more about the CFCHE program here. This year’s CHIME Partner Education Summit on Sept. 4-6 will include breakout sessions on specific CFCHE domains. The agenda and registration information are available here.

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    Posted 5.16.2019

  • CHIME, Sheba Medical Center Take Steps to Launch Innovation Lab near Tel Aviv

    ANN ARBOR, MI, May 14, 2019 –  Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) are pleased to announce that they have signed a letter of intent to create a unique “healthcare innovation lab” within Sheba’s new ARC Innovation Center. The Sheba-CHIME Innovation Lab will provide executive-level healthcare innovation education and promote healthcare innovation globally.
     
    Eyal Zimlichman, MD, Deputy Director General, Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Medical Officer at Sheba Medical Center, maintained that Sheba Medical Center and CHIME have a shared mission and common goal to bring high-quality, low-cost care to patients. Zimlichman added, “Sheba Medical Center and CHIME are committed to helping innovation and IT executives grow as leaders. We endeavor to bring people from many backgrounds and disciplines together to develop sustainable solutions and products that enhance value for patients as well as the patient experience. The Sheba and CHIME Innovation Lab will be a catalyst for that.”
     
    “Sheba Medical Center is the leading Academic Medical Center in Israel and is renowned for advancing digital health around the world,” said CHIME President and CEO Russell Branzell. “This is a great opportunity for CHIME members and our partners in Israel to collaborate on innovations that improve health and care. Together we will build a model that encourages innovative thinking and drives change across the healthcare industry.”
     
    CHIME Innovation was launched earlier this year to offer innovation education, facilitation and provide physical centers and labs. Sheba Medical Center brings the ARC (Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate) innovation strategy and Innovation Center, a multidisciplinary program designed to bring healthcare innovations quickly to market.
     
    “The medical center’s expertise in big data combined with the ARC Innovation Center’s ability to expedite the commercialization of new technologies has made Sheba a global innovator,” said Jonathan Fritz, JD, executive director of CHIME Innovation. “We are excited to share ideas and strategies for facilitating innovation. Leveraging the strengths of each,
    CHIME and Sheba will advance the adoption of innovation for improved health and care.”
     
    About Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer
    Born together with Israel in 1948, Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer is the largest and most comprehensive medical center in the Middle East. Sheba is the only medical center in Israel that combines an acute care hospital and a rehabilitation hospital on one campus, and it is at the forefront of medical treatments, patient care, research and education. As a university teaching hospital affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel-Aviv University, it welcomes people from all over the world indiscriminately. In 2019, Newsweek magazine named Sheba one of the top ten hospitals in the world. To learn more, please visit: eng.sheba.co.il.
     
    About CHIME
    The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers (CIOs), chief medical information officers (CMIOs), chief nursing information officers (CNIOs) and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With more than 2,800 members in 51 countries and over 150 healthcare IT business partners 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 care in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit chimecentral.org.
    Posted 5.14.2019

  • Impact Advisors’ John Stanley Named to Consulting Magazine’s 2019 Top 25 Consultants List

    Vice President recognized in Excellence in Healthcare category

    CHICAGO, IL – May 14, 2019 – Impact Advisors, a leading provider of clinical, revenue cycle and information technology services to the healthcare industry, announced today that John Stanley, Vice President, has been named one of the “Top 25 Consultants” of 2019 by Consulting magazine. Stanley, Impact’s Market Leader for the Western U.S., has been recognized in the Excellence in Healthcare category. He will attend the Top 25 Consultants awards dinner June 13 at the Mandarin Oriental in New York City.

    Stanley has more than 20 years of experience in strategy development, operations and project management, business development, and technology implementation. He is a thought leader in IDN and hospital and ambulatory information management, as well as a National Service Line Leader for Impact’s work in public and private health information exchange. Under Stanley’s leadership, Impact has continued to grow and sustain valued relationships and a positive impact with many of the region’s health delivery organizations.

    “I am humbled to receive this award from Consulting magazine and honored to be among some of the brightest in the consulting industry,” said Stanley. “I am fortunate to be able to serve the healthcare field and make a positive impact on patients’ lives with our clients every day.”

    Each year, Consulting magazine ranks those consultants making the greatest impact within their industry. In addition to Stanley, leaders in consulting and the firms they represent were recognized in various categories, including Excellence in Leadership, Client Services, Financial Services and Technology. Coverage of the honorees and the event will appear in the magazine’s April/May issue.

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

    About Impact Advisors

    Impact Advisors is a nationally recognized healthcare consulting firm and trusted partner of industry leaders focused on delivering clinical, revenue cycle, and information technology services to solve some of healthcare’s toughest challenges. Our comprehensive suite of patient access, clinical and revenue cycle services spans the lifecycle of our clients’ needs. Our experienced team has a powerful combination of clinical, revenue, operations, consulting and IT experience. The firm has earned a number of prestigious industry and workplace awards: Best in KLAS® for 12 consecutive years, CRN Solution Provider and CRN Fast Growth 150, Modern Healthcare’s Largest Revenue Cycle Management Firms, Healthcare Informatics HCI 100, as well as “best place to work” awards from: Modern Healthcare, Consulting Magazine, Becker’s Hospital Review and Achievers. For more information about Impact Advisors, visit www.impact-advisors.com.

    Media Contact:
    Karli Smith
    Chartwell Agency
    815-977-5343
    [email protected]                 

    Posted 5.14.2019

  • Avaap Announces Successful Go-Live of Cerner CommunityWorks at Columbus Regional Health Systems

    EDISON, N.J. – May 13, 2019 – Avaap, one of the fastest growing management consulting and IT services firms focused on EHR and ERP, announced that on May 6, 2019 Columbus Regional Health Systems (CRHS) went live on a new EHR, Cerner CommunityWorks. Through effective project leadership, multi-disciplinary involvement, detailed planning, stakeholder support, strong governance, a sustainable transformation plan, effective training and a unique physician experience the project was very successful.

    Cerner CommunityWorks is a cloud-based deployment of Cerner’s traditional IT platform, tailored to meet the unique needs of community, critical access, and specialty hospitals. Through this model, and utilizing a clinically driven revenue cycle approach, Cerner is able to scale traditional solutions and services and enable high-quality care with a predictable total cost of ownership. Avaap is a strategic Cerner CommunityWorks partner with deep and broad experience in leading successful EHR implementations.

    Starting in the fall of 2017, Avaap worked with CRHS on its system selection and pre-implementation planning to identify Cerner CommunityWorks as the right solution that aligned with CRHS’ business strategy and organizational goals. With its existing EHR platform ready for sunsetting, CRHS sought an affordable EHR that would enable the hospital to achieve the most modern technology and interoperable system that would take them into the future.

    “Avaap was involved with the EHR transformation project prior to system selection planning through to go-live and post live stabilization,” said Dhiraj Shah, found and CEO, Avaap. “We are proud of the collaboration and partnership between our consultants, Cerner and CHRS. Avaap’s expertise in IT, clinician efficiency, process improvement, and transformational leadership allows us to give back to the heart of healthcare, enabling CRHS to leverage best practices and achieve lower implementation costs to create a stronger, healthier community, with the patient at the center.”

    The Cerner CommunityWorks EHR will support 60+ physicians and 300+ clinicians to drive better use of technology for the benefit of patients and users. As part of the implementation, Avaap worked with Cerner and CRHS to explore opportunities to improve efficient use of the system. Clinicians and physicians were involved in the decision-making and training process to increase system usability and ensure post go-live CRHS physicians are spending time interacting with patients – not documenting in the EHR – and that they are able to complete documentation efficiently during office hours.

    “Our vision was to improve patient safety and patient outcomes, increase provider efficiency entering data, improve clinical collaboration, and provide a complete medical record that covers the continuum of care across inpatient and outpatient settings,” said Dr. Samuel Wheatley, CMO, Columbus Regional Health System. “We had the foresight to find a partner we could trust to guide us in our decisions and be able to take full advantage of lessons learned and experiences gained through prior implementations. The partnership between Avaap, CRHS, and Cerner resulted in a smooth implementation that will enable CRHS to advance healthcare in the communities we serve.”

    About Avaap

    Avaap is one of the largest management consulting and systems integration firms for organizations that rely on EHR and ERP enterprise software applications. With deep expertise in healthcare, retail, fashion, manufacturing and distribution, and other industries, Avaap delivers solutions from advisory services to ongoing support, helping customers achieve more value from technology investments. For more information, visit www.avaap.com.

     

    Media Contact
    Melissa Prusher
    Vice President Global Marketing
    [email protected]
    732.710.3425

     

    Posted 5.13.2019
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