INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PLANNING
Success in today's environment requires health care organizations to effectively integrate long-range business goals with predictable and affordable information technology investments. The fundamental concept underlying our Planning methodology is that a strategic information systems plan should directly support the business plan at a predictable and affordable investment level. Ours is a participative, team approach that incorporates client staff as well as vendor personnel as significant and integral members of the engagement team. The approach features: A proven methodology, automated tools, experienced consultants, consensus driven prioritization, and the grouping of expenditures into infrastructure, strategic and tactical investments.
We also use a Cost/Benefit Methodology to assist in assessing potential costs and benefits associated with the implementation of new technology and structured working sessions with client team personnel to collaboratively develop strategies and evaluate I/S alternatives. Our clients gain unbiased, objective assistance with HIS planning and a straight-forward plan written in non-technical language which is consistent with and supportive of the organization's business goals. Our IT Planning Services include:
Development of IT Mission and Vision
Creation or Updating of IT Strategic Plans
Assessment of Delivery Alternatives, including Outsourcing options
Development of Tactical Plans, Annual Budgets and IT Organizational Design
Development of JCAHO Information Management (IM) Plans and IM Review Readiness Assessments
Third-Party Review of IT Plans and Benchmarking of IT Cost and Strategy
Creation of IT Network and Telephony Plans
IT REQUIREMENTS DEFINITION, VENDOR SELECTION & CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
We assist clients develop reliable, practical user requirements, we provide historical and technical assessments of vendor solutions and we can help in contract negotiations. Successfully changing information technology business partners is an expensive and complex undertaking. It all starts with choosing the right solution form a viable vendor. Add to this the business demands of health care organizations and new technologies like .web, wireless networks and complex multi-vendor integrated solutions and engaging a third party with knowledge and experience seems as natural as engaging a lawyer when buying a house. Vendors have developed to address many unique niches but may challenge the integration of information most organizations seek. Also, a large number of small, specialized vendors enter (and exit) the market to meet these rapidly developing requirements. We estimate that health care information systems market supports over 1,000 vendors. We specialize in assisting clients in navigating this complex market through requirement definition, sourcing and evaluation of market alternatives, developing consensus on the most cost effective solution, and in negotiating an effective contractual agreement. This is an area where knowledge and know-how are of paramount importance. Our approach features:
Knowledge of the vendors and changing landscape that will help identify the most promising solutions
Electronic tools for requirements definition, vendor selection and contract negotiation that reduce the evaluation time and effort.
Facilitation that helps clients develop organizational consensus on the "right" system based on fit, risk and cost considerations.
The use of an RFI, RFP and/or Scenario evaluation approaches.
The ability to leverage our vendor experience in contract negotiation and in assisting your legal counsel with business and technical suggestions.
IT PROJECT READINESS ASSESSMENT
Many health care organizations experience difficulty with embracing change. A major key to success is the ability to recognize and overcome organizational impediments that will limit achievement of full benefits of new technology. The consultant must not only report findings, but also provide implementable recommendations. We assess technology projects using the following six measures:
Skill – Are the required technical, user and executive skills included in the project?
Commitment – Are the users, management and IT, committed to the success of the project, or are some "waiting to see" or actively opposed?
Resources – Are the required resources available to the project when needed? To how many projects are key staff simultaneously committed?
Technology – Are the hardware, software, network and deployment requirements appropriately addressed?
Process Change – Is there an accepted methodology to address policy and procedure changes during the implementation?
Benefit – Are there specific (and quantified where possible) benefit expectations? If not, the measure of success will be general contentment.
It is our experience that when there is a significant weakness in any one of the measures, the project risks overrun in time or budget. When two elements are weak, the project has a substantial risk of not meeting objectives. If three or more measures are substantially weak, the project will probably not be rated a success, even if the installation is completed.
EXECUTIVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Implementation involves more than installation. Our implementation oversight services focus on achieving a smooth transition through effective project management, training & communication.
Our approach features:
A well-defined project organization and reporting relationships among CCI staff, the project team(s) and client management at all levels.
Proven guidelines for status reporting, management review and change management.
Act as a "Problem Solver" when unexpected system or personnel problems appear (they almost always do!).
Senior level consultants who have worked with complex health systems and have experienced differing approaches.
The benefit of our approach is a predictable project that allows management control of timing and customization while providing end users the opportunity to integrate the new capabilities into business operations. We can also function in an advisory oversight role. The client, vendor, and other consultants may staff the project. The value we offer is in bringing focused experience at an executive level to a critical project. Our effort can range from full time as the executive project manager to monthly attendance at key project meetings.
CIO PEER NETWORK
Today’s Chief Information Officer faces daily challenges in the evolution of health care and technology. Technology introduction and integration into the business and clinical processes, infrastructure management, balancing access and security and increasing cost pressures are but some of the current issues. In addressing these challenges, we believe CIO’s would benefit from a knowledgeable focused resource to help address these issues in support of the CIO. CCI has developed a program of assistance that provides a proactive organized peer resource focused on your needs and circumstance. You decide on the makeup of the peer team and the focus. CCI provides the knowledgeable resources and facilitation to meet your schedule and objectives. In essence, you extend your own capabilities with experienced peer executives focused on your key leadership goals. They can assist you while remaining in the background, or they can take an active role in communicating your strategies. Rather than managing crises, you organize progress. This is a new way to use senior consulting resources to your advantage. There are four elements to the Peer Network:
Selection of the permanent and rotating peer team members. CCI has a significant team of resources from which to select your permanent peer team members including physicians, nurses and a former CEO of a major health system. In addition, rotating team members can often be selected from peer organizations (hospitals, physician groups or even vendor organizations). CCI will assemble, focus and facilitate the development of your personal peer network team.
Initial familiarization and strategy development phase. Your permanent team members come to you to learn your current circumstance, issues, plans and objectives. The deliverable for this phase is an understanding of your environment, (so that assistance and suggestions can be made in context), immediate suggestions, leadership objectives and timing for the year, and the identification of any additional or supplemental resources. A summary of the effort will be provided in writing.
Quarterly institutes or roundtable discussions. This phase of activity encompasses the quarterly meeting or activities to be accomplished over the course of the year. You, in conjunction with your peer network team, decide on the topics, format, invitees, location and duration. CCI will prepare the materials and facilitate the events. The range of formats include day long institutes, roundtable discussions, focus groups, management retreats, white paper presentations or brainstorming sessions. The topics can be as varied as the issues you confront. Some potential topics include:
IT Return on investment
Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) and Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
Out-sourcing or right-sourcing strategies
Vendor Partnerships, alliances and strategies
Aligning IT to business needs, goals and priorities
Managing pervasive computing (wireless, PDA’s, tablets, kiosks, internet/intranet)
Recruitment, mentoring, retention and accession strategies
Privacy, security and HIPAA
Supply chain management
Customer relationship management strategies
Telehealth
On-call telephone support. We believe that some activities can be accomplished without being on-site. In addition to the organized and scheduled quarterly activities best suited to your location, your peer network resources are also accessible by telephone and email. Research, position papers, budget analysis, benchmarking, annual report development, position descriptions and many other activities can be performed remotely and organized by ad-hoc conference calls.
DECISION SUPPORT SERVICES
We bring knowledge of the major vendor products combined with trained management engineers who have implemented and used these powerful tools. Our assistance can range from reviews and analysis to selection and implementation with the associated development of cost standards. We have also assisted our clients review data warehouse technologies that enable broader and more sophisticated manipulation of data.
BEHAVIORAL CARE SYSTEMS
The Behavioral care market encompasses a variety of both inpatient and outpatient service settings. The data and billing requirements are quite different and often more complex than the acute care or ambulatory physician settings. We have one of the leading IT specialists in this market segment and a selection of high profile client references. We offer the full range of consulting support from IT planning, to requirement definition and selection services, to implementation oversight and project management.
OUTSOURCING VALUE ANALYSIS
The best way to make the right choice and understand the real value and appropriate focus for outsourcing is to engage a resource with significant experience and a thorough understanding of the nature and potential pitfalls in such relationships. CCI has staff that have assessed, contracted, developed, implemented and managed outsourcing relationships for some of the most complex health care organizations in the country. Our services can range from a quick review of alternatives, to a detailed cost benefit analysis, to an ongoing oversight relationship.
REVENUE CYCLE IMPROVEMENT
CCI through it’s affiliate MacFarlane & Associates we can offer a full range of services to address improving the front and back office operations. We have extensive experience working with clients who have powerful information technology tools for the business office that are not effectively utilized. CCI works in conjunction with our affiliate to address all sides of the circumstance. Policies, procedures, skill and resources as well as IT support and capabilities are each elements that play a part in a revenue cycle solution. We have decades of experience working as a team.
NETWORK ANALYSIS, ARCHITECTURE, INTERFACE DEVELOPMENT AND TELEPHONY
CCI through our affiliate Computer Network Architects, we undertake projects to assist clients address the analysis and implementation of technology infrastructure. This added dimension allows us to work with our clients on the technical aspects of IT delivery which is often a critical component in our strategic assignments. We do not have preferred relationships with IT supply companies nor do we develop software.
PACS and DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT
CCI utilizes the services of our affiliate DAK Systems Consulting who specializes specializing in the analysis, planning and design of electronic patient record component technologies and systems such as Document Imaging, Document Management, Output / Print Management, PACS, Telemedicine, Intranets, e-Health Solutions, Portal Frameworks and Web Services. DAK is one of the leading consulting providers for these specialized services and acts as staff to CCI Principals engaged to assess, evaluate the cost benefits of, select or implement these information technology tools.
http://www.daksystemsconsulting.com
PERFORMANCE INPROVEMENT ASSESSMENT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Given today’s health care environment, hospitals and health care systems are consistently looking for ways to improve overall operations and financial performance. CCI’s seasoned Performance Improvement (PI) consultants have worked with many health care provider organizations facing complex and often difficult financial and operating challenges. Our approach with Performance Improvement projects is to partner with the senior leadership of a hospital or health system in assessing opportunities for operational and financial improvement, designing the right solutions that will have maximum return within the culture of the organization and supporting the implementation of the varied PI initiatives including cost reduction, revenue improvement, process redesign, organizational restructuring and financial turnaround. Our consultants work directly with our clients and their internal PI teams in identifying achievable solutions for improvement, establishing realistic goals to be achieved, developing metrics and tools for measuring success and maintaining the established timeframe for achieving results. By focusing on those aspects of an organization that will be of most value and benefit to the organization, we help to streamline the PI process and achieve improvements in a reasonable timeframe. Additionally, by engaging client staff as part of the change process, buy-in to future changes is made easier and a foundation and culture for on-going performance improvement is established.
PROCESS IMPROVEMENT– SUPPORTING NEW INFORMATION SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATIONS Implementations of new health care systems today require hospitals and their affiliated entities to change practices and procedures to accommodate new system requirements. Additionally, new functionality associated with new IT systems often requires new or redesigned processes to support and maximize the availability of additional IT features. Without a thorough understanding of the impact of a new system on current processes and practices, a hospital may not realize the full benefit that comes with a new IT investment.
CCI is well suited to support hospitals looking to maximize the functionality of new IT systems. The combination of our experienced IT and Performance Improvement consultants allows us to effectively support hospitals and health care systems achieve maximum functionality of new systems with changes to operating practices and administrative/clinical workflows. We work with our client’s staff to review and understand the operational impact of a new IT system and then support the staff in developing and implementing new procedures, practices and workflows to accommodate new system functionality. Our consultants expertise in health care IT implementations combined with our Performance Improvement experts allows our health care clients realize the full benefit of their investment in new technology and system.
MAXIMIZING THE BENEFITS FROM PERFORMANCE IMPROVMENT INITIATIVES
CCI’s health care Performance Improvement experts possess many years of managing both small and large scale PI projects within hospitals and health care systems. We have witnesses that many hospitals and health care organizations engage in on-going performance improvement activities as a routine course of their business. These efforts often follow a structured PI methodology and are led by internal PI teams who work to develop and implement changes that will have varying degrees of impact on the organization. However, while more health care organizations have embraced PI as way of life, the results achieved from these efforts may not be fully realized nor cost beneficial.
CCI’s PI consultants can help support organization Performance Improvement initiatives to ensure maximum benefits are achieved. Given our experience with all types of health care PI projects, we are able to provide project support and direction to the PI process and support the internal PI teams activities engaged in the process. Regardless of the PI methodology or approach a client has adopted, there are common activities to all methodologies that need to be achieved to realize maximum benefit.
As part of our support to strengthen your PI initiatives, we offer the following:
Identify and develop realistic and value-added performance improvement opportunities for the organization that will provide the most benefit to the organization. Ensure the cost/benefit of an initiative is fully developed and vetted prior to moving forward.
Structure staff time around initiatives to optimize their time away from daily work
Identify obstacles early including cultural or political barriers and actively address solutions. Consistently monitor these challenges and intervene as needed.
Implement on-going communication and change management plans that keeps staff informed and encourages staff participation and buy-in throughout the process
Maximize the use of available or new technology and systems. Ensure that all operating and process changes utilize the full functionality of IT systems
Ensures all PI efforts are coordinated and sequenced with the other changes occurring within the organization.
Create detailed implementation plans that include detailed work steps and sequencing of implementation activities
Develop focused training programs that reach all appropriate staff and track training needs throughout the implementation process
Establishing realistic timeframes for change along with performance metrics for tracking success both during and after implementation.
Our CCI PI experts have had success in helping our clients’ structure and support their Performance Improvement initiatives. Our work has helped clients achieve the full financial and operational benefit of their Performance Improvement initiatives and establishes the platform for conducting PI initiatives in a more structured and cost beneficial way.
