“I’m a (insert your title here) and I don’t want to change!”

Software systems never stop growing and neither should you. That’s not to say you need better software or the latest iPhone. I would rather you think about growth when it comes to efficiency and the proper use of what tools you have and plan to have.

We have all met that one person in life completely unwilling to change the way they do things. This outlook on life is fine for some industries. That said it does not work so well in industries that are in a constant state of change, growth and new compliance/safety standards. Our society enforces regulations and compliance standards so it’s our duty to follow them or work to change them.

Imaging if you will a Healthcare Provider from the past working in the present that won’t stop recommending cigarettes for stress relief? There are hundreds of examples that change is a much needed and a necessary part of life. So embrace it and learn to control it before it controls you. Healthcare IT systems are one of the biggest changes to healthcare in the last 100 years. You are the founding members of the EMR so help set the standard.

Below I will outline a few simple tips to make any Healthcare IT “change” a better and more profitable experience.

Slow down and give yourself the proper “learning experience”.
1. Just like a diagnosis takes a certain amount of time to treat, IT systems take a certain amount of time to install and learn. Both treatments and IT systems require different amounts of time for different people.
2. You would not want a patient to rush treatment by taking all there medicine at one time so don’t expect to speed up the process of installing or learning new systems.
3. In the end listen to the professionals that do the work every day they know what they’re talking about.
4. Learn a new IT system just like you would learn a new treatment plan. Don’t skip ahead or simplify processes.
Never assume anything “take a clinical approach to IT
1. Ask lots of questions don’t expect to just get what you want magically.
2. Take notes and use email to communicate so you have a record of your questions and answers. (just like a patient chart.
Always pay your dues “put in the time required to become (or hire) a pro or super user”
1. Take time away from work to learn. Healthcare products can affect patient safety if not properly used so look at your healthcare IT systems like you would any clinical tool. Learn it to the last drop, or hire someone who will.
Remember there are two IT worlds. The “home computer world” and the “office computer world”.
1. Just because a system works great at home doesn’t mean it’s meant for your office.
2. Search online to make sure a product is HIPAA complaint or certified for healthcare use before using it in your office.
3. Remember because of the strict healthcare guidelines your IT systems will always seem to be a few years behind the latest greatest technology. Think of it like clinical trials for IT systems.
Make change fun and stay positive.
1. Every person working in a healthcare setting is affected by change. It is very important that every team member from Provider to assistant keep negative comments to a minimum and instead bring up concerns at a time that they can be managed. A person in the front lines of a battle does no good complaining about the gun fire the same is true for new IT systems. Complaining takes you off task and should be saved for meetings and leadership.
2. As a healthcare trainer I have kept a smile through some of the worst times any company could go through on a new system and I have always been told how much it helped to see me calm and happy.
3. Most of all make sure your patients see happy workers. There is nothing worse than walking into a healthcare building and being welcomed by bad attitudes. Don let computers get the best of you at the end of the day patients and promoting healthy living are all that matter.

Remember no matter how good your computer system it will only be as useful as its operators.

Adam Siedel
CEO
Level Input, LLC

Tag Archives: IT

New update to Medical Mastermind