There are some things that are best done by someone else. In my case, that happens to be anything to do with my automobile. My dad changed his own oil, but I’ve chosen to outsource that responsibility to Jiffy Lube. And brakes? Forget about it. Picturing my kids screaming as the car careens out of […]
The Government’s Slippery Usability Slope
With the recent ONC hearings on IT usability, there comes an inevitable discussion around how government can help increase the usability of systems in the healthcare world. I know, you are already chuckling. However, this is no laughing matter. Metrics are already in place for the functionality needed to get certified, which criteria have eaten […]
Reflections on ACOs and Unicorns
With March Madness in full swing and my Cougars of BYU out of the tournament, I can finally get back to work. I’m sure you’ve now heard the line about how Accountable Care Organizations are like unicorns, “amazing creatures that have never actually been seen.” I enjoyed the difference pointed out by CMS Administrator Don Berwick, “at least we know what a unicorn looks like.”
Hats off to the “K” in KLAS
I remember 15 years ago when my father told me he was quitting his job at Sunquest and jumping headfirst into a new, crazy endeavor. Many were skeptical, including me. But Kent was committed. He was passionate about creating more accountability and transparency in the industry, and was willing to step into the unknown to […]
How Long Can you Put Off a Patient Accounting Facelift?
With all the talk on Meaningful Use, I am left sometimes to wonder what happens to all the other systems that are not ARRA linked? The biggest and most brutal to think about is your patient accounting and patient management system. Like it says in Les Miserables, “At the end of the day, you’re another […]
You’ve Shared Your Input, Now What?
Do you ever wonder what happens to the candid feedback you share once you finish your KLAS evaluation? What in the world do the vendors actually do with your anonymous critique? The obvious answer is that those vendors who score well love to tell the world about it, which makes sense. Who wouldn’t want to shout out the fact that their customers rank them #1. But what about the majority of solutions that don’t rank “Best in KLAS”? What happens when you vote them #5, or worse yet, the unofficial worst in KLAS?
What Changes at the Top Mean to You
President Obama must be feeling pretty good about his recent victory in the healthcare reform movement. It is amazing to see the change in direction that can occur when a new chief executive takes over. Whether or not you like those changes probably depends on what side of the aisle you’re on, but there’s no […]
Version Vexation
Wanting to get to meaningful use? Well, better make sure you are on the right version of your vendor’s software. Serious upgrades are in the works if you are a McKesson, Meditech or Siemens customer. Every vendor has a version you need to be on for their “certified version”. See if you can descramble the […]