FEATURE “Many of the current systems


require some level of on-site resources as well as hardware for proper func- tion,” she says. “You will want to fac- tor in the cost of the resources nec- essary to maintain your IT, including staff time. Hiring a dedicated IT per- son can help, but many ASCs cannot budget this full-time salary.” If employing an IT manager is not


Invest in IT to Support Your ASC’s Growth


Look beyond the price tag, choose carefully BY ROBERT KURTZ


E


lectronic medical records (EMR). Patient portals. Electronic sched-


uling. Patient tracking. Analytics. ASCs, today, have their choice of


many different types of information technology (IT) systems and many dif- ferent suppliers. The IT systems have tremendous potential to help ASCs achieve their growth objectives, says Paul Davis, chief executive officer and president of Amblitel, a provider of ASC accounting and back-office ser- vices based in Louisville, Colorado. “The data ASCs can capture on a day-to-day basis using IT is very valuable,” he says. “It can help make business, management, clinical and strategy decisions that can support operational improvement efforts or position the center to be competitive in the short and long term.” With so many choices available at a wide range of costs, deciding whether


to purchase systems—and which ones—presents a significant challenge for ASCs, says Chris McMenemy, CASC, president of Ortmann Health- care Consulting Services, an ASC management and development com- pany in Columbia, South Carolina. There are no steadfast rules for when to add IT, she says. “ASCs really need to look at their specific situation. Take into consideration your objec- tives and the costs of adding the IT that you believe will help you achieve those goals.”


Comprehensive Analysis When working to determine the poten- tial return on investment of purchas- ing IT, it is important to look beyond the price tag of the system, says Mar- ion McCall, clinical director at Bluff- ton Okatie Surgery Center in Okatie, South Carolina.


16 ASC FOCUS SEPTEMBER 2017 |www.ascfocus.org


in your future, seek out expertise as you consider different systems, Davis says. “Bring in a local IT consultant or someone with these skills to serve on your evaluation team. This will help you make educated choices.” Assess multiple systems before mak- ing a decision, McMenemy ad vises. “Schedule a demonstration of several products. Also, ask for references that you can speak with privately, without the vendor’s presence. Consider it a red flag if the vendor is slow to respond with options.” When trying out systems, Davis recommends involving future users to help with evaluation. “Doing so will help you gain their buy in, which is valuable since they are the ones who are going to have to use the systems every day.” For example, if you are evaluating online scheduling software, Davis rec- ommends engaging your ASC’s sched- ulers and the schedulers at your physi- cians’ practices. “Test the software you are considering to find out how well it works for your ASC and the practices before you commit to a system.” During the evaluation process, determine how well a system aligns with your current processes, McMen- emy advises. In the case of an EMR, make sure systems contain every ele- ment needed for a complete medi- cal record, she says. “You may find a new EMR vendor—especially one that does not specialize in ASCs— lack- ing all of your required chart elements. You will definitely want the ability to customize, but you should not need to create all of the chart.”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30