Comments on: Readers Write 9/24/08 http://histalk2.com/2008/09/24/readers-write-92408/ Healthcare IT News and Opinion Tue, 22 May 2012 01:22:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Beentheredonethat http://histalk2.com/2008/09/24/readers-write-92408/comment-page-1/#comment-2342 Beentheredonethat Sun, 28 Sep 2008 04:25:00 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2008/09/24/readers-write-92408/#comment-2342 As a person who has worked in the past, demonstrating software for a vendor... Keep these things in mind: (1.) If the demonstrator says the product can do something, ask if that functionality would be CUSTOM, is it information that would have to be captured in a customer defined screen, or if it is part of the software application that they are demonstrating that day. (2.) Ask if the demonstrators receive any type of "commission" on the demonstration if there is a resulting sale. If they do, keep that in mind when watching the demo. (3.) Don't allow an audience member of a demo to try and pull the demonstrator all over the board. If they do it's not only difficult for the demonstrator to show you the highlights, but the demo ends up only focused on that one persons concerns. This goes for any MD's present as well. The demo should be for all, not for one specific person, unless it is a one person department. As a person who has worked in the past, demonstrating software for a vendor… Keep these things in mind:
(1.) If the demonstrator says the product can do something, ask if that functionality would be CUSTOM, is it information that would have to be captured in a customer defined screen, or if it is part of the software application that they are demonstrating that day.
(2.) Ask if the demonstrators receive any type of “commission” on the demonstration if there is a resulting sale. If they do, keep that in mind when watching the demo.
(3.) Don’t allow an audience member of a demo to try and pull the demonstrator all over the board. If they do it’s not only difficult for the demonstrator to show you the highlights, but the demo ends up only focused on that one persons concerns. This goes for any MD’s present as well. The demo should be for all, not for one specific person, unless it is a one person department.

]]> By: Lukas http://histalk2.com/2008/09/24/readers-write-92408/comment-page-1/#comment-2335 Lukas Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:48:17 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2008/09/24/readers-write-92408/#comment-2335 Interesting information about EMRs. I've been in healthcare for 28 years in both practice and working for a vendor. The "we're different from everyone else" statement at the beginning of a project is code for "we don't want to change". Installing any type of HIT is like any good quality program. Its not the change to one particular component of your organization that makes you successful. Its changing a lot of your processes. Doctors who don't want to use the EMR because it slows them down should probably not be surprised to see their incomes start to drop. Medicine is complex and success is measured in better patient care AND in efficiencies for everyone in the practice. The WHOLE practice deals with patients -- not just the docs or nurses. If the doc is the primary beneficiary of technology then there is only a very small improvement. If the doctor still depends on a staff member to pull records for refill authorization and doesn't understand that the whole process is slow and fraught with delays that really tick patients off then he/she will be subject to the age old impact - customers will leave and find a better caregiver (i.e. lower incomes). Oh, and remember, you are so unique that no one else has the problems with refills that you have. Interesting information about EMRs. I’ve been in healthcare for 28 years in both practice and working for a vendor. The “we’re different from everyone else” statement at the beginning of a project is code for “we don’t want to change”.

Installing any type of HIT is like any good quality program. Its not the change to one particular component of your organization that makes you successful. Its changing a lot of your processes. Doctors who don’t want to use the EMR because it slows them down should probably not be surprised to see their incomes start to drop. Medicine is complex and success is measured in better patient care AND in efficiencies for everyone in the practice. The WHOLE practice deals with patients — not just the docs or nurses. If the doc is the primary beneficiary of technology then there is only a very small improvement.

If the doctor still depends on a staff member to pull records for refill authorization and doesn’t understand that the whole process is slow and fraught with delays that really tick patients off then he/she will be subject to the age old impact – customers will leave and find a better caregiver (i.e. lower incomes).

Oh, and remember, you are so unique that no one else has the problems with refills that you have.

]]> By: Tim D http://histalk2.com/2008/09/24/readers-write-92408/comment-page-1/#comment-2329 Tim D Fri, 26 Sep 2008 04:40:32 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2008/09/24/readers-write-92408/#comment-2329 Why is it that the GOP is automatically using her as a woman? Maybe they just want real change, which is what Obama talks about... yet he made the typical mainstream choice in Joe Biden instead of doing the radical thing and picking a woman, like Hillary Clinton. Why is it that the GOP is automatically using her as a woman? Maybe they just want real change, which is what Obama talks about… yet he made the typical mainstream choice in Joe Biden instead of doing the radical thing and picking a woman, like Hillary Clinton.

]]> By: Wompa1 http://histalk2.com/2008/09/24/readers-write-92408/comment-page-1/#comment-2327 Wompa1 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 01:15:55 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2008/09/24/readers-write-92408/#comment-2327 Did I truly miss it, or did you not articulate it properly the first time? I was responding more to the offense you took at a working mother's introspection. You felt the need to berate her for trying to walk the line between career woman and mother. You could not even forgo the chance to toss in the abortion comment (what has that to do with HIT?). Perhaps most of her story also had little to do with HIT, but your overreaction smacked much more of emotion and a "why is life not fair" attitude than did her piece. The GOP is going after the biggest group with which they might get some traction. 2/3 of white women (nationally, mind you) identify as Democrat. It comes as no surprise that they are playing politics there - isn't that what they do? Your phrasing clearly identifies you on the other side (more nanny-state, guns-are-bad, programs for the children, and such). For the record, I dislike most Republicans. I am a libertarian. I only reregistered as a Republican (this year) to vote for Ron Paul. Incidentally, you're right - we have gone soft. Now back to HIT Did I truly miss it, or did you not articulate it properly the first time? I was responding more to the offense you took at a working mother’s introspection. You felt the need to berate her for trying to walk the line between career woman and mother. You could not even forgo the chance to toss in the abortion comment (what has that to do with HIT?). Perhaps most of her story also had little to do with HIT, but your overreaction smacked much more of emotion and a “why is life not fair” attitude than did her piece. The GOP is going after the biggest group with which they might get some traction. 2/3 of white women (nationally, mind you) identify as Democrat. It comes as no surprise that they are playing politics there – isn’t that what they do? Your phrasing clearly identifies you on the other side (more nanny-state, guns-are-bad, programs for the children, and such). For the record, I dislike most Republicans. I am a libertarian. I only reregistered as a Republican (this year) to vote for Ron Paul.
Incidentally, you’re right – we have gone soft. Now back to HIT

]]> By: Queen of Mean http://histalk2.com/2008/09/24/readers-write-92408/comment-page-1/#comment-2326 Queen of Mean Thu, 25 Sep 2008 23:57:21 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2008/09/24/readers-write-92408/#comment-2326 Regret that my response was taken as “bile” and fostered the implication that I'm bitter towards or contemptuous of working mothers. I'm not at all and will again reiterate that I have total respect for the challenges they face. Wompa1 has totally missed my point and I wonder if he’s not already downed a large glass of GOP koolaid? My point is that SP's "working mom" story has nothing in particular for to do with HIT or her candidacy for vice president. The GOP is using her as a puppet (and it's all the more contemptible for denigrating her in doing so) to get people "like her" to vote in their favor. Working adults struggle around the world and I just think it's wrong to use the working mom story as a hook to further Republican ideologies. Although I don’t have children, I have nieces, nephews, godchildren and extremely close relationships with their working mothers and "get" the conflicts they face. People are people – and I resent this blatant attempt by the GOP to manipulate and divide our country because of a “woman’s plight”. This deification of working women is empty and for political ends. I agree DON – we’ve all gone soft! I thank and applaud WORDS INTO ACTION for his/her initiative and will email topics as suggested (unless HIStalk or Inga come up with another option for talking about the real issues). Regret that my response was taken as “bile” and fostered the implication that I’m bitter towards or contemptuous of working mothers. I’m not at all and will again reiterate that I have total respect for the challenges they face. Wompa1 has totally missed my point and I wonder if he’s not already downed a large glass of GOP koolaid?

My point is that SP’s “working mom” story has nothing in particular for to do with HIT or her candidacy for vice president. The GOP is using her as a puppet (and it’s all the more contemptible for denigrating her in doing so) to get people “like her” to vote in their favor. Working adults struggle around the world and I just think it’s wrong to use the working mom story as a hook to further Republican ideologies. Although I don’t have children, I have nieces, nephews, godchildren and extremely close relationships with their working mothers and “get” the conflicts they face.

People are people – and I resent this blatant attempt by the GOP to manipulate and divide our country because of a “woman’s plight”. This deification of working women is empty and for political ends. I agree DON – we’ve all gone soft! I thank and applaud WORDS INTO ACTION for his/her initiative and will email topics as suggested (unless HIStalk or Inga come up with another option for talking about the real issues).

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