Comments on: An HIT Moment with … Bill O’Toole http://histalk2.com/2009/06/15/an-hit-moment-with-bill-otoole/ Healthcare IT News and Opinion Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:30:54 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Ex-MEDITECH http://histalk2.com/2009/06/15/an-hit-moment-with-bill-otoole/comment-page-1/#comment-4530 Ex-MEDITECH Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:39:47 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2009/06/15/an-hit-moment-with-bill-otoole/#comment-4530 Bill O'Toole is top notch and I would work with him in a heartbeat. Bill O’Toole is top notch and I would work with him in a heartbeat.

]]> By: AFormGuy http://histalk2.com/2009/06/15/an-hit-moment-with-bill-otoole/comment-page-1/#comment-4529 AFormGuy Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:27:23 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2009/06/15/an-hit-moment-with-bill-otoole/#comment-4529 As a vendor I believe that establishing a cooperative relationship woth not only the customer but also the customer's other vendors is critical, especially during implementation. The "partnership" verbiage is intended to demonstrate (at least in our case) that we are really listening and truly interested in the customer's viewpoints, needs and success. Remember, every customer is a reference site. Whether they are a good or a bad one depends on the vendor's performance. As far as penalty clauses go; I think you need to be careful there. Contractually, if you push for a PENALTY clause for missed target dates, etc., you may also have to add a REWARD clause if milestones are completed early! As a vendor I believe that establishing a cooperative relationship woth not only the customer but also the customer’s other vendors is critical, especially during implementation. The “partnership” verbiage is intended to demonstrate (at least in our case) that we are really listening and truly interested in the customer’s viewpoints, needs and success. Remember, every customer is a reference site. Whether they are a good or a bad one depends on the vendor’s performance. As far as penalty clauses go; I think you need to be careful there. Contractually, if you push for a PENALTY clause for missed target dates, etc., you may also have to add a REWARD clause if milestones are completed early!

]]> By: My2Cents http://histalk2.com/2009/06/15/an-hit-moment-with-bill-otoole/comment-page-1/#comment-4528 My2Cents Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:00:37 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2009/06/15/an-hit-moment-with-bill-otoole/#comment-4528 Excellent interview. Simple direct questions that get to the heart of it, and answers that were very succinct and well expressed. I think if you followed very closely to what he says here (especially "Determine up front what is truly important to your organization"', i.e., know your requirements before discussions and be open and clear about them all) you have much better chances of success, no matter who you are dealing with. However, his saying "Many times I gained the upper hand..." seems incongruent with the idea of real transparency and openness. That unfortunate choice of words turns it into a bout of Machiavellian cunning instead of an honest business exchange to come to an honest agreement. Of course, east coast sales people probably laugh at naive fools like me who use words like "honest". Excellent interview. Simple direct questions that get to the heart of it, and answers that were very succinct and well expressed. I think if you followed very closely to what he says here (especially “Determine up front what is truly important to your organization”‘, i.e., know your requirements before discussions and be open and clear about them all) you have much better chances of success, no matter who you are dealing with.

However, his saying “Many times I gained the upper hand…” seems incongruent with the idea of real transparency and openness. That unfortunate choice of words turns it into a bout of Machiavellian cunning instead of an honest business exchange to come to an honest agreement. Of course, east coast sales people probably laugh at naive fools like me who use words like “honest”.

]]> By: BostonHITman http://histalk2.com/2009/06/15/an-hit-moment-with-bill-otoole/comment-page-1/#comment-4526 BostonHITman Tue, 16 Jun 2009 03:24:04 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2009/06/15/an-hit-moment-with-bill-otoole/#comment-4526 Re: Comment by Arkay There are always differing viewpoints at play depending on where you sit. As most would agree the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. I worked with Bill for many years and I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that he conducts business with the utmost integrity. Based on my experience, the insinuation that MEDITECH makes a practice of shifting resources to reel-in premier clients is untrue. While at MEDITECH I personally developed processes that were designed to routinely shift resources to help customers who needed them most. Re: Comment by Arkay

There are always differing viewpoints at play depending on where you sit. As most would agree the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. I worked with Bill for many years and I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that he conducts business with the utmost integrity.

Based on my experience, the insinuation that MEDITECH makes a practice of shifting resources to reel-in premier clients is untrue. While at MEDITECH I personally developed processes that were designed to routinely shift resources to help customers who needed them most.

]]> By: Arkay http://histalk2.com/2009/06/15/an-hit-moment-with-bill-otoole/comment-page-1/#comment-4524 Arkay Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:41:47 +0000 http://histalk2.com/2009/06/15/an-hit-moment-with-bill-otoole/#comment-4524 Re: Penalties during the implementation phase The comment appears to represent a vendor's position; ie if I miss my milestone just don't pay me until I do. On the hospital side the poor CIO is sitting there with resources at hand, incurring additional hospital cost while the vendor is incurring no additional cost or, cynical side, is getting paid for handsomely for the resources that were pulled to work on that new potential premier client. Re: Penalties during the implementation phase

The comment appears to represent a vendor’s position; ie if I miss my milestone just don’t pay me until I do. On the hospital side the poor CIO is sitting there with resources at hand, incurring additional hospital cost while the vendor is incurring no additional cost or, cynical side, is getting paid for handsomely for the resources that were pulled to work on that new potential premier client.

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