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Do you work in Healthcare IT Consulting? Do you want to help patients the best way possible while also advancing your career? The top professionals in this important field do things every day that make a difference. They find new technologies that improve care and save lives. They fix problems so doctors and nurses have what they need. They teach others about keeping information private and secure too. Most of all, they work as a team. The best healthcare IT people know it is not just about the machines, but the people the machines help. By learning from leaders in your work, you can succeed in these same ways. Their daily efforts, and yours, are what allow hospitals and clinics to devote their focus to patients who need their care the most.
Focus on Workflow Improvement
Healthcare IT Consulting providers want technology that enhances their processes, not adds more work. The top solutions professionals carefully study how staff currently work before proposing any changes. Look for repetitive tasks or places where information gets lost or delayed. Then design solutions to streamline workflows and save valuable time.
For example, one hospital I worked with used paper charts that got passed around between exam rooms. Doctors complained about wasting 15 minutes per patient searching for missing documents. We created an electronic health record system connected to mobile devices. Now clinicians instantly access complete patient histories at the point of care, freeing up half an hour each day per doctor. Changes like that create real ROI for overworked facilities.
Focus first on understanding existing workflows inside and out. Then use your technical skills creatively to simplify and automate tasks wherever possible through digital tools. Make processes more intuitive for busy caregivers. That's how you deliver lasting value with healthcare IT.
Ensure Security and Compliance
In Healthcare Solutions, security and compliance are non-negotiables. Patients trust that their sensitive information stays private and secure. Any technology solution you bring in must follow all applicable regulations like HIPAA to protect data. Take this area extremely seriously - one security breach could destroy a provider's reputation.
When evaluating new technologies, carefully vet how each handles authentication, authorization, encryption, auditing and other core security functions. Make sure products receive regular security updates from their vendors. For in-house systems, put robust access controls, monitoring and backups in place. Educate all staff on security best practices too like password protocols.
Compliance is also crucial given the complex web of rules healthcare must adhere to. Check that any system collects, store or transmit data in compliant ways. Maintain detailed documentation proving how your solutions meet standards. Offer to audit configurations periodically in a Healthcare IT Solutions. Proactively addressing security and compliance gives organizations confidence to adopt new innovations.
Partner for Best-of-Breed
Trying to be expert in every technology area is impossible. The top healthcare IT pros know their strengths and don't hesitate to partner where needed. Have a shortlist of vetted integration partners ready. Refer clients to them when a particular tool is better served by outside specialists.
For instance, you may know electronic health records inside and out. But for imaging solutions, work hand-in-hand with a top radiology software vendor. Their deep clinical expertise in that domain complements your experience with the overall client environment.
Maintain a services-led approach too. Rather than push one particular product, objectively assess each situation and offer the optimal mix of in-house and partner healthcare services. Great partners become trusted allies that extend your capabilities, providing clients comprehensive solutions from multiple best-of-breed sources.
Focus on Outcomes, Not Just Outputs
It's not enough to simply deliver technology - you must show real impact on priorities like quality, cost and patient experience. Quantify how solutions improve clinical outcomes, operational efficiency or other important metrics before and after go-live. Numbers paint the picture far better than features lists alone when pitching new ideas.
For post-implementation, closely track key performance indicators over time. How did physician order entry cut turnaround times? What was the financial return from automating manual tasks? How many lives were saved through integrated telehealth and remote monitoring tools? Share these results openly to prove your solutions' value.
Advocate for your clients by speaking the language of their leadership. Show in clear terms of reduced costs, improved patient satisfaction or other measurable goals how technology strengthens their mission. Outcomes data makes you an invaluable strategic advisor and partner for the long run.
Ease Adoption Through Change Management
Even the best technology means nothing if employees reject using it. Professionals focus intensely on change management to ease staff adoption of new systems. Identify champions within different user groups to lead trainings and spread positive word-of-mouth. Survey constituents regularly for feedback to refine rollout processes.
Proactively address top concerns like more work or less autonomy. Highlight real examples of how easy certain tasks become with technology. Provide ongoing just-in-time training reminders after go-live too so skills don't erode over time. Make sure knowledgeable super-users are available for coworkers' questions during initial periods.
Adoption challenges are often people-related, not technical issues. Smart change management strategies and open communication build buy-in across diverse stakeholders. When staff embraces Healthcare IT Solutions, technology best serves organizational aims for improved care, outcomes and financial performance.
Prioritize Ongoing Support
Abandoning projects shortly after go-live is a mistake many make but top pros avoid. Commit to clients for long-term support and management. Monitor systems to resolve emerging snags early before they disrupt important work. Roll out minor upgrades smoothly within change control processes too to keep solutions optimized over time.
Understand clients expect their technology investments to last for years. Propose flexible support agreements that offer escalation procedures and response SLAs to address any production issues rapidly. Also provide continuing education opportunities to keep all associates up-to-date with evolving systems as their roles and needs change.
Strong post-deployment care fosters client trust and loyalty. It shows commitment to their ongoing success versus just closing the sale. Long relationships lead to organic expansion with clients and references praising your company's reliability under pressure. Quality support makes health IT projects into true partnerships over the long haul.
Innovate Through Deep Clinical Expertise
While technical skills matter, healthcare context knowledge separates true innovators. Continually invest in hands-on clinical training and experience through internships, volunteer work and professional development. Attend medical and nursing conferences too to better speak users' languages.
Integrate clinical expertise into ideation from day one. Know therapies, guidelines, workflows and the realities providers face. Brainstorm how mobility, analytics, AI and emerging areas could help address important clinical or operational challenges. This depth of in-field understanding fuels the best solution concepts others miss.
For example, one major insurer client struggled with inconsistent pre-auth processes across specialties. I realized an AI virtual assistant could harness clinical protocols to standardize exception requests, freeing physicians for direct care. Combining business, technology and professional healthcare perspectives takes Healthcare Solutions to the next level.
In Healthcare IT Consulting, end-users ultimately impact patient outcomes. Deep clinical chops let you develop innovations aligned closest with real needs on the frontlines of care delivery. That earns solutions pros the highest trust as partners across all areas of hospitals and medical practices.
Build a Team Focused on Service Excellence
As complexity grows, successful healthcare professionals build dynamic internal teams offering diverse specialist skills. However, it's not just technical competency but client focus that binds top groups together. Foster a culture obsessed with delivering outstanding service experience through empathy, responsiveness and follow-through.
Empower associates to say "yes" more often than "no" and find creative workarounds to client asks, whether large or small. Act with urgency even when faced with tight timelines. Respond promptly to every communication by phone, email or chat. Make resolutions easy by cutting through organizational barriers internally.
Conduct regular "client quality calls" too for direct feedback in developing Healthcare IT Solutions. Address even minor irritations uncovered before they undermine reputation. Design processes adhering to transparent SLAs at each stage from prospect to post-sale support. Promote continuous learning amongst everyone to keep healthcare services in line with changing client and industry needs.
When a team commits wholeheartedly to exceeding client expectations at all times, it breeds immense loyalty and advocacy that drives new opportunities. Solid IT credentials plus obsessive service quality equals almost unbeatable competitive advantage in this vital but demanding space.
Be Thought Leaders
The top professionals share valuable lessons continuously instead of just promoting themselves. Authoring white papers, publishing case studies or guest blogging shows authority while benefiting others. Speak regularly at conferences on cutting-edge topics. Offer media interviews when industry developments emerge.
Use multiple channels for thought leadership—professional and industry journals, organizational websites, employee blogs, social platforms, online videos and more. Tailor complex clinical or IT issues into straightforward, easily understandable content for all audiences. Package insights concisely through respected industry data sources too.
Recognize that knowledge is never finished and there’s always room to improve. Stay open-minded by following different viewpoints, even sometimes critical ones. Welcome challenging of assumptions graciously through respectful, solution-focused discussions.
Conclusion
Whether you work at a large hospital, small clinic, or anything in between, taking the advice of top healthcare IT professionals can benefit your organization greatly. By embracing new Healthcare Solutions, fixing issues efficiently, and focusing on teamwork and patients, you help ensure the best possible care. But continuous learning is important too.
That's where companies like Practical Solutions, Inc. can assist. Their consultants are experts in Healthcare IT project management, EHR optimization, cybersecurity, and more. By partnering with PSI, you gain access to proven best practices and training. Their pragmatic, people-first approach means seamless implementations and healthcare services tailored to your goals. Talk to a PSI representative today to discuss how collaborating with their pros can help you take your skills, systems, and support of patients and staff to the next level.
