Medical Summits Series – Why Medical Device Manufacturers Must Engage in Politics

JC Scott, a speaker at the marcus evans Medical Device Manufacturing Summit Spring 2013 and the Medical Device R&D Summit Spring 2013, on how the medical device industry is changing. Interview with: JC Scott, Senior Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, The Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“Medical device manufacturers need to engage in the political process,” says JC Scott, Senior Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, The Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed). “It is a critical time for the industry and the policies that are put in place now – in terms of payment reforms, the new user fee agreement with the US Food and Drug Administration, and the device tax – have the potential to significantly alter the innovation ecosystem,” he notes.

Scott is a speaker at the marcus evans Medical Device Manufacturing Summit Spring 2013 and the Medical Device R&D Summit Spring 2013, in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 27-28.

What challenges and changes is the medical device manufacturing industry facing today?

The industry is facing a number of headwinds created by federal regulatory and tax policy. The number one priority is repealing the medical device tax. The tax has already caused the loss of thousands of jobs and studies indicate it could cost upwards of 43,000. Other studies show that the tax could cut R&D investment by USD 2 billion per year, meaning patients will have to wait longer for the next generation of treatments and cures. Fortunately, bipartisan majorities in both the US House and Senate are on record supporting repeal, so there is momentum to get rid of this dangerous tax.

Repealing the medical device excise tax is essential for competitiveness. The device tax will cost the industry about USD 30 billion over the next ten years and makes the already uncompetitive US tax system even more uncompetitive.

Companies and their employees need to update their policymakers at all levels and let them know how policies translate into medical progress, job creation, economic growth or the lack thereof.

How should the industry adapt to the new healthcare landscape?

Demonstrating value is going to be key for medical technology companies going forward. The Affordable Care Act puts in place new mechanisms – such as Accountable Care Organizations and bundling – that are intended to change the US health care system to better reward quality and efficiency. But these programs present the danger of incentivizing a “cheapest is best” approach to health care. If you have a device or diagnostic, you have to be able to show that it is going to help a patient recover more quickly at less cost.

What opportunities could medical device manufacturers capitalize on?

The key driver of health care costs is the crushing burden of chronic disease. Diabetes costs the US USD 174 billion annually, cancer USD 264 billion and heart disease USD 273 billion, just to cite three examples.

Finding solutions to better manage or even cure these and other high-cost chronic conditions represent an incredible opportunity for medical technology companies.

How can manufacturers better demonstrate the value of medical technology?

Governments are looking for ways to provide high-quality health care to their citizens but are facing budget pressures. Medical technology companies are in an optimal position to provide the solutions to these challenges. The devices and diagnostics our industry produces detect disease earlier, make health systems more efficient and help patients recover more quickly. That translates into real savings as patients are able to recover faster and get back to their lives. Companies need to provide the evidence that whatever the cost of a given medical technology intervention, that cost will be made up from the gains of a healthy, more productive citizenry.
Contact: Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian, Press Manager, marcus evans, Summits Division

Tel: + 357 22 849 313
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event websites below:

Medical Device Manufacturing Summit Spring 2013

Medical Device R&D Summit Spring 2013

marcus evans group – manufacturing sector portal

Please note that the Summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.

About marcus evans Summits

marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com

All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced. Kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com

The Simplicity of Quality in the Medical Device Industry

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Medical device manufacturers can create a successful quality assurance system by following the three S’s. “It must be simple, systemic and sustainable. Processes must be easily understood, procedures need to be identical to ensure a quality product and the system should be easily maintained,” says J. Scott House, Division Vice President, Abbott Diabetes Care. System quality training designed to demonstrate competence keeps the system sustainable, he goes on to say.

A speaker at the upcoming marcus evans Medical Device Manufacturing Summit Fall 2012 and the Medical Device R&D Summit Fall 2012, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, November 27-28, House talks about how commitment and support from senior management can help achieve compliance and business goals in the medical device manufacturing industry.

When developing a quality system, what should medical device executives keep in mind?

When it comes to a quality system, less is more. It should be simple, systemic and sustainable. When companies have simple procedures they are more likely to be followed and complied with, as they can be understood by all involved. The quality system must be harmonized across all sites to avoid any disconnects.

The system has to be built in such a way that it is simple enough to be maintained, and therefore sustainable. If the system is not simple, then processes will constantly be in a state of flux and confusion will be caused. System quality training that is based on demonstrated competency and proficiency also upholds sustainability. It is not enough just to give an employee a document to read and sign that it has been understood.

What are some of the current pressures in the industry?

Regulatory and pricing pressures are being felt as requirements continue to change on a worldwide basis and competition is rising. Focusing on better clinical outcomes and stronger clinical data to support device efficiency may ease these pressures. Building relationships with peers and opinion leaders who can influence regulators is also an option.

Products are becoming commoditized. More cutting-edge, innovative and easily differentiated products must be created. Original products will save them from being stigmatized as just being a commodity.

How can compliance be met while achieving financial gain?

Senior management must be committed and supportive towards developing a quality system that meets compliance. A matrix can be designed to measure the health of the business and the quality system, so that the goals of the one compliment the other.

Benchmarking successful companies and learning from others’ failures can help with compliance. The organization must always be audit ready by addressing a continuous improvement perspective.
Contact: Maria Gregoriou, Journalist, marcus evans, Summits Division

Tel: +357 22 849 400
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event websites below:

Medical Device Manufacturing Summit Fall 2012

Medical Device R&D Summit Fall 2012

marcus evans group – manufacturing sector portal

Please note that the Summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.

About marcus evans Summits

marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com

All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced. Kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com

The Business Case for Switching from a “Sick Care” to a “Well Care” Model

Thomas (Tim) L. Stover, a speaker at the marcus evans National Healthcare CXO Summit Spring 2013, on why hospitals should pay more attention to keeping people healthy. Interview with: Thomas (Tim) L. Stover, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Akron General Health System

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Healthcare organizations should pay more attention to revenue sources that are not dependent upon sick people coming to their hospital, advises Thomas (Tim) L. Stover, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Akron General Health System. With reimbursement cuts, the “sick care” model of care is not going to work, he adds.

A speaker at the marcus evans National Healthcare CXO Summit Spring 2013, in Palm Beach, Florida, April 15-17, Stover explains the “well care” model and discusses the business case for focusing on illness prevention and keeping hospital beds empty.

What is the “sick care” model of care?

The “sick care” model is what healthcare is all about today and it will not work in the future. At Akron (General) we pay more attention to prevention and wellness, driving personal responsibility so that people do not get ill. We have three health and wellness centers, which all include LifeStyles, a medical fitness component.

About 85 percent of healthcare dollars today are spent on five lifestyle choices. Concentrating on nutrition, obesity, smoking and alcohol would have a downstream effect on healthcare spend.

What is the LifeStyles medical fitness component? Why should patients and payers join the pursuit for wellness?

When someone goes through an episode of illness, the goal is to get them back into what they feel is a definition of wellness, and keep them there. That requires a change to their lifestyle, nutrition and exercise habits. All our centers have that piece and in the next decade, we expect that of every major healthcare system, as it does cost less to prevent a problem from recurring than to treat it.

Insurance companies should also get involved and put incentives for members to stay well. If they spent some money educating their members, fewer people would be coming to our hospitals. The goal is to keep people out of facilities. This means patients, payors and provider have to be engaged with this concept around wellness.

Does this make business sense, when hospitals make money by treating sick people and filling beds?

That is the opposite of how it should be, and what we are trying to literally turn around. As the President of a hospital, you would think that my goal would be to fill up beds, but it is not. Above all, I am a physician, and that is not the right thing to do. We should keep people out of the hospital. That is the most expensive piece of healthcare we provide. We are being funded for the “sick care” model, but it is not working any more. We need to exercise the opposite of that, which is prevention and wellness. At the end of the day, wellness is free, so it makes perfect business sense.

It is difficult to figure out how revenue will come in if you do not have a house full of sick people, but there is a lot of money to be made. We concentrate on 85 percent of the population who do not exercise and will end up coming to our hospitals at some point. The most mature of our centers got USD 38 million worth of revenue last year; the LifeStyles component contributed USD 6 million to the bottom line. Our centers had an average margin of 38 percent, compared to the one percent most hospitals achieve.

As reimbursement cuts increase, hospitals will have to stop relying on old folks getting sick. Payments will not cover costs and there will not be enough money to keep all the hospitals open.
Contact: Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian, Press Manager, marcus evans, Summits Division

Tel: + 357 22 849 313
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
About the National Healthcare CXO Summit Spring 2013

This unique forum will take place at The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach, Florida, April 15-17, 2013. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The Summit includes presentations on physician integration and alignment, healthcare reform, cost management solutions and patient satisfaction.

For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website at event website

marcus evans group – healthcare sector portal

Please note that the Summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.

About marcus evans Summits

marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com

All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced. Kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com

Integrating the CMO and CNO Functions

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The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) jobs do not individually address the needs of the hospital, when it comes to the quality agenda and value-based purchasing, according to Frank Smeeks, Chief Medical Officer, Bon Secours, St Francis Health System. “The sum of the parts is greater than the whole,” Smeeks says.

A speaker at the marcus evans National Healthcare CMO/CMIO Summit 2013, in Atlanta, Georgia, March 14-15, Smeeks discusses why a true partnership between CMOs and CNOs is essential for quality patient care.

Why should the CMO and CNO job functions be integrated?

Individually, each job cannot address hospital needs. We can take them individually, so if a surgeon does not order Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis, the “miss” on core measures would be the physician’s fault and should be addressed by the CMO. Or, we could consider DVT prophylaxis as part of the safety culture and the nursing function might execute a medical staff protocol on it and put notes in the charts to remind physicians.

What is required to make this collaboration successful?

In many organizations, the CMO and CNO are on opposite sides of the world. Their offices must be in close proximity for immediate collaboration, which may be necessary to solve problems.

They must also have the same authority and respect. I feel comfortable with our CNO talking to a physician about his behavior, or lack thereof, and about any of the ongoing operational or quality issues. She feels very comfortable with me doing the same. I work very closely with many of her direct reports and have their respect. The comfort of having the nursing leaders come to me with issues makes our collaboration a success.

How would this improve Electronic Medical Record (EMR) documentation?

The EMR has definitely exploded in the past ten years. Nursing has taken such a pivotal role and the intricacies of an EMR are a challenge for physicians who often have an entirely different system in their office and possibly another system across town at the second or third hospital that they cover.

At our hospital, the clinical informatics lead reports to the CMO directly, with a dotted line to nursing. As a result, both of us are involved in workflow decisions, which can affect the physician and nursing practices. Honestly, if you do not consider all sides of the equation with the CNO when discussing how the EHR functions, you will miss the input of the majority of the daily users. The key here is open communication, a deep dive to look at the workflow, and compromise.

From your perspective, what is ultimately required for quality patient care?

Quality patient care is the result of open communication, collaboration and teamwork, standardized best practices, processes, and procedures, accountabilities and verification.

My advice is to work closely with the CNO and foster that relationship. The dyad leadership model works. If you have been in medicine long enough, you will realize that you are going to make mistakes, even fairly big ones. There needs to be a trusted partner at work to watch what you do.
Contact: Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian, Press Manager, marcus evans, Summits Division

Tel: + 357 22 849 313
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
About the National Healthcare CMO/CMIO Summit 2013

This unique forum will take place at The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, March 14-15, 2013. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The Summit includes presentations on improving clinical outcomes, effective CPOE adoption, improving physician documentation, achieving meaningful use requirements and improving quality through EMRs and engaging people on the front line.

For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website

marcus evans group – healthcare sector portal

Please note that the Summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.

About marcus evans Summits

marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com

All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced. Kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com

Preparing for a Future of Coordinated Care

Cole Edmonson, a speaker at the marcus evans National Healthcare CNO Summit Spring 2013, on the healthcare industry’s preparation for care during natural disasters. Interview with: Cole Edmonson, Vice President, Patient Care Services, Chief Nursing Officer, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) should educate themselves on care coordination and how it will change in the future,” says Cole Edmonson, Vice President, Patient Care Services, Chief Nursing Officer, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. The challenge is to gain new skills and knowledge about community care by shared learning and working towards better care coordination, he adds.

A speaker at the marcus evans National Healthcare CNO Summit Spring 2013, taking place in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, March 14-15, Edmonson discusses how patient care should never be compromised when it comes to cost-cutting.

How can CNOs improve care coordination?

CNOs should educate themselves on care coordination and how it will change in the future. The challenge is to take down the hospital walls in order to gain new skills and knowledge about community care and post acute care. This will make the connection between the two more positive and productive.

Stepping outside comfort zones, learning new ways of thinking and developing new partnerships with those who are already involved in these settings, will improve care coordination. Shared learning and pinpointing the skills that CNOs are lacking, will make them more successful in the new care delivery model.

What must they do to prepare for natural disasters?

Nurses are equipped to understand the complexity of disaster dynamics. These involve clinical, psychosocial, and emotional care that must be given to victims, their families and also to the first response caregivers.

A way to prepare is to read the relevant literature and learn about disaster nursing. Another method is to work with the American Red Cross and take courses to enhance the skill sets needed in such situations, to provide the best care possible.

How can costs be saved?

All aspects need to be examined. How staffing is carried out, what care delivery models are in place and back office functions, such as registration, are examples. CNOs should find partners to help them perform these functions at lower costs with better quality. What should not be compromised is the direct care experience and patient satisfaction those should be on the top of the list.

How can technology be used for better patient communication?

CNOs should be aware of the technology in their organizations and the future of these systems. They need to understand the positive features, as well as the risks, in order to invest in a safe social environment. The next step is to be comfortable in a networking space and recognize how technology can work to the advantage of healthcare providers.

Platforms can be used to extend the reach of healthcare to more patients who can receive it when it is needed. Patients can then interact with clinicians and other patients in an attempt to share experiences.

Technology development also has to have a clinical influence. Programers can then develop the software to enhance patient, clinical and family relationships.
Contact: Maria Gregoriou, Journalist, marcus evans, Summits Division

Tel: +357 22 849 400
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
About the National Healthcare CNO Summit Spring 2013

This unique forum will take place at The Ritz Carlton, Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, March 14-15, 2013. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The Summit includes presentations on successful collaboration between the CMO and CNO for quality outcomes, cutting edge leadership solutions, and creating a unified and nurturing team.

For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website

marcus evans group – healthcare sector portal
Please note that the Summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.

About marcus evans Summits

marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com

All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced. Kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com

Healthcare on a Cross-Cultural Level

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Patient care is given on a cross-cultural level and should cater for individuals’ beliefs, faiths and views on medicine, says Hank Drummond, Executive Director of Nursing and Quality Initiatives, Miami Jewish Health Systems. “This can be done through training and multicultural events, where particular cultures within the population that receive care can be involved,” he goes on to say.

A speaker at the marcus evans National Healthcare CNO Summit Spring 2013, taking place in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, March 14-15, Drummond discusses why Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) should be on the cutting-edge of technology and theories.

Why is promoting cultural competency so important in the nursing field?

Healthcare delivery is a cross-cultural activity that is brought to every belief and faith. For the nursing industry to diversify and deliver care according to a patient’s background, healthcare professionals must understand cultural differences. This can be done through training and multicultural events, where particular cultures within the population that receive care can be involved. Talks can be given on how certain cultures perceive pain, what they believe about medicine, and how they view God.

How can the nursing department help to meet high demand for healthcare?

The nursing team can receive a summary every month on where the nursing department is in terms of financial success. Staff can also be given tools and educated on how they can help meet goals and ensure quality care with limited resources.

Asking nurses questions and receiving their feedback on how to reach demand is a very effective process. Getting them involved and teaching them how to think outside the box, makes them more energetic, proactive and reactive within the culture of healthcare.

What strategies can you suggest for improving care coordination?

This is a daily task and it is better performed by being open. Having a vision, sharing it with the highest and lowest levels in the organization, and incorporating all the teams in-between, will create an atmosphere of unity. The idea that Together Everyone Achieves More or T.E.A.M. needs to be driven into the daily mantra. Making sure that all healthcare members understand that every link in the team is of the upmost importance will positively impact care.

What trends are in the pipeline for the nursing industry?

More financial reductions will be a continued occurrence in the industry. CNOs will be forced to look at different avenues for efficient care giving, with less and less financial support. They must become very proactive and on the cutting-edge of technology, theories, and new ways of delivering care.

If CNOs open up and have an honest conversation with medical staff, and ask them to be part of this process of discovery, new ideas may arise to solve the problem. They also must not be afraid to take risks and try out different techniques, because if they do nothing, they become the victims.
Contact: Maria Gregoriou, Journalist, marcus evans, Summits Division

Tel: +357 22 849 400
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
About the National Healthcare CNO Summit Spring 2013

This unique forum will take place at the Ritz Carlton, Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, March 14-15, 2013. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The Summit includes presentations on successful collaboration between the CMO and CNO for quality outcomes, cutting edge leadership solutions, and creating a unified and nurturing team.

For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website

marcus evans group – healthcare sector portal

Please note that the Summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.

About marcus evans Summits

marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com

All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced. Kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com

How CMOs Can Solve the Next Set of Hospital Challenges

Ian Maynard of Real Time Medical, a solution provider at the marcus evans National Healthcare CMO/CMIO Summit 2013, on setting up efficient patient diagnostic systems. Interview with: Ian Maynard, Chief Executive Officer, Real Time Medical

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hospitals have systems in place that were designed to store, access and display digitized diagnostic images, but they are not enough for guaranteeing service levels, according to Ian Maynard, Chief Executive Officer, Real Time Medical. With organizations needing to guarantee responsiveness to urgent cases, automated diagnostic imaging workflow management is becoming essential, he added.

From a solution provider company at the upcoming marcus evans National Healthcare CMO/CMIO Spring 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia, March 14-15, Maynard talks about upcoming hospital requirements and how more efficient, automated workflow management can address some of the key issues.

Why are current hospital diagnostic systems inadequate?

Most are data-centric and designed to address the specific problem of data storage, access and display. With the challenges that hospitals are facing now, and the need to address managed service levels and improve clinical process efficiency, existing systems must be supplemented.

Currently, a typical worklist will display a long list of exams to be interpreted. If a radiologist assigned to a specific worklist or exam type receives multiple urgent cases, they may not get to each within the timeframe that the hospital aims for, or that is necessary for someone who has just had a stroke. It is just a list and a much more active approach to diagnostic service level management is needed.

How could they manage workflows better?

The workflows cannot be done manually. If there are 50 people spread across different campuses or hospitals, everyone’s work should be coordinated. If one clinician is caught up in a complex case, the next case should be re-distributed to another available clinician on the network, who also has the credentials to interpret the case.

How could your solution address these issues?

It responds to the dynamic changes in the environment and re-routes exams, depending on what comes through the door. Chief Medical Officers are concerned with the timeliness of reporting. They want to improve clinical process efficiency and guarantee responsiveness to urgent and non-urgent cases, so they have to balance the workloads.

The old systems were not designed to address the objectives that they must now deliver against. Several European countries are legislating a patient’s right to have all diagnostic results within a given period of time; in Denmark they are considering legislation a patient’s right to have all their diagnostic results within four hours of entering an emergency room. This includes results from the lab, radiology, cardiology, pathology, everything. They realized that people are dying from lack of responsive care.

Would this impact how hospitals are reimbursed for the care they deliver?

Improving productivity and workflow was recently cited as key to addressing operational deficiencies, driving patient-centric radiology and addressing declining reimbursements in a recent survey published 2013/01/02 in Clinical Innovation & Technology – Top Trends in Health Imaging: The Rise of Patient Centric Radiology. We were not surprised to find that a number of hospital objectives were related to the process challenges our solution addresses.

Also, there are times and certain disease states that require collaboration and communication to take place between different “ologies”, different disciplines. We can help organizations address patient responsiveness objectives, improved clinical productivity and efficiency, overhead reduction through automation, while simultaneously addressing quality assurance and peer review all within a single platform. A scope that normally requires purchase of three separate platforms.

Any final thoughts?

Current infrastructure and systems can and must be leveraged in order to solve the next set of challenges. There is no need for a rip and replace. A hospital’s existing investment can be leveraged to address these missing elements.
Contact: Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian, Press Manager, marcus evans, Summits Division

Tel: + 357 22 849 313
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
About the National Healthcare CMO/CMIO Summit 2013

This unique forum will take place at The Ritz Carlton, Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, March 14-15, 2013. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The Summit includes presentations on improving clinical outcomes, effective CPOE adoption, improving physician documentation, achieving meaningful use requirements and improving quality through EMRs and engaging people on the front line.

For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website

marcus evans group – healthcare sector portal

Please note that the Summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.

About Real Time Medical

Real Time Medical is a diagnostic imaging workflow innovation company.  It develops vendor-neutral, context-aware workflow management software solutions. These solutions organize the reporting services in complex diagnostic imaging organizations more efficiently and productively.  Real Time Medical’s platforms improve the timeliness, quality and accuracy of service delivery to patients while reducing manual case handling for healthcare organizations. These benefits result in system-wide, “ripple effect” savings to organizations.

Real Time Medical also operates the only nationwide, round-the-clock radiology service in Canada, employing the benefits of its DiaShareTM context-aware workflow management and QA software suite.

www.realtimemedical.com

About marcus evans Summits

marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com

All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced. Kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com

Reducing Readmissions by Putting Patients First 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) can improve care coordination, reduce readmissions, and improve the patient experience by identifying the exact obstacles that patients are facing after discharge and putting the patient in touch with the right resource to take care of the problem, says Alex Hejnosz, Founding Partner, CipherHealth. Initiatives like Centers for Medicare and Medicaid’s Readmissions Penalties and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act make following up with patients one of the hospitals top priorities, and have created a huge need for systems that help perform this outreach to every patient in the hospital, he goes on to say.

From a solution provider company at the marcus evans National Healthcare CNO Summit Spring 2013, taking place in Buckhead Atlanta, Georgia, March 14-15, Hejnosz discusses asking the right questions to gain patient insights to strengthen patient care.

What should CNOs consider to meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act?

This regulation effectively holds a whole hospital accountable for its performance, across clinical and satisfaction metrics. To be effective, CNOs must consider patient satisfaction, the overall patient experience, and recognize the central role of patient perception in the new performance-based financial model.

As the industry shifts towards outcome-driven payments like Value Based Purchasing and payer-led performance incentives, it has become essential for a hospital to extend the care they provide beyond the four walls of their facility. Post-discharge follow up is absolutely critical. Each hospital and patient population is different, so questions should be tailored and asked upon discharge. If it can happen every time, if every patient can receive a follow-up call, the results are clear: readmissions reduction, patient experience improvement, and cost savings related to value-based purchasing.

How can care coordination be improved?

First, the patient’s exact problem must be identified, and the only way to do this is to ask. Once the patient’s issue is known, then they need to be connected with the right person to resolve their concern. For example, if patients are not able to buy medicine, a strong program may refer them to a social worker who knows where medicine can be obtained cheaply. Systematic solutions are key. Data from each of these interactions must be captured and stored for future reporting.

How can interactive calls help enhance patient care?

In the short term, interactive calls can drive an immediate improvement in Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems and reduction in readmissions from identifying and solving the patient’s concern. In the long term, the value is in the system and the structure. Patient demographics, responses from patients during the calls, and follow-up activity from the hospital staff can be aggregated, and reports from the system can lead to year over year improvement.

What means can be used to address system-wide issues?

If the problem can be narrowly defined, it can much more easily be solved. Many hospitals look at performance unit by unit, but incorporating a variety of viewpoints (units, age, service line, day of week, etc.) can lead to rapid and dramatic improvement.

Contact: Maria Gregoriou, Journalist, marcus evans, Summits Division

Tel: +357 22 849 400
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com

About the National Healthcare CNO Summit Spring 2013

This unique forum will take place at the Ritz Carlton, Atlanta, Georgia, March 14-15, 2013. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The Summit includes presentations on successful collaboration between the CMO and CNO for quality outcomes, cutting edge leadership solutions, and creating a unified and nurturing team.

For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website

marcus evans group – healthcare sector portal

Please note that the Summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.

About CipherHealth

CipherHealth helps hospitals reduce readmissions and improve the patient experience. The CipherVoice automated calling program reaches out to 100% of a hospital’s patients after they are treated and identifies those in need of support, resulting in up to 20-35% reduction in readmissions and 25-30% improvements in HCAHPS scores.

www.cipherhealth.com

About marcus evans Summits

marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com

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Getting CPOE Adoption Right

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The adoption of Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) technologies has been slow in the US, although 2014 is the proposed start date for Stage 2 of the Meaningful Use Requirements. For effective implementation, “clinical leadership is critical,” said Chris Snyder, Chief Medical Information Officer, Peninsula Regional Medical Center. The Center was one of the early adopters of CPOE eight years ago, and Snyder found the input from medical and support staff essential, he went on to say.

A speaker at the marcus evans National Healthcare CMO/CMIO Summit 2013, in Atlanta, Georgia, March 14-15, Snyder offers his thoughts on how Chief Medical Information Officers (CMIOs) can ensure CPOE adoption achieves the patient safety results it is intended to.

What is required for effective CPOE adoption? How has your organization done it?

Good clinical governance comes first. There is a lot of content development involved, which requires the buy-in and input from medical and support staff. It is not an Information Technology (IT) project. Each level of orders being developed, built, then implemented, need input from physicians, nurses and the pharmacy. They each have their own interpretation of how orders are displayed.

It has been eight years since we adopted CPOE, longer than most organizations. We try to engage superusers by specialty, as someone who practices general medicine, like myself, would have a limited understanding of what urologists and gynecologists do.

When we first started the main challenge was getting staff to use the tool. Now it is about using the tool to effectively manage patients, as we have measured outcomes that show CPOE use is effective in driving quality care.

We even have a nurse informaticist, a CNIO, who tests and validates the effectiveness of the order communication. This is a very powerful tool that can also be very dangerous, if the information is not explained well within the document that the nurse has utilized to manage orders. The orders can be detrimental to patient care and costly, if not built correctly.

What cost saving and efficiency gains has Peninsula seen as a result of this?

Every time you practice good quality medicine, you reduce costs. Our focus has not been on cost reduction, but on performing quality care. When you recognize a septic patient early, for example, you prevent a bad and costly outcome.

How should CPOE be seamlessly integrated into a hospital’s IT infrastructure?

I would reverse that question. The IT structure has to be integrated into the clinical practice, and that is the challenge. IT is only a tool. There must be a culture where everyone does CPOE to improve patient safety, and not as an IT project.

Any final thoughts?

I believe CMIOs have to continue to practice medicine and use the tools they are building. They need to have their fingers in the pot when trying to get that buy-in that is critical for making it work.
Contact: Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian, Press Manager, marcus evans, Summits Division

Tel: + 357 22 849 313
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
About the National Healthcare CMO/CMIO Summit 2013

This unique forum will take place at The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, March 14-15, 2013. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The Summit includes presentations on improving clinical outcomes, effective CPOE adoption, improving physician documentation, achieving meaningful use requirements and improving quality through EMRs and engaging people on the front line.

For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website

marcus evans group – healthcare sector portal

Please note that the Summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.

About marcus evans Summits

marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com

All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced. Kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com