Print This Article | 
Share this Page |
Leveraging Grants and Stimulus Funds toConnect Care 
CEO Summit Discussion Providers Vary in Levels of IT Implementations and EHRs Most CEOs built their organizations' IT strategy three to five years ago because it was "the right thing to do" in order to improve quality and patient safety. However, all are at different levels of implementation: EHRs, computerized provider order entry (CPOE), bar-code medication administration, etc. While most said they felt they were already headed in the right direction, some said they might tweak their IT strategies to qualify for ARRA funds. Approaches to Funding Differ by Organization CEOs want to learn about grant opportunities and how to qualify for economic stimulus funds. The majority are looking to ARRA grants and HITECH incentives to fill in the blanks for technologies they cannot afford to fund, and even to help create health information exchanges (HIEs). Some CEOs have taken an aggressive approach with lobbyists and grant managers/writers on staff, while others without such resources are unsure where to go for help. Many providers expect their health IT vendor to "sort through the noise" on funding options. Coordinating Care across the Continuum Is No Easy Task While models for managing care outside the hospital vary by health system and geography, most CEOs agreed that this is the time to either lead or be forced to follow. Coordinated care involves many stakeholders. Often, one or more acute-care facilities anchor health systems, while affiliated service lines – such as physician practices, homecare, long-term care, skilled nursing facilities, surgical centers and health/wellness clinics – address a wide range of care settings. Patient connectivity is another key strategy for reaching into the community and establishing complete continuity of care. CEOs at the roundtable agreed that connecting physicians to patient data across the continuum will support the transformation of healthcare. Participants discussed how to connect practices with their healthcare organizations. Some participants were emphatic about pursuing a single-vendor solution in ambulatory environments. As one CEO said, "We've got to drive to integration — we can't afford multiple EHRs." Others are taking a much more flexible approach depending on the practices involved and what systems are already in use. Many participants agreed that the future is murky, and most are waiting on the exact "rules of engagement" regarding meaningful use. They asked: Is it an EHR implementation or a connectivity issue? One CEO summarized, "Buying an EHR is not the end game — it's the exchange of information we need to achieve." Roundtable participants also reported that care coordination across settings and physicians is challenging, with patients often forced to coordinate and manage their own care. This situation is especially problematic among the uninsured or the under-insured, who either "consume the urgent care center or consume the emergency room." This is due in large part to their lack of health insurance, and thus a lack of regular care through primary care physicians. The Role of Government in Promoting and Enabling Connectivity Surprisingly, many hospital executives advocated a stronger role for government in defining interoperability standards, noting the need for federal bodies to regulate technologies so they know which system to use — or choose. One CEO cited the state of Michigan's move several years ago to require infection-control reporting on a single system. "It was difficult at the time, but it worked," he said. "Government can be a positive influence on establishing standardization." States and extension centers also have a role to play in information exchange by connecting centers of care. While hospital leaders see HIEs as a potential way to reduce costs, they also predict healthcare reform will lead to bundled payments and make HIEs a requirement. Some suggested creating a national registry so patient data lives at the federal level to ensure the same data is available to everyone. And some CEOs who focused primarily on EHR strategies to automate affiliated and independent physician practices now realize they need to move quickly on connectivity strategies for all affiliated physicians. Transforming Quality and Cost of Care via Connectivity Regardless of the organizational structure, most participants believe the right technology strategy is fundamental. Summit participants agreed on the importance of interoperability, even though they differed on the level of information integration to emphasize or pursue. SUMMARY: Physician Alignment — Leveraging Grants to Connect Care  Hospital CEOs are keenly interested in obtaining ARRA grants and funding to support existingIT strategies, but they need help. Despite the challenges, this is the time to decide whether to follow or lead The patient must come first in any IT strategy Most are counting on their health IT vendors to understand HITECHlegislation and sort through the noise They want to understand what "strings are attached" and what will berequired to demonstrate meaningful use Connecting care settings is critical to transforming care delivery and may berequired to effectively address future reimbursement models
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
       |
||
  
|
||
