marcus evans: National Healthcare CMO/CMIO Summit

Feb. 2, 2013 - PRLog -- 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.

Interview by: Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian, Press Manager, marcus evans, Summits Division

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 d.drey@marcusevansch.com or visit http://www.nhcmiosummit.com/CSInterview.

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  

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