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2nd Annual Special Report featuring survey results from the independent research company Critical Insights

oCToBER 2012

supplement to Healthcare IT News

Proudly sponsored by:

Top 10 Large Hospitalssee Pages 7 – 15‘Micro’ IT teams get macro results ....11

How to hire compatible employees and avoid a culture clash ..................14

Top 10 Medium Hospitalssee Pages 17 – 25Congratulations! You’ve been hired. Now what? ..........16

Industry survey points to major shortage of CIOs in coming years ......20

Fight the healthcare IT talent war with these hiring tactics ....................20

2012 health IT jobs: What’s hot and what’s not .................24

Top 5 Small Hospitalssee Pages 27 – 31Runners-up ......................................31

What’s Inside

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covEr PHotos:Left: Mount Desert Island HospitalRight: Meridian HealthBottom: Highlands Regional Medical Center

More than 10,000 employees completed the 2012 BEST Hospital IT Departments surveyWorkplace satisfaction tied to teamwork; money matters, but it’s not a top factorBy Mike Moran, Project editor

This is the second year for Healthcare IT News’ “Where to Work: BEST Hospital IT Departments” program, and participation took a dramatic jump over last year’s debut.

In 2011, 179 hospitals were nominated for the program; 75 of those hospitals qualified; and overall 4,945 IT employees completed the extensive 67-question online survey. This year, those numbers skyrocketed: 272 hospi-tals were nominated, 125 qualified and 10,863 IT employees completed the survey. (To qual-ify for the program, at least half of a hospital’s IT employees must take the survey.)

When you consider how swamped with work hospital IT departments are these days, that kind of participation is impressive. If you’re a busy person, you know that just setting aside 15 minutes during the workday (about how long it takes to complete the BEST Hospital’s survey), can be a challenge.

What’s also impressive are the characteristics and values that show up again and again in the profiles of the top IT departments in this special report: teamwork, work-life balance, empower-ment, trust, openness, honesty, accountability…the list goes on. From inception, that’s been this project’s goal: To determine what characteristics distinguish the best hospital IT departments from all the rest – and to share these values and best practices with the rest of the industry.

NUMBERS GAME

Here are some other numbers from this year’s program: Of the 125 qualifying hospitals, 60 were large (351 or more licensed beds); 45 were medium (101 to 350 licensed beds); and 20 were small (100 or fewer licensed beds);

■■ 8,378 surveys came from large hospitals; 1,097 from medium; 157 from small; and 1,231 from nominated hospitals that did not qualify;

■■ 35 percent of respondents were women and 51 percent men; 14 percent preferred not to say;

■■ 65 percent of respondents were between 35 and 54 years old;

■■ 91 percent were full-time employees;■■ 54 percent earned between $50,000 and $99,000 annually.

METHodoLoGy

As a means of interpreting the results, our partner, Critical Insights, a market research company based in Portland, Maine, used an index where a score of 100 is considered “average.” Here’s how all IT employees who took the 2012 survey ranked the importance of workplace satisfaction categories addressed in the study:

■■ Satisfaction with elements of their day-to-day work (113)

■■ Satisfaction with immediate work unit, team or IT department group (105)

■■ Satisfaction with workplace culture (105)■■ Satisfaction with senior management and organizational leadership (98)

■■ Satisfaction with training, professional development and advancement (96)

■■ Satisfaction with direct supervisor or manager (93)■■ Satisfaction with compensation, benefits and employee recognition (89)

These results are consistent with last year’s data.

The better an IT department scored in the categories most important to employees, the higher its final ranking.

Like last year, the most important factors influencing employee satisfaction tend to be more subjective, less pragmatic factors such as feeling like part of a team, gaining a sense of accomplishment from work, feeling respected as a professional and believing that morale is high. Less important are more prag-matic measures such as believing that staffing and budgets are sufficient, having a sense of accountability for work and decisions, and being satisfied with benefits.

At the end of the day, money matters, but as you’ll read in profile after profile, more than money, employees value a friendly, supportive workplace where they are empowered to do good work. The top hospitals in this year’s “Where to Work: BEST Hospital IT Departments” understand that completely. ■

where to work: Best hosPital it DePartments

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B. E. Smith has been providing full-service leadership solutions to healthcare organizations worldwide for more than 30 years. Healthcare IT News Special Projects Editor Patty Enrado spoke with Rich Miller, Senior Vice President, Information Technology & Talent Strategies, about the changing role of IT executives in an industry that is undergoing a major transformation.

Q: How has recruiting for IT executives in the healthcare indus-try changed in the last seven to 10 years?A: There’s a greater awareness on the part of the healthcare indus-try that IT executives need to think strategically and more broadly than information technology. Up until 10 years ago, IT leaders were hired and kept in the “IT box.” Today, organizations understand that they need a true executive to partner with in the IT area.

Q: What should hospitals and health systems do before embarking on a recruitment program?A: The most important thing organizations must do is identify leaders within the organization who need to be part of the decision-making process and whose buy in is required for the selection of the new IT leader. Once you have identified those individuals, it’s important upfront that they agree upon attributes of the IT leader.

Q: How should hospitals and health systems prepare them-selves in order to attract the best candidates to lead their IT departments?A: To attract the very best in IT, they must demonstrate a commit-ment to IT within the organization. The role the IT leader plays as part of the executive team will be important to attract the best candidates. How the IT department functions – whether as a dis-tributed or centralized model – within the greater organization should be taken into account. For example, with a distributed model, you need a leader who can lead through influence. Finally, an organization’s investment in CMIO and CNIO roles can be an indicator that the organization is committed to achieving full value from IT investments.

Q: What are the top three competencies that hospitals and health systems should look for in an IT executive?A: The most important competency is the ability to lead strategi-cally, which requires knowing the business and having a passion for the healthcare industry. Hospitals and health systems should look for a leader who has a broader interest than just IT and can lead outside of the IT discipline. Finally, it’s still necessary for an IT executive to have the technical leadership and skills to attract

Q&A: Today’s IT executives must possess technical, strategic leadership

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the best talent and build a really good IT team, and to lead that team to execute on the strategy.

Q: What are some of the unique strengths B. E. Smith brings to both executives and healthcare organizations?A: Through our relationships with a large number of IT executives, we have a good understanding of the specific competencies that they bring to an organization. This can help healthcare organiza-tions seek the best IT executives. We can help IT executives in much the same way. We ensure that they are put into positions and given opportunities to succeed. We do an excellent job of making sure that the executive truly is right for the position and has the oppor-tunity to excel in that position.

About B. E. SmithB. E. Smith is a full-service healthcare leadership solutions firm and the top-ranked provider of senior-level leadership services including Interim Leadership, Executive Search and Consulting Solutions. B. E. Smith partners with each client utilizing a proven methodology to create customized solu-tions. The firm’s comprehensive sourcing strategy incorporates the latest marketing techniques, association partnerships, social networking and the largest database of skilled senior-level healthcare executives in the industry to deliver immediate results in today’s complex healthcare environment.

Rich MillerSenior Vice President, Information Technology & Talent Strategies,B. E. Smith

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Top 10 Large Hospitals 1. Intermountain Medical Center

Murray, Utah

2. Tenet Healthcare CorporationDallas, Texas

3. Sharp HealthCareSan Diego, Calif.

4. Genesis HealthCare SystemZanesville, Ohio

5. Meridian HealthNeptune, N.J.

6. Heartland HealthSt. Joseph, Mo.

7. TriStar Centennial Medical CenterNashville, Tenn.

8. Cancer Treatment Centers of AmericaSchaumburg, Ill.

9. UC Irvine HealthOrange, Calif.

10. Roper St. Francis HealthcareCharleston, S.C.

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Top 10 Medium Hospitals 1. Thibodaux Regional Medical Center

Thibodaux, La.

2. Frankfort Regional Medical Center Frankfort, Ky.

3. Springhill Medical CenterMobile, Ala.

4. Highlands Regional Medical CenterPrestonsburg, Ky.

5. Saint Francis Medical Center Cape Girardeau, Mo.

6. Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System Matton, Ill.

7. St. Anthony Shawnee HospitalShawnee, Okla.

8. Union HospitalElkton, Md.

9. Ephraim McDowell HealthDanville, Ky.

10. Children’s Hospital & Medical CenterOmaha, Neb.

Top 5 Small Hospitals 1. Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital

Elkin, N.C.

2. Mount Desert Island Hospital Bar Harbor, Maine

3. Nanticoke Memorial Hospital Seaford, Del.

4. Lakewood Health SystemStaples, Minn.

5. Fauquier HospitalWarrenton, Va.

2012 BEST Hospital IT departments


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By jennifer keirn,

contriButing Writer

A short walk from Intermountain Medical Center sits the Homer Warner Center for Informatics Research, home to 60 informati-cists following in the trail-blazing

footsteps of their namesake. Many of the hospital’s 5,000 employees

don’t have a clue that the HWCIR is there, even though they are likely touched by the center’s innovations in their daily work.

“Many of them don’t know what a tremen-dous resource we have here on our campus,” said David Grauer, administrator and CEO of Intermountain Medical Center, the system’s flagship hospital. “But those who do, under-stand and appreciate the work they do.”

Working for an institution receiving national recognition and with plenty of suc-cess stories to its name – such as a new sepsis protocol that’s become a leader nationwide – is a big part of why Intermountain earned the top spot among large hospitals in the “Where to Work: BEST Hospital IT Depart-ments” program for the second year in a row.

“It’s an absolute dedication to using tech-nology to improve the provision of care,” says

Marc Probst, Intermountain’s CIO. “They know their work is involved in saving many people’s lives. Much like a doctor, they have a similar passion.”

Kira Wagner is a quality assurance and out-reach analyst for the HWCIR, and she’s one of those who was drawn by its appealing work environment when she graduated from Utah State University in 2011.

“It’s a very supportive environment,” said Wagner. “I have a lot of mentors here who say, ‘I’d like to help you learn and grow.’”

Wagner is an example of the exceptional talent the HCWIR is able to attract because of its reputation. When it comes to employees,

Probst has specific char-acteristics in mind.

“Very smart. They are going to be working with very smart people, and if they can’t keep up they will become very frus-trated,” he said. “They need to know technolo-

gy, but be clinically focused.” The center has grown quickly since it

opened in February of 2011, and is already tight on space. New programs to allow work-at-home arrangements are alleviating space constraints while giving employees more flexibility.

“What we didn’t do is just say, ‘Well, if you want to work at home then you can,’” says Probst. “After a year and a half, productivity is where we want it, and we have some happy individuals who are working in that fashion.”

While the HWCIR may not be a recognized name among Intermountain’s rank-and-file, the center’s employees connect intimately with the patient care being provided just down the walkway.

“There are folks in any industry who work in cubicles all day and never make the con-nection between what they do and the end product or service,” said Grauer. “They can make that connection to patients pretty quick-ly and easily, and that’s part of what makes it such a great place to work.” ■

Vice President and Chief Information officer: Marc Probstyears in IT: 25years at Intermountain: 9Education: University of Utah, finance degree; George Washington University, MBA Previous employment: Healthcare consulting for Deloitteyears in charge of current IT department: 9Management philosophy: Do what’s best for the patient. Everything else flows from that.

the homer warner Center for informatics research (hwCir) has grown quickly since it opened in February of 2011. it’s already tight on space, but new programs that allow work-at-home arrangements are alleviating the constraints while giving employees more flexibility.

IT employees share an ‘absolute dedication’ to using technology to improve careA great national reputation and plenty of success stories helped Intermountain claim the number-one spot two years in a row

Top 10 Large Hospitals

Intermountain Medical CenterHomer Warner Center for Informatics Research (HWCIR)Murray, Utah

IT staff: 60 in HWCIR

Licensed beds: 2,798 system-wide 1


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By jennifer keirn,

contriButing Writer

When jannie marthinson, an RN with 20 years at the bedside, decided to move into informat-ics three years ago, she knew exactly who she hoped to work

for: Liz Johnson, Tenet Healthcare Corporation’s vice president, applied clinical informatics.

“I knew about her, and I knew the kind of work she was doing,” said Marthinson, a regional director of clinical informatics. “To be able to work for such a large health organization that’s nationally recognized and for a leader who’s changing health care at the federal level, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Johnson has led Tenet’s Applied Clinical Informatics (ACI) department for 10 years, heading a project known as IMPACT (IMprov-ing Patient Care Through Technology), the ongoing implementation of EHR systems across Tenet’s 50 hospitals in 12 states.

It’s a monumental task that keeps Johnson hopping, yet Marthinson says Johnson is never far from her front-line staff.

“She knows the teams, she understands where each project is,” Marthinson said. “It’s remarkable to me that she can be at the 5,000-foot view, but when you need her she’s right there at the bedside with you.”

What’s Johnson’s secret to sustaining pos-itive – workplace principles in such a large organization?

“What makes us spe-cial is teamwork,” she said. “To do this kind of work, you have to be able to connect the dots. You have to be able to have the vision to know that what you’re doing matters.”

For example, when Tenet rolled out barcode medication administration, nurses were imme-diately reacting positively to the change, with informaticists right there to accept the kudos.

“You can really see how you’ve created a system with our clinicians to make sure the right meds get to the right patient,” Johnson said. “You can really touch it and feel it.”

Tenet’s ACI department has the advantage of plenty of expertise throughout the system in a variety of disciplines. And despite so many disparate groups among 50 hospitals and varied consultants, it’s been successful in creating unity among them.

“That’s all left at the door,” said Bob Steele, an ACI senior director. “They’re all part of the Tenet family. We all have the same goals. We’re all part of IMPACT.”

To facilitate good communication, the ACI team uses remote technology for monthly meetings with nationwide advisory groups representing nurses, pharmacists, physicians, lab techs and others to gather feedback.

Good hiring practices are critical. Johnson says she looks for people who are patient-centric, innovative, internally motivated and devoted to the power of informatics. It’s the kind of atmosphere that’s in high demand for talented informaticists.

“The fact that we are all over the country, we get the opportunity to see a lot of things,” said Steele. “The size we are looks good on a resume: ‘I’m doing something that’s imple-mented in 49 hospitals.’” ■

Vice President, Applied Clinical Informatics: Liz Johnsonyears in IT: 16years at Tenet: 10Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing and MBA, University of Texas at Arlington; current doctoral candidate in informaticsPrevious employment: Healthlink Corporationyears in charge of current IT department: 10Management philosophy: Believe in your team. Give them the tools and resources they need, and they will be successful.

Tenets for success: Patient-centric, innovative, internally motivated and devoted to the power of informaticsDespite many disparate groups among 50 hospitals and varied consultants, IT leadership has created unity


Tenet Healthcare CorporationDallas, Texas

IT staff: 300

Licensed beds: 13,575 system-wide 2

tenet’s liz Johnson (center) bounces from task to task with members of her staff.


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By jennifer keirn,

contriButing Writer

Bill spooner’s face has been photo-shopped onto the body of an Olympic curler and a Cirque du Soleil acrobat.

These friendly spoofs of Sharp HealthCare’s CIO are thanks to a

creative web-design team and a workplace where humor and collegiality abound.

“We’re trying to end up with happy patients, so the best way to do that is to have happy employees and happy physicians,” said Spoon-

er, a 30-year Sharp veteran who was named 2010’s CIO of the Year by HIMSS and CHIME.

So when senior systems analyst Stacy Sca-rafone was named Leader of the Quarter in August – an honor voted on by her IT peers – she received a prize package that included a $100 gift card and an autographed photo of Spooner dressed in a Star Trek costume.

“They knew I was a big Star Trek fan,” said Scarafone. “We’re never lacking in humor here.”

Every Thanksgiving since the mid-1980s, Spooner has sprung for turkeys that he grills

and serves to his staff (it takes about a dozen to feed his 400 employees) at a parking lot picnic.

“This isn’t a circus,” he said. “There’s a lot of

stress at times, so the fun things help to alle-viate that stress.”

Sharp’s IT workplace isn’t homogeneous. Some employees are clinicians, and others are techies. Some thrive on collaboration. Some enjoy the light workplace, and others are more serious.

“The key is there’s a lot of mutual accep-tance,” Spooner said.

His biggest workplace challenge is keep-ing things fresh. Rotating employee action teams inject new creativity into projects that might otherwise be routine.

These workplace principles are driven by a system-wide strategic vision called the “Sharp Experience,” created 12 years ago and driven by 100 action teams across depart-ments and levels focused on employee and patient satisfaction.

“Our vision is to become the best place for our employees to work, the best place for our physicians to practice and the best place for our patients to receive care,” said Dan Gross, Sharp’s executive vice president of hospital operations. “IT folks are so integral to every-thing we do here; it’s natural for them to embrace the culture and vision we have.”

Recognition for accomplishments, excep-tional leadership, challenging work and a healthy dose of fun are all factors that brought Scarafone to Sharp and have kept her there for 15 years.

“I’ve had opportunities to go other places, and I choose to stay here,” said Scarafone. “It’s the leadership that supports me, the co-workers I have. I am in an environment where I want to excel, and I can step up and be rec-ognized for it.” ■

Senior Vice President and CIo: Bill Spooneryears in IT: 25years at Sharp: 30Education: California State University at ChicoPrevious employment: Lutheran Healthcare Societyyears in charge of current IT department: 16Management philosophy: “To ensure the team has the tools they need and to try and stay out of their way. We strive to implement common processes for good systems management but do everything we can to recognize individuality and tend not to over-manage our team.”

Recognition, leadership, challenging work and fun keep IT team looking sharpThe best way to end up with happy patients is to have happy physicians and happy employees, CIO says


Sharp HealthCareSan Diego, Calif.

IT staff: 400

Licensed beds: 2,000 3

sharp’s vision is to be the best place for employees to work, the best place for physicians to practice and the best place for patients to receive care, said Dan gross, executive vice president of hospital operations.


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Large department ‘operates more like a family’When Genesis HealthCare System’s IT department grabbed the number-two spot among large hospitals in 2011’s “Where to Work: BEST Hospital IT Departments” pro-gram, it warranted a celebration.

CIO Ed Romito gathered the team for lunch, entertained them with a slide show of their growth from 35 employees to 115 in about four years, then gave them the rest of the after-noon off. It says a lot about the workplace Romito has created – one that recognizes employee achievements while tempering demanding work with fun and camaraderie.

Placing 4th among large hospitals this year is another reason to celebrate.

“We are a large department, but we operate

more like a family. There’s no hierarchy here,” said Romito, whose department serves two hospitals and 48 other facilities. “When we talk to recruits, we hear ‘Wow, that’s exactly the kind of organization I’m looking for.’”

The top priority at Genesis has been creat-ing a culture that clearly connects IT function to patient benefit.

“They see that the hard work and the long hours they put in really do make a difference.” Romito said of his staff, ■

‘Big Bang’ project showcases collaborationIt wasn’t a party that had 200-plus people from Meridian Health’s IT department ringing in the New Year together. Rather, it was the “Big Bang”: a project that standardized and inte-grated 52 clinical and financial systems with a newly acquired hos-pital in a single day.

“It was very aggres-sive, but we did it,” says Senior IT Director Bob Radvanski, whose team spent 125,000 hours preparing for this Big Bang and a similar project last October. With each integration into this health system of six New Jersey hospitals, Radvanski’s team has swelled and quickly gelled.

“In the beginning, people would ask, ‘what campus are you from?’” said Radvanski. “We no longer have that conversation.”

That’s thanks to a staff that’s driven, genuinely enjoys working together and highly experienced (12 years is the average tenure with some staff reaching 18). Daily huddles maintain open communication, and staggered hours offer flexibility.

“We believe in centralizing our department as much as possible,” said Radvanski. “We keep everyone under one roof, so they can see each other and get to know each other.” ■

Genesis HealthCare SystemZanesville, Ohio

Licensed Beds: 420

IT Staff: 115

Meridian HealthNeptune, N.J.

Licensed Beds: 1,700

IT Staff: 211

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genesis healthCare strives to strike the right balance between achievement and fun.

meridian health’s it staff is driven and genuinely enjoys working together. Daily huddles maintain open communication and staggered hours offer flexibility.

Empowerment allows IT employees to make a differenceMissouri may be the “Show Me State,” but at Heartland Health, the motto for employ-ees is “Own the proj-ect.” It’s that sort of latitude that attracts and retains quality employees, says Joe Boyce, MD, the IT department’s CIO and CMIO.

“We find good folks, let them own their areas, let them make a dif-ference, and they will run like crazy,” he said. “We give them respon-sibility and block for them.”

Boyce’s management philosophy pivots off the Heartland culture of service. People want to make a difference if you only give them the chance, he said.

Boyce said giving people the authority to manage their individual responsibilities leads to a contagious attitude throughout the ranks, where staff members police themselves to guard against any “dead wood” weighing down productivity.

Boyce is also a big advocate of transparency in his leadership, so that

there are no secrets in the department. Yet revealing the truth can be painful, he concedes.

“Letting people know what’s happening can be scary sometimes,” Boyce said. “Health care is broken, and the train is heading for a cliff. If we don’t find solutions for small organizations like ours, we’re in trouble.” ■

Heartland HealthSt. Joseph, Mo.

Licensed beds: 393

IT Staff: 100

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at heartland health, it employees are empowered to manage their own areas of responsibility. “People want to make a difference if you only give them the chance,” said Cio/Cmio Joe Boyce, mD.


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‘Micro’ IT teams get macro resultsEmployees in small IT departments tend to be satisfied with their jobs, although many say they feel overworked and understaffedBy john andreWs,

contriButing editor

With limited budgets and resources, small community hospitals don’t have the luxu-ry of extra staff. In these envi-ronments, people learn to

make do with what they have. That includes the IT departments, perhaps especially so.

In departments with seven or fewer employ-ees – categorized as “micro-departments” for the “Where to Work: BEST Hospital IT Departments” program – personnel must have a variety of skill sets to meet any challenge that arises. Specialists interested in focusing on one particular aspect of IT need not apply.

Healthcare IT News recently surveyed 15 micro-departments to get better insight into how these micro-departments operate, per-form, compare and contrast with their coun-terparts at large healthcare systems. In gen-eral, micro-department employees tend to be satisfied with their jobs, though many say they feel overworked and understaffed. Still, there is an overwhelming “can do” spirit that personifies these micro-departments, mar-shalling what resources they do have to get the job done.

Steve Rausch, director of information tech-nology at Hillsdale Community Health Center in Hillsdale, Mich., acknowledges that his five-member department “lacks personnel

resources” and that “with fewer people, the many projects that exist pile up on people.” Yet his team is able to overcome this challenge through effective communication, which he says is made possible by a lack of bureaucracy.

“If we want to implement a change, it can be planned and discussed in the office and implemented on our time table,” Rausch said.

To be sure, a micro-department’s smallness can be an advantage when it comes to quick decision making, said Grady Warner, director of information technology at Burgess Health Center in Onawa, Iowa.

“We can shift priorities quickly,” he said. “Since we are small, we tend to find ways to make processes easier.”

JaCks oF all traDes

Warner’s staff consists of four people, includ-ing him. Everyone learns the different aspects of IT, including servers, networks, desktops, virtualization, applications and mobility.

“No one is a master of anything, since we have to know a little about everything,” Warner said. “We get pulled in several directions throughout the day since we have to help with all aspects of IT. We tend to call on outside support a few times throughout the year for major projects when it is outside

“We feel the three of us are meeting the IT needs of our hospital. We’ve all grown up in a small town, graduated from small schools, and now choose to work in a small hospital. We’ve learned the laws of common sense.” Craig wells

the it department (above) at hillsdale Community health Center in hillsdale, mich., has a small staff and projects often pile up. the team overcomes this challenge through effective communication made possible by a lack of bureaucracy, said steve rausch, director of information technology.

MICRo SEE PaGE 12


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IT staff receives tools needed to promote “ICARE” philosophyThe healthcare industry is heavy with acronyms, but the one that matters most to the IT department at TriStar Centennial Medical Center is ICARE. Standing for integrity, compassion, (positive) attitude, respect and excep-tional quality, the acro-nym is ingrained in all 26 employees who work with Annette Matlock, manager of information systems.

“We know that even though we don’t have direct contact with patients, what we do impacts those who do have the direct contact,” she said. “Our job is to make their job easier. It’s the nature of the people who work here that embody these values every day.”

Subscribing to the tenets of ICARE, Matlock said, creates a work environment where employees receive emotional support along with the tools they need to do their jobs.

“We have the flexibility and prioritize coordinating time off with

friends and family when needed,” she said. “We cover for each other as schedules and life circumstances change. This is a team that genu-inely cares for each other and are willing to go the extra mile when a co-worker needs help. They pitch in and get the job done.” ■

Drive to improve patient care motivates employees dailyAsk Chad Eckes, CIO at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, what the key motivating factor is for his employees, and his answer is pret-ty simple: “The most important aspect for us is our strong align-ment to patients”

With IT staff spread throughout facilities nationwide, Eckes views patient care as a key driving force for maintaining “an extremely tight culture,” he said. “That becomes our underpinning philosophy to everything; we’re constantly talking about what we’re doing and how can you draw a line back to the patient.”

Eckes and his team are routinely involved in patient focus groups as well, which allow employees to hear ways patient experiences can be made better through the use of IT.

“We won’t even start a board meeting without a patient in the room telling us their story,” he said. “We’ve spent a lot of time learning from them and how we can be better. That ends up being an action list for us.” ■

TriStar Centennial Medical CenterNashville, Tenn.

Licensed beds: 657

IT staff: 26

Cancer Treatment Centers of AmericaSchaumburg, Ill.

Licensed beds: 467 (system wide)

IT staff: 162

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the it staff at tristar Centennial goes the extra mile because they know their work directly impacts patients.

the it team at Cancer treatment Centers of america regularly attends patient focus groups to gain insight into how it can improve the patient experience.

of our experience level.”One statement Rausch says is never

uttered in his department is, ‘it’s not my job,’ because everyone must pitch in out of neces-sity.

“In a small IT department, the people get cross-trained in all systems as much as pos-sible,” he said. “While they may have pri-mary responsibilities, there are no silos.”

Common sense

Although the IT department at George C. Grape Community Hospital in Hamburg, Iowa, only has three people, Craig Wells,

director of IT, doesn’t consider it small.“We feel the three of us are meeting the

IT needs of our hospital,” he said. “We’ve all grown up in a ‘small’ town, graduated from ‘small’ schools, and now choose to work in a ‘small’ hospital. I believe this

means we already know how to do what-ever it takes to get a job done. We’ve learned the laws of common sense. So in our case, the best thing about working in a small IT department is that we already know how to do it.” ■

microCoNTINuED FRoM PaGE 11

the it team at the george C. grape Community hospital has learned the “laws of common sense.”


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Best Workplace. Best Team. Best Care.

Congratulations, again.For the second year in a row, Healthcare IT News has named

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A dedication to excellence in all that we do is what we call The

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How to hire compatible employees and avoid a culture clashStep one: Take the initiative to identify your company culture. This is often easier said than done.By ana Mcgary

SO YOU’VE STARTED the recruiting process and received numerous candidates that appear to be qualified. But how do you really know if a prospective candidate is going to fit into your organizational or team culture?

Of course, one of the main purposes of a job interview is to enable managers or others on the interview team to assess the potential cultural fit of a job candidate. Interaction in the interview setting with a potential employee clearly factors into the selection process. The candidate must exhibit both the necessary qualifications to perform the job and the essential cultural fit needed to work effectively within the existing organization.

It’s not always easy, however, to identify your company’s culture. That’s because when people are at work on a daily basis, many of the mani-festations of culture become almost invisible.

DeteCtive work

One way to observe your organization’s cul-ture is to walk around the building and look at some of the physical signs of culture. For example: What interaction between employ-

ees do you see? How much emotion is expressed during the interaction? How is the space allocated? Where are the offices located? What is posted on bulletin boards or dis-played on walls? What is said in memos or emails? What is the tone of messages (formal or informal, pleasant or hostile, etc.)? How often do people communicate with one anoth-er? Is all communication written, or do people communicate verbally?

These are just a few of the questions to answer when assessing your organization’s culture.

Another way to understand your organiza-tion’s culture is to interview employees in small groups. During these interviews, it is just as important to observe the interaction between employees as it is to hear what they say about the culture. Since employees often have a hard time describing a company’s cul-

ture, indirect questions often gain the most information. For example, you could ask:

■■ What would you tell a friend about our company if he or she was about to start work-ing here?

■■ What is the one thing you would most like to change about this organization?

■■ What kinds of people succeed or fail in this company?

Once you have some of these answers, you can better understand your culture and devel-op interview questions that provide insight into how compatible a candidate will be with your environment.

Question anD answer

During the interview, you want to identify the environment in which a person is most effective. It also helps to identify how a

ana mcgary

The bottom line here is that an employee who has a solid employment history and is a good cultural fit will usually work well in your existing workplace environment.

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Team approach, can-do attitude help drive success Jim Murray, CIO at UC Irvine Health, says the foundation of his depart-ment’s success rests on the clear communication of its vision and values.

“We encourage values such as trust, openness, honesty, account-ability, empowerment and a can-do attitude,” he said.

The department is transparent, allowing Murray to share the orga-nization’s direction through quarterly, “all-hands” meetings, lead-ership sessions, and weekly “skip-level” meetings. At the “skip” meetings, Murray

“skips” the management levels of the department and has lunch with his staff, covering the entire department every four to six months.

“We promote a team approach, where each of us have specific respon-sibilities but as equal members of the team,” he said. In addition, UC Irvine Health is big on recognition. Murray said the team recognizes accomplishments in all of its regular staff meetings.

“I try to model the values we instill on people, as does my leadership team,” he said. “I make myself very accessible to anyone at anytime.” ■

Roper’s rules: Casual, cool and open to opinions from allMike Taylor, vice pres-ident and CIO at Roper St. Francis Healthcare, recognizes that stress often goes hand-in-hand with working in IT. That’s why he’s dedicated to making his department a laid-back, fun environment that promotes open communication.

“If you have an opinion, we want to hear about it,” he said. “We have a stressful job as it is, and we keep an informal work environment.”

Taylor added the social aspect of working at Roper St. Francis plays a major role in employee satisfaction, and he and his team often enjoy things like bring-your-dog-to-work days, baseball games and cookouts.

“It’s a collegial environment, from the standpoint that everyone works hard, but we work together for a common goal,” he said. “It’s centered around our patients. We have an engaged group, and everyone pulls together in the tough times.” ■

UC Irvine HealthOrange, Calif.

Licensed beds: 420

IT staff: 226

Roper St. Francis HealthcareCharleston, S.C.

Licensed beds: 700

IT staff: 128

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the it team at roper st. Francis healthcare works hard together but also takes time for cookouts, baseball games and other activities that help reduce stress.

uC irvine’s it department thrives on trust, openness and accountability.


candidate has approached a variety of work situations in the past. That should tell you whether the candidate’s style and behavior is compatible with the style used success-fully in your organization. For example, an employee who works well on a team and who appreciates the input of a variety of people is likely to work well in an organiza-tion that stresses team work. An employee who wants to work alone most of the time may not be a good cultural fit in a team-oriented workplace.

The bottom line here is that an employee who has a solid employment history and is

a good cultural fit will usually work well in your existing workplace environment. Before you can adequately assess a potential employee, however, you need to understand and be able to verbalize your own workplace

culture and values. ■

Ana McGary is president of PeopleFirst Enterprises, a human resources consulting company in Atlanta, Ga.

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During the interview, you want to identify the environment in which a person is most effective. It also helps to identify how a candidate has approached a variety of work situations in the past. That should tell you whether the candidate’s style and behavior is compatible with the style used successfully in your organization.


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Congratulations! You’ve been hired. Now what?By joann klinedinst

IF DONE RIGHT, integrating a qualified, new

employee into your business unit will pay great

dividends. But if done the wrong way, the result can

be increased inefficiencies and stress for your entire

team. So what’s a hiring manager to do? First, put

yourself in the place of your new hire. We’ve all been

one at some point in our careers. Be empathetic,

sympathetic and downright hospitable.

With that in mind, here are some tips for the new

hire and his manager:

aDviCe to the new hire

Congratulations! You been offered a position and you’ve accepted it. Now what? As a hiring manager, I want first to congratulate you. You have a bright future ahead of you, and I’m here to help you. But you must help me, too. Be prepared not only to do the things that you’ve been trained to do but also those things that others may not want to do. Your willingness to accept challenges, go the extra mile and have a positive attitude is exactly what I need. Ask questions. Be patient. Seek clarification.

Your First DaY

Your first day in a new job can be very intim-idating. I know. I worked at my previous employer for 18 years. I planned to stay for five. But life happened. I knew how to get things done and I knew everyone. And I’m sure that you did, too. On my first day at the new job, I met with my supervisor, HR and got to meet the many people that I would be working

with. This experience was priceless. You will need to learn new procedures, new accounting structures and rules, new workplace rules and new technologies. Hopefully your hiring man-ager will be like mine: She took the time to explain things, she didn’t hesitate to answer questions and she was always available. She was vested in my success.

orientation

Orientation is your opportunity to meet and learn about the organization. Do take a lot of notes because you won’t remember the details. Prepare ahead of time for this and come prepared to ask questions. And yes, I, too, will provide you with department-spe-cific orientation. I will give you a checklist to learn about things not only independently but also by meeting with your peers. It’s your responsibility to get the most out of this task. And it can be difficult to balance orientation and work, but you can do it!

mentorshiP

As your hiring manager, I will appoint a peer mentor from another department to help pro-vide you with a positive experience. I do so because I want you to succeed. And I will mentor you, too, by helping you to under-stand how to do your job, work through oth-ers and get the work done.

ongoing training anD DeveloPment

Lastly, do as I do: Participate in ongoing training and development by participating in formal and informal opportunities. And you will learn. It takes work to balance work, family and school. But, as I tell my kids, it builds character. ■

JoAnn Klinedinst is vice president of professional development for HIMSS.

Joann klinedinst


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By john andreWs,

contriButing editor

Apart from departmental poli-cies, procedures and protocols, a successful work team needs a crucial ingredient to operate effectively: chemistry. It may be

intangible, invisible and elusive, but chem-istry serves as a bonding agent that drives people to want to work together.

Bernie Clement, CIO of Thibodaux Region-al Medical Center, believes his IT department has that chemistry, and that it keeps his employees cohesive in their mission.

“We have a great mix on our team – from very young to not-so-young and from very clinical to very technical,” he said. “We have been so fortunate to have clinical leaders on our team who naturally take to technology, and to have some very young team members who demonstrate amazing maturity and cus-tomer focus.”

Instead of being divisive, the wide spec-trum of ages, skill sets and backgrounds actu-ally contributes to the harmonious spirit of the department, said clinical analyst Amy Pellegrin-Martin.

“This makes for a well-rounded department because we can offer diverse opinions and viewpoints to assist in seeing our projects from many other perspectives,” she said. “We have a unique fellowship and trust with one anoth-

er. Fellow workers are always willing to stretch out a hand. We never let anyone drown.”

With just one year under his belt at his current position, Clement concedes that he assumed leadership of a department that was already a well-oiled machine.

“Two (key) elements were in place before I arrived at Thibodaux Regional: having the right people and working at a great hospital,” he said. “From a team member standpoint, you want to hire people that have a can-do spirit, know how to communicate with customers, and understand our important role in health-

care. And many of these people were already here.”

Clement credits the Thibodaux organizational structure for helping to make his job easier because it sup-ports his methodologies and backs up his decisions.

“They have the discipline

to plan and stick to their plan; they stress accountability within their leadership ranks; and they are all about patient-centered excel-lence,” he said.

The Thibodaux IT chemistry stems from a group of 13 people who are motivated self-starters, Clement said.

“If you need to spend all of your time moti-vating someone, you need to start wondering why that person is here,” he said. “I look for people that will put their hearts into their work.”

Beyond that, Clement said, he wants to be sure his team has a clear plan and set of pri-orities and that he serves as the anchor to keep everything grounded.

“When I see IS departments struggle, it is usually because they simply have too much on their plate or what is on their plate is con-stantly changing,” he said. “The most impor-tant thing I can do for my team members is to manage the plate.” ■

CIo: Bernie Clementyears in IT: 15years employed at Thibodaux: 1Education: BS in Business, MBA w/ IT concentrationPrevious employment: East Jefferson General Hospitalyears in charge of current IT department: 1Management philosophy: Understand what the customer wants, get the right team, establish the right processes, over-communicate and recognize accomplishments.

Team chemistry creates harmonious mix of trust and fellowshipIT staffers understand their important role in healthcare and how to communicate with customers

Thibodaux Regional Medical CenterThibodaux, La.

Licensed beds: 185

IT staff: 13 1

Top 10 Medium Hospitals

the it department at thibodaux regional medical Center looks to hire people with a can-do spirit.


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By john andreWs,

contriButing editor

They may be repeat winners, but earn-ing a Healthcare IT News “Where to Work: BEST Hospital IT Departments” award never gets old for the IT staff at

Frankfort Regional Medical Center.“The first award united us and gave us pride

in our work, and I’m sure the second will only exemplify it,” said Craig Willard, director of information technology. “Receiving this award for a second year in a row has maintained morale around the department. It always feels good to be assured of how good your depart-ment really is. It is a springboard for deeper and more focused customer service.”

The 10-member Frankford IT team managed to clinch its second award despite being pre-occupied over the past year with molding and troubleshooting an electronic health record project that went live last fall. Willard chalks it up to the department’s ability to navigate the labyrinthine landscape with confidence.

“Every day is about making it work for everyone in the facility,” he said. “It’s con-stantly evolving and improving – everything is constantly changing. With several new mandates and initiatives, there are always challenges to complete tasks in an expedient and efficient manner. Our ability to enhance each other’s skills makes completing these tasks manageable.”

In essence, the Frankfort IT group is resil-ient and adaptable to the shifting demands placed upon them, Willard said.

“We are constantly adapting to new pro-grams and working hard to become creative in how to improve our workflows,” he said. “Creativity can be lots of fun when you involve technology and the options are endless.”

Willard considers the IT department to be his “home away from home,” and he says team members treat each other like family.

Tech analyst Ryan Fluharty agrees, saying he always looks forward to coming to work and being with his colleagues.

“The best thing about our department is our priorities – family, health and work,” he said. “It is very important to work for a department that cares about you as a person, as opposed to you being a number.”

Trust is an essential element in a successful operation, and Willard said everyone on his team values its importance.

“You can count on everyone to do what they say they are going to do,” he said. “Our employees are experienced, dedicated and hardworking. Our team is always willing to learn and looking for ways to improve our processes.”

Yet while everyone takes their work seri-ously, Willard said, the atmosphere is loose and upbeat.

“The typical person in our department is fun-loving, caring and most importantly, respectful,” he said. “Everyone has a great sense of humor. There’s nothing like a joke or random e-mail that can make you smile or brighten your day just a little.”

CEO Chip Peal points out the irony in the IT department’s value to the hospital: “When they’re doing their jobs well, you don’t see them.” That doesn’t mean the team is invis-ible, however, he said, because “they have been proactive in going around to everyone and asking if they have any IT issues. If something isn’t working, they immediately correct it.” ■

director of IT&S: Craig Willardyears in IT: 14years employed at Frankfort Regional: 10Education: B.A., Organizational ManagementPrevious employment: Plangraphicsyears in charge of current IT department: 3Management philosophy: Empowerment. Open Communication. Proficiency. Work-life balance.

Two-time winner has priorities: family, health and workIT team adapts constantly to new programs and works hard to create solutions that improve workflow

Frankfort Regional Medical Center Frankfort, KY

Licensed beds: 173

IT staff: 10 2

the it team at Frankfort regional medical Center poses with casks of kentucky bourbon whiskey at the Buffalo trace Distillery in Frankfort, ky. over the past decade, Buffalo trace has won more awards than any other distillery in the world. Frankfort’s it department hopes to match that standard of excellence, said Craig willard, director of information technology.


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By reBecca goldfine,

contriButing Writer

Mark kilborn acknowledges the unavoidable truth of most professional jobs: Office work-ers typically spend more time with their colleagues than with

their families. “So it’s so important to get along with each

other,” said Kilborn, CIO of Springhill Medical Center, an acute care hospital in Mobile, Ala.

Kilborn personally reinforces his IT depart-ment’s culture of cooperation. He tries to take one member of his 25-person team out to lunch every week.

“I keep them all informed and make them feel like an important part of the team,” he explained. “It’s not a nine-to-five job; health-care IT departments have more on their plate now than I have ever seen in my career.”

The positive environment pays off in happy clients, according to Kilborn. When IT employees receive praise from hospital staff or go “the extra mile,” Kilborn said, they receive a token from their manager, which can be turned in for a day off.

All that happiness aside, Kilborn doesn’t shy away from demanding exemplary perfor-mances from his staff.

“The philosophy we have here is we have

to earn our job every day, and prove our worth to the organization,” he said.

For example, each weekday, at 6 a.m., an IT employee is at work, checking computers at the nursing stations.

Pam Shedd, the hospital’s clinical systems manager, said because the team is small “for what we support, we support each other.” She recalled a time when a coworker overheard her recount that on a Saturday night she had had to call a physician who was having computer trou-bles. Without being prompted, the employee devised a new web-based service for hospital

employees to make it easier and speedier to ask for and receive IT assistance.

Springhill Medical Center is unusual in that it’s a family-owned for-profit facility, run by Celia Wallace. Kilborn said many women hold manage-ment positions in the IT

department, and women make up almost half the team. Most of them worked as healthcare providers before becoming IT experts.

Springhill was also among the first Gulf Coast hospitals to qualify for American Recov-ery and Reinvestment Act funds, roughly $2 million, for demonstrating meaningful use of its electronic health records, according to CEO Jeffrey St. Clair.

Beyond reaping those funds, the IT team is so efficient that it saves the hospital money.

“I cannot recall the last time we used more than 10 percent of the implementation fees that a vendor predicted as needed for a proj-ect,” St. Clair said.

For Kilborn, achieving those savings is how he proves his worth to the organization.

“My biggest challenge is protecting the assets of this organization on a day-to-day basis,” he said, “and making sure they get the best return on technology that technology can produce.” ■

CIo: Mark Kilbornyears in IT: 38years employed at Springhill Medical Center: 12Education: Faulkner State Previous employment: Infirmary Health System, Mobile, Ala.years in charge of the current IT department: 12Management Philosophy: First and foremost, treat everyone the way you would want to be treated.

CIO works hard to keep staff informed and feeling part of the teamIT employees demonstrate a spirit of cooperation and adhere to the philosophy that they must earn their jobs everyday and prove their worth to the organization

Springhill Medical CenterMobile, Ala.

Licensed beds: 252

IT Staff: 25 3

springhill medical Center is a family-owed, for-profit facility. women make up almost half the it team and many hold management positions.


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Fight the healthcare IT talent war with these hiring tacticsBy judy kirBy

With demand exceeding supply for some health-care IT jobs, hospitals and other providers cannot afford to drag

their feet when looking to fill open positions. With that in mind, here is a list of best practices for hiring the best employees possible.

DeveloP a ProJeCt Plan anD timeline

Top healthcare organizations approach the hiring process with a detailed proj-ect plan and timeline agreed upon by all key stakeholders. They begin by thoroughly outlining the position requirements and specifications to determine exactly what they are look-ing for in a candidate prior to starting the search process. They ensure key decision-makers are in agreement about the type of candidate they believe will be successful in the posi-tion. By working out the specifications in the beginning, they avoid wasting time on ill-equipped candidates.

aCt QuiCklY anD DeCisivelY

Top candidates are not available long, and numerous companies lose their perfect candidate to an organization that simply moved faster. Consulting firms, in particular, are nimble in their hiring process and most seem to

Brain drain: Industry surveypoints to majorshortage of CIOs in coming yearsStress and the desire for better pay spur exodusBy judy kirBy

For healthcare it workers eager to move up into the ranks of CIOs and other senior hospital management, the future has never been brighter. That’s according

to a new industry survey conduct-ed by HIT recruiting firm Kirby Partners, which interviewed 350 members of the College of Health-care Information Management Executives (CHIME).

The survey questioned respon-dents on their future career plans, and while the median age of those in the survey was 54 (ages ranged from 32 to 67), 47 percent of these executives indicated they plan to retire in the next 10 years. Additionally, a third of respondents expect their CEO to retire within the next four years, which will also likely contribute to CIO turnover reaching record highs in the near future.

Of the executives who responded to the sur-vey (72 percent of them CIOs), 31 percent said they planned to retire directly from their current position. The remaining 69 percent said they

planned to transition into other roles. An equal number of respondents plan to transition into the CIO position or into a new hospital manage-ment role (27 percent each). Notably, 11 percent

plan to seek employment outside of the hospital setting.

The most interesting detail from this survey is that only 27 percent of current CIOs will seek another CIO position in healthcare. This means that with increased turn-over expected due to retirement and industry movement, there will be fewer qualified individuals to fill the increased job opportunities. That presents a challenge for

healthcare facilities, but it offers tremendous opportunity for those eager to climb the cor-porate ladder.

Previous research conducted by Kirby Part-ners indicated that the most common reasons for leaving the healthcare sector were:

1. To pursue better compensation2. To seek jobs with less stress and/or bet-

ter work-life balance The takeaway here is that as it struggles to

Judy kirby

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of the 350 health it executives who responded to the survey, 72 percent of them were Cios.


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Training helps staff move to the next level J.D. Jackson, Highlands Regional Medical Center’s CIO, recently asked his staff what they thought made the hospital IT department a great employer.

“One thing that stuck out is that all employ-ees take personal ownership for their depart-ment, their network, their servers,” he said.

That’s a big responsibility for the eight-person team. The IT staff helps manage the information systems of the hospital, plus its four clinics, two retail pharmacies, a wellness center, home health agency and seven physi-cian practices.

“Our peers have two to four times as many people to do the same work,” Jackson said.

But the team is up for the task, partly because “everyone here loves technology.” Plus, Jackson said, the hospital provides “good equipment, a reasonable wage, and good training.”

Highlands’ training budget is several thou-sand dollars per year, per member.

“As far as training is concerned, we decide what’s the next step to take to move them to the next level,” Jackson said. ■

Motivated colleagues step up to help each other

Recently, just two days after Diane Smith, director of information systems at Saint Fran-cis Medical Center, sent out an email to enlist staff to cover for an absent employee, she had enough volunteers to get the job done.

This is just one example of a workplace where colleagues are motivated to help one another, said Smith, whose IT department last year placed first among hospitals in the medium-size category.

To ensure the continuation of its collabora-tive culture, IT employees are invited to inter-view job candidates to determine how well they listen and communicate. Once hired, employees are well supported.

“I hire the right people and remove day-to-day barriers that may frustrate them,”

Smith said. Plus, she’s not averse to bringing a light-

hearted attitude into the office. “I had a certificate for a free haircut that I

didn’t need, and so I asked who would be interested in having their name put into a drawing for it,” she said. “Soon after, it became the nomination for who needed a haircut the most.” ■

Highlands Regional Medical CenterPrestonsburg, Ky.

Licensed beds: 184

IT Staff: 8

Saint Francis Medical CenterCape Girardeau, Mo.

IT staff: 25

Licensed beds: 280

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highlands regional medical Center’s it department may have only eight employees, but whatever the job, they’re up to the task, partly because “everyone here loves technology,” said Cio J.D. Jackson.

at saint Francis medical Center, Director of information systems Diane smith hires the “right people” and then removes the “day-to-day barriers that may frustrate them.”

IT team hits the road to improve service A few years ago, five or so IT employees at the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System approached Mike Taylor, CIO and vice president of infor-mation systems, with an idea: They wanted to do “rounding.”

The health system’s facilities are spread

over multiple counties, and the IT team mem-bers made the case that they could be more effective by getting out of the office and pro-viding more face-to-face customer service. Taylor agreed.

Now, IT employees make it to multiple facilities daily, as well as to remote locations

three or four times a year. “It’s interesting,” said Taylor. “Typically

you have people in information systems who stay in and do their work. This allowed them to put a face with people they talk to on the phone, and the staff and I have enjoyed that.” ■

Sarah Bush Lincoln Health SystemMattoon, Ill.

Licensed beds: 180

IT staff: 24

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a rare moment together for the travelling it department of sarah Bush lincoln health system.


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IT staff are more than just co-workers: ‘We’re family’At St. Anthony Shaw-nee Hospital, day in and day out the IT department strives to ensure that their co-workers have minimal problems with their technological devices.

“We are driven by our commitment to service excellence. That’s our culture... that’s our nature,” said Robert McLaughlin, assistant direc-tor of IT at St. Anthony’s.

He emphasized that the IT department is proud of their open com-munication and genuine willingness to help others.

“If (the clinical staff) have issues with their computer, they get stressed,” McLaughlin remarked. “That unnecessary stress can easily transfer to how they interact with the patients. We don’t want that.”

That service excellence isn’t limited to just the IT department either, McLaughlin noted; the entire organization has that mindset.

“We’re more than just coworkers.” he said. “We’re family. And we’re very co-dependent on each other. We find it’s much easier to work together to solve a problem immediately. Not only does it make the department look better, it makes our coworkers – our extended family – more satisfied.” ■

Hospital executive team values and supports IT more than everWhen IT analysts and technicians at Union Hospital were asked to write-up procedure guides on what they do and to job shadow their department co-workers, the result was dramatic.

“It was instantly harmonious,” said IT Systems Director Dan Peirce. “This exercise helped them gain a greater understanding of what the needs really were, and to recognize and know enough about what happens on the ‘other side’ of things.”

It also helps that Union Hospital’s IT department has a healthy mix of people. Some employees have worked there for 45 years; others just celebrated their first-year anniversary.

“It’s good to bring both old-school and new-school stuff to the table,” said Peirce. “Everyone always has a voice here.”

And as the administration has changed over the years, there’s been a complete “flip” in the mindset, so that the IT department is valued and supported more than ever before.

“There’s a clear understanding from the executive management that if we [IT] don’t lay the track, they can’t drive the train,” Peirce said. ■

St. Anthony Shawnee HospitalShawnee, Okla.

IT employees: 10

Licensed beds: 114

Union HospitalElkton, Md.

IT employees: 21

Licensed beds: 120

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the it department is proud of its open communication and driven by a commitment to service excellence and helping others.

the union hospital it department includes old-school and new-school employees. “everyone has a voice here,” said it Director Dan Peirce.


implement the best and most cost-effective uses of technology, healthcare continues to be a pressure-filled industry.

These imminent changes in staffing levels highlight the need for organizations to pre-pare for increasing turnover, but few have any type of succession plan. In fact, more than half of the respondents say their organization lacks someone groomed and ready to replace senior management.

Succession planning should be a priority. Done correctly, it ensures a successful transi-tion when executive leaders step aside and younger employees take over. Several organi-

zations have found success by identifying up-and-comers and implementing mentoring and other initiatives to prepare them for leader-ship roles in the next five to 10 years.

Overall, this survey represents tremendous opportunity for those seeking increased responsibility and executive roles in healthcare IT. For younger employees with these aspira-

tions, this means seeking out a mentor, obtain-ing an advanced degree, and acquiring the new skills that will prepare them to step up and fill the void left by departing senior executives. ■

Judy Kirby is president and CEo of Kirby Partners, an executive search firm specializing in healthcare IT for the past 23 years.

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HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYWhere caring meets computing

www.IndianaTech.edu/CPS | [email protected]

Indiana Tech’s new associate degree in health information technology (HIT) will provide the skills required to support and use information-related technologies in the delivery of health care.

› Degree will be offered online › Each course will last 5 weeks › Classes are forming now › Financial aid is available

800.288.1766

Trusted, compassionate care.

Congratulations

It’s the best!

Sarah Bush Lincoln Information Systems

2012 health IT jobs: What’s hot and what’s notBy e.j. fechenda

According to HIMSS JobMine, one of the leading niche healthcare IT job boards in the industry, these were the top 10 positions by job function in 2011:

So far for 2012, the list hasn’t changed much, with the exception of three different job categories emerging. Postings for “CIO/VP of IT/IS”, “programmers/developers”,

and “sales/marketing/business development” positions are on the rise. The following posi-tions aren’t as prevalent as last year: “data management/analyst”, “systems/network engineer; programmer”, and “health informa-tion administrator”.

This emergence of “CIO/VP of IT/IS” isn’t surprising. As the economy dictates more oversight and strategy for IT spending, orga-nizations are seeking skilled leaders. Physi-cian practices are expanding their IT presence, and this expansion taps into personnel band-width, thus creating the need for a senior level leadership position. With this increased demand, recruiting practices are becoming more competitive in their efforts to lure CIOs away from their current employers. Also, the workforce is beginning to feel the impact as the first wave of Baby Boomers retires, paving the way for the next generation of CIOs.

The increase in “sales/marketing/business development” positions can be attributed to the stabilization within the healthcare ven-dor market. There was significant fallout between 2009 and 2011 where marketing budgets were cut and staff reduced. Sales departments either maintained a status quo or replaced higher paid representatives.

There also were several major mergers and acquisitions during this time that had an impact. Not only are these companies hiring again, but the majority of these positions also prefer candidates with healthcare knowl-edge. Because of this preference, more employers and recruiters are using niche job boards for sourcing.

Programmers and developers require a spe-cific skill set, which can be applied in a healthcare setting and on the vendor side. With healthcare organizations becoming increasingly more dependent on technology,

and as the technology evolves, the roles of programmers and developers become more important.

A lot can change in six months, and it will be interesting to see how these positions trend during the rest of the year. Based on the data collected to date, it’s safe to say that “IT/technology management,” “analyst” and “healthcare informatics” positions will remain in the top five for job openings. ■

E.J. Fechenda is the audience data manager for MedTech Media.

1. IT/technology management2. analyst3. Healthcare informatics4. Consultant5. Systems analyst6. Project management /project manager7. Clinical information management8. Data management/analysis9. Systems/network engineer; programmer10. Health information administrator


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Simple philosophy pays off: ‘We encourage happiness’Ephraim McDowell Health prides itself on being a family-oriented organization that goes above and beyond to make sure employees remain happy.

“Our philosophy is simple,” said Becky Blevins, IT project manager. “We encour-age happiness. For example, emails go out to the whole organiza-tion when a particular employee is going through a rough time. Folks can donate their vacation time to another person so they can take time off to heal and be well.”

Communication is also very important to the EMH staff. Along with monthly anonymous surveys that allow IT employees to share what they’re feeling about the workplace or fellow colleagues, a liaison pro-gram encourages staff to develop relationships with outside depart-ments, making it easier and more comfortable to approach IT when something goes awry.

“We’re also known to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to every Information Ser-vices associate as a group,” added Blevins. “We do it very loudly and very out of tune. We’re recognized throughout our organization as the ‘Terri-ble-nacle’ choir. But it makes people smile. It makes people happy.” ■

‘All-hands-on-deck’ attitude gets the job done“Hire good people and get out of their way.” George Reynolds, MD, and CIO/CMIO of Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, said that last year when his depart-ment placed fifth in the “Where to Work: BEST Hospital IT Departments” pro-gram. This year he’s got more good people than ever to dodge.

Over the past year, Children’s has boosted its IT staff from 45 to 61 and taken on a large project: Move to an enterprise, single-vendor solution for EMR and ACO.

Recently, the organization had it’s biannual employee engagement survey to measure employees satisfaction.

“Consistently, the two areas that seemed to resonate were commitment and mission,” Reynolds said. “When you understand the wonderful work done at a kid’s hospital, and how your work specifically relates to it, it’s a tremendous job satisfier. As is the culture, which seems to happen organically at an individual level here. People genuinely like one another on both a personal and professional level. When anyone’s having a difficult time, we have an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ attitude to get things done.” ■

Ephraim McDowell HealthDanville, Ky./Stanford, Ky.

IT employees: 15

licensed beds: 222 at EMRMC/24 at Fort Logan Hospitals

Children’s Hospital & Medical CenterOmaha, Neb.

IT employees: 61

Licenced beds:142

9

10

over the past year, Children’s hospital & medical Center boosted its it department from 45 to 61 employees. it staffers derive tremendous satisfaction from their role in helping kids live better lives.

ephraim mcDowell’s fun-loving it department attempts to revive a flat-lined PC with a mouse, crash cart and oxygen.

move at lightning speed to acquire top talent.

ComPare CanDiDates to the JoB, not to eaCh other

To streamline the hiring process, compare each candidate to the job requirements and focus on each individual’s fit with the orga-nization rather than comparing candidates against each other. Comparing candidates typically lengthens the hiring timeline and is less effective in identifying those indi-viduals who will be most successful at an organization.

keeP the enD in minD

Despite the need to act quickly, top-perform-ing organizations always hire based on long-term organizational objectives versus short-term needs. While some organizations take too long, others rush the hiring process or place too much emphasis on finding the “cheapest” option, instead of finding a qual-ity candidate who will have a meaningful tenure and be a star performer.

reCognize that CanDiDates want to Be CourteD

The best organizations recognize the impor-tance of courting top talent in today’s market, and they understand that open communica-

tion throughout the hiring process, as well as timely feedback, are critical. They understand that candidates are judging them on efficien-cy and how well they communicate through-out the process. Too often, organizations lose top candidates due to lack of communication and positive reinforcement throughout the hiring process.

By incorporating these best practices into the hiring process, organizations can overcome the challenges of today’s market and can ensure they’re acquiring top healthcare IT talent. ■

Judy Kirby is president and CEo of Kirby Partners, an executive search firm specializing in healthcare IT for the past 23 years.

tacticsCoNTINuED FRoM PaGE 20


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Atlanta | Chicago | Philadelphia | Phoenix | Tulsa

© 2012 Rising Tide

Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a leading national network of regional destination hospitals specializing in complex and advanced-stage cancer care – and one of the “Top 10 Hospital IT Departments” in the country –is hiring IT professionals. What kind of people are we looking for? As our CIO Chad Eckes puts it, “The key differentiator for our IT team is that our work is designed to benefit our patients or those caring for our patients. This mission drives our IT stakeholders to deliver more, innovate more and serve more.”

Would you like to be a part of this mission?Please go to cancercenter.com/employment to learn more.

We’re not just one of the best places to treat cancer.We’re one of the best places to work in IT.

Top 5 Small Hospitals

By reBecca goldfine,

contriButing Writer

Hugh chatham memorial hospital CEO David Loving doesn’t just use a couple laudatory adjectives when he describes his hospital’s IT department; he produces a

high-velocity stream of praise. “They’re can-do, action-oriented, focused, very goal- and mission-oriented, customer-friendly, effec-tive, and they really understand how vital a role they play.”

For the second year in a row, employees have ranked the hospital IT department as the number one best small hospital IT department in the country.

Part of the IT department’s high marks comes from the freedom each employee is given to be innovative and creative – a work-place philosophy CIO Lee Powe stresses as the foremost reason for his department’s high morale and effectiveness.

“All are allowed the freedom to be flexible and creative to solve issues. Staff members are empowered and trusted to prioritize their work schedule,” he wrote in an email. With this flexibility, he added, everyone enjoys his or her job more.

Kevin Stainback, the hospital’s systems analyst, particularly appreciates the latitude he has to do his work.

“Lee treats us each individually and allows us to take on a lot of responsibility for our projects, kind of as if we are our

own entity,” he said.At the same time, the team provides one

another with support to ease workload bur-dens. The team convenes every Monday for a roundtable to hear updates on others’ projects and schedules, and to determine who needs extra assistance.

Powe also makes a point of using the first hour of every day to find out privately who is having professional or personal issues. “I set aside time to speak with (that employee)

and provide support if needed,” he wrote. “In preventing stress, I almost always approve time off that is requested.”

This good cheer is not just found in the hospital’s IT depart-ment. Positivity permeates the whole hospital environment, according to Stainback.

“From the first time you walk in the front door, and meet the person at the switchboard, to the person I walk past six times a day, it’s always like the first time I’ve seen them in a while,” he said. “We’ll always say, ‘hi’.”

That teamwork, rapport and positivity has enabled the small IT team to make clinical information available and easily accessible for all the hospital’s providers and its 10 off-site physician practices, according to Loving. “We have multiple systems that talk to each other, all with the goal of supporting high-quality care. The whole team can now coordinate care.”

He said the team consistently “stays focused on users, and the performance is con-stantly above expectations to support the hospital mission to be the best community hospital in the country, with service as our guiding principal.” ■

IT director: Lee Poweyears in IT: 29years employed at Hugh Chatham: 6.5 Education: 20 years in the U.S. Air ForcePrevious employment: Good Shepherd Medical Center, Longview, Texasyears in charge of current IT department: 6.5Management philosophy: Lead from the front and be able to do what you ask of your employees.

Hugh Chatham claims number one spot–again!IT department scores high marks for giving employees the freedom to be innovative and creative in their work

Hugh Chatham Memorial HospitalElkin, N.C.

Licensed beds: 81

IT staff: 9 1

teamwork, rapport and positivity let this small it team make clinical information available and easily accessible for the hospital’s providers and its 10 off-site physician practices.


27

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Dedicated staff helps hospital provide compassionate careThe IT team is rolling out a new CPOE system and implementing EHRs in eight health centers

“


By jeff roWe,

contriButing editor

Teamwork” is a word that gets tossed around rather easily in many conver-sations, especially when the subject is hospital IT departments. But if you’ve got a nine-person team work-

ing in a converted conference room, “team-work” is more than a word; it’s a necessity.

Since Mark White, IT director at Mt. Des-ert Island Hospital, in Bar Harbor, Maine, took over the IT department four years ago, he’s made teamwork his core focus.

“It gets stuff done,” he put it succinctly. “One of the things I’ve done is made my staff a part of the decision-making process. I treat them like I would want to be treated.”

Naturally, White has plenty of opportunity to put his philosophy to work, as his staff has been “90 miles per hour” for quite some time. They completely replaced their network infra-structure two years ago, are in the process of rolling out a new CPOE system, and imple-menting EHRs in eight health centers scat-tered throughout the area.

All that, as they integrate their system with

Maine Health InfoNet, the state’s sole HIE.“The biggest thing for the group,” White

said, “is we gotta have fun. We spend a lot of late nights as a team, but this hospital is awe-some. The staff is so friendly and helpful that we want to help them.”

In the eyes of Chrissi Harding, Mt. Desert’s CFO, “our IT department is not just a group of individuals working on computers or con-nections. They are dedicated, compassionate and connected to our staff, providers and community.”

Noting that “part of the mission of our hos-pital is to provide compassionate care and strengthen the health of our community,”

Harding added that “our IT department is centric to encourag-ing, implementing and leading our institution towards necessary changes that will make these new technologies available to our pro-viders and thus our community.”

To reward his staff, White said, “we get out quarterly and celebrate

our successes.” Harding added that “every month one of these wonderful individuals is recognized for going beyond the scope of their duties to help our patients, our fellow employ-ees or someone in the community.”

Of course, White knows that keeping abreast of the constant changes across the IT world means consistent training, so funding that effort was another change he introduced upon taking over.

“Within the budget process IT department didn’t have training dollars,” he said, describ-ing the situation when he first arrived. “I’ve fought for that and will take a hit on (things like) rolling out monitors to protect training dollars.”

His success at getting training funded not-withstanding, White recognizes there are limits to what he can get, and his staff is on a shared rotation when it comes to taking courses.

“We adapt,” he said. “We can change on a dime. I really just think the teamwork we pull together is our biggest attribute.” ■

director of IT: Mark Whiteyears in IT: 22years employed at Mt. desert: 6Education: Associates Degree, Liberal Studies, University of Maine at OronoPrevious employment: Eastern Maine Medical Center 11 years, then Venture Health Partnersyears in charge of current IT department: 4Management Philosophy: Teamwork

Mount Desert Island HospitalBar Harbor, Maine

IT Staff: 9

Licensed Beds: 25 2

mt. Desert’s it Director mark white has made teamwork his core focus, involving his staff in the decision-making process and treating them like he would want to be treated.


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By jeff roWe,

contriButing editor

When your first job out of col-lege was in a hospital IT department, and you’re in the same department 29 years later, you can be pretty sure

you’ve seen and done it all.For Susan Godesky, director of IT at Nan-

ticoke Memorial Hospital, seeing it all has involved, among many other things, starting in a three-person IT department, working with mainframe computers and making her way to the top, nearly three decades later, of a 17-person department.

Having hands-on experience in all aspects of Nanticoke’s IT operation has enabled Godesky to be a “hands-on” manager, but also one who doesn’t hesitate to let her employees make key decisions.

“I’m there to support them,” she said of her growing staff. “We work as a group, so there’s no micro-managing.”

As an example of Nanticoke’s teamwork, she pointed with pride to when, in 2011, Hurricane Irene came to town right when Godesky was on vacation. Everything, she said, was managed just fine.

That said, there’s no doubt that, as in all hospital IT departments these days, the Nanticoke team is working fast and furious. In the last year, Godesky said, Nanticoke has worked on multiple clinical projects, prepared its EHR sys-tem for meaningful use attestation, and worked on connecting to Delaware’s statewide HIE.

Godesky said it helps that Nanticoke’s clinical staff understands the pressure the IT team is under, and Steve Rose, Nanticoke

CEO, summed up the entire staff’s perspective when he said, “you’ve heard the expression ‘only as strong as the weakest link,’ well, we

have no weak links. Everyone in the IT depart-ment possesses excellent technical skills and knowledge. Everyone is highly competent. It’s very impressive!”

Rose went on to explain: “We embrace our EMR and other IT initiatives as quality initia-tives. Every time we consider the acquisition of a new program or software, we bring it back to our mission and ask ourselves: Will this contribute to the quality and safety of patient care?”

Godesky echoed Nanticoke’s focus on patients: “We understand that the most impor-tant thing is the safety of our patients.” She added that in her role as manager, she tries to find “the best way to balance the projects I’ve given (the staff). I do let them know that they’re being asked to do a lot, and if they are getting overwhelmed, they can come to me.”

Indeed, when Godesky started working at Nanticoke, she said, the IT department was “basically a registration system and a clinical order system. I’ve seen it grow from nothing.”

Day in and out, that experience comes in handy, especially when it comes to helping her staff. As Godesky summed it up: “I worked right where they are, so I understand where they’re coming from.” ■

director of IT: Susan Godeskyyears in IT: 29years employed Nanticoke: 29Education: Community CollegePrevious employment: At Nanticoke since collegeyears in charge current IT department: 2Management Philosophy: Empower and involve staff in decisions. Make them feel that their knowledge and opinions matter.

Nanticoke IT team manages everything, even hurricanes“Everyone in the IT department possesses excellent technical skills and knowledge. Everyone is highly competent. It’s very impressive!” said CEO Steve Rose

Nanticoke Memorial HospitalSeaford, Del.

Licensed Beds: 100

IT staff: 17 3

in the last year, nanticoke’s it team has worked on multiple clinical projects, prepared an ehr system for meaningful use attestation, and worked on connecting to Delaware’s statewide hie.


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Wait ’til next year!Runners-up: Four hospital IT departments to watch

The competition was tight among the

participants in the 2012 “Where to

Work: BEST Hospital IT Departments”

program. The departments listed here

deserve recognition for coming very

close to making it into the top tier of

their respective categories.


New employee orientation ‘gets better all the time’What a difference a year makes.

That sentiment is true in most walks of life, but in few areas does it have more meaning than in health IT. For example, Lakewood Health System was a BEST Hospitals IT Depart-ment award winner last year, and it’s made the list again this year. But according to Lake-wood CIO Jeff Ose-gard, there have been some major changes in the last 12 months.

Among those are a complete replacement of the organization’s finan-cial and clinical software systems, as well as the implementation of an EHR system in the 25-bed hospital.

Despite the busy year, Osegard said, Lakewood continues to focus on making the organization a great place to work.

“Our orientation for new employees gets better all the time, and when we hire new managers, they are always impressed by our empha-sis on getting people started the right way.” ■

Hospital goes ‘to great lengths’ to provide work-life balanceWhen asked what sets the IT department at Fauquier Health apart from the competition, CIO Donna Staton pointed to the hospi-tal’s overall philosophy and said: “Everything revolves around providing extraordinary care.”

To get the very best out of her IT staff in challenging times, Staton takes “an egalitarian approach,” asking nothing of her staff that she wouldn’t do herself. Mindful of the constant change in health IT – getting ready for meaningful use Stage 2 is currently Fauquier’s biggest challenge – she makes sure to engage her staff early in the process when change is coming.

That includes empowering her employees to use their best judgment when it comes to critical decisions.

“Here’s what we want to accomplish,” Staton said she tells her staff at the beginning of any project. “I want your feedback on how you think we can accomplish it.”

Describing Fauquier as a “very team- and family-oriented place,” Staton said the hospital goes “to great lengths to provide a proper work-life balance.” ■

Lakewood Health SystemStaples, Minn.

IT Staff: 22

Licensed Beds: 25

Fauquier Health Warrenton,Va.

IT Employees: 21

Licensed Beds: 97

4

5

Fauquier health’s Cio Donna staton empowers her employees to use their best judgment when making critical decisions.

over the past year, lakewood health system implemented a new ehr system and made other major changes but still found time to focus on making the it department a great place to work.

medium Hospitals

Blessing Health SystemQuincy, Ill.

IT staff: 65

Licensed beds: 308

Administrative director, IS Service and Infrastructure: Todd Haverstock; Administrative Director, IS Applications: Lea Ann Eickelschulte

United Regional Health Care systemWichita Falls, Texas

IT Staff: 12

Licensed beds: 325

director of Clinical Informatics and Business Intelligence: Dwayne McKee

large Hospitals

WellSpan HealthGettysburg, Pa.

IT staff: 265

Licensed beds: 572

CIo: R. Hal Baker

Broward HealthFort Lauderdale, Fla.

IT Staff: 150

Licensed beds: 1,529

CIo: Doris Crain


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best hospitals 1012 - amazon s3 · 2017-07-17 · top 5 small hospitals 1. hugh chatham memorial...

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