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- University of Utah Health Care Plans for Epic Rollout to Specialty Clinics
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- East Jefferson Conducts Organizational ICD-10 Readiness Assessment
- Virtua Implements CPOE
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- St. Anthony’s Medical Center Addresses Critical Role to Accelerate EMR Project
- Saint Luke’s Health System Updates Cost Allocation Model to Reflect Organizational Growth and Plan for the Future
- The MetroHealth System Develops IT Strategy and Tactical Plan
- Fairview Leverages Seasoned Project Managers to Ensure Successful EMR Rollouts
- St. John Providence Health System Builds Plan for ICD-10 Readiness
- St. Anthony’s Medical Center Ensures Technology Infrastructure is Prepared to Support EMR
- ITxM Develops IT Direction and Leverages Interim Leader to Implement the Recommendation
- St. Anthony’s Medical Center Defines EMR Strategy and Selects Vendor
- Virtua Implements Single Sign-On to improve Clinical System Access, Satisfaction, and Security
- East Jefferson General Hospital Refines IT Direction to Save $25 Million and Defines its Roadmap for Meaningful Use Criteria
- Virtua Implements Bed, Patient, and Asset Tracking System to Optimize Care Delivery and Drive Net Cost Savings
- Longmont United Hospital Evaluates Future IT Direction
- Virtua Implements Provisioning to Improve Efficiency
- Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network Assesses IT Strategic Plan
- Virtua Launches Innovative Women’s Health Portal
- University of Colorado Hospital Develops IT Strategy and Action Plan
- University Hospitals Prepares for Meaningful Use Attestation
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University of Colorado Hospital Develops IT Strategy and Action Plan
University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) is a 417 bed academic medical center with over 40 associated clinics and more than 2,500 attending, resident and fellow physicians. The University of Colorado Hospital is nationally recognized in many medical specialties, is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in the Rocky Mountain region, and has earned Magnet status three consecutive times from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
University of Colorado Hospital
John Harney, COO
“Aspen Advisors very clearly understood the unique aspects of an academic medical center environment and facilitated consensus among our executive and medical staff leadership team on a common clinical, patient access, and revenue cycle direction. Additionally, Aspen provided us with the foundation to build a sustainable governance model, which we have put in place to direct the implementation and realize the value from our substantial IT investments. I believe many in the industry and within our own walls were surprised at how quickly we came to a decision, and I attribute that to Aspen’s guidance and active involvement.”
THE CHALLENGE
The University of Colorado Hospital had been maintaining a best-of-breed IT strategy that it determined couldn’t be sustained into the future. Clinical and financial data was fragmented. Paper and numerous electronic databases created semi-connected islands of information. This fragmentation resulted in the inability to maintain a continuous record of care, inefficient revenue cycle processes, and a high cost structure to maintain the IT environment. After exploring several strategic IT options, the organization with Aspen’s consultation had developed a core vendor strategy that it believed would best support their strategic direction. While the IT strategy had been documented at a high level, it needed to be validated, communicated, and agreed upon among key constituents; refined; and subsequently presented to and approved by the Board of Directors.
THE SOLUTION
Because of Aspen Advisors’ experience in systems planning and implementation in academic health center settings and reputation for facilitating consensus among diverse constituents, Aspen was engaged to develop an integrated information technology plan and governance model. Aspen worked with UCH’s executive management team, medical staff leaders, clinical leadership (including the Dean and Associate Dean of the medical school and faculty practice plan), and Board of Directors to facilitate a decision on its IT strategy, and develop a multi-year deployment plan and supporting financial model. This included validating and updating the IT strategy, facilitating communication and debate among key constituents, and developing the detailed action plan for the implementation of the strategy. Specific outcomes included:
- Challenging, validating, and updating the preliminary “Core Vendor” IT strategies for EHR and ERP.
- Developing the necessary tactical, funding (detailed TCO), ROI, staffing and execution plans, and details to support the strategy;
- Involving key stakeholders across the organization throughout the planning process to ensure that the plan was understood and ultimately owned by UCH leadership;
- Facilitating decisions among executive and clinical leadership on a strategy and core vendor candidates to be considered; and
- Working with executive management to present results to and gain approval from the Board of Directors.
THE RESULTS
As a result of the engagement, the University of Colorado Hospital has proceeded on a $70 million program to replace its inpatient and ambulatory clinical systems, ancillary systems, and enterprise patient management and revenue cycle systems with an integrated vendor platform. Additionally, a core vendor for ERP was selected for financial (GL), supply chain, and human resources.
