IWT Solutions Healthcare Software Blog

Seasons of Change

2012-09-10T08:17:00.001-07:00

With the Labor Day weekend behind us, we are all bracing for the change in weather. For me, living in Kentucky, fall is some of the best weather we get all year; I couldn't be more excited. Many times in life, change is not always as pleasant as a change in the weather; most of us fear change because we don't know how it is going to turn out. My friend Sharon, suggested that I write this blog on change because in our industry, she sees the resistance to change everyday. Our job is to show our clients that our products will change the way they are currently doing things and make their job easier with software. Hospitals will integrate our software into the workflow of the facility and make daily tasks easier and less time consuming. For example, our clinical documentation system, PICASO, saves nursing time and allows a nurse to spend more time with the patient. Our BedReady, patient throughput application smoothly moves patients throughout the hospital and saves time on patient placement. However, the task of selling the change to the employees is the most difficult part of the job...hospital staff get used to their routine and are afraid of what the change may bring; we all know in the end the change is for the better. Isn't that what the butterfly had to endure? Going from the caterpillar to the cocoon, and then becomes a beautiful butterfly. We all have to endure at one time or another in our life. Sharon gave the example of some of the changes in her life and how it corresponded to the cycles of changes. So next time you see a change coming in your life, embrace t iand know that your butterfly is soon going to fly.

For more information on our products, visit www.iwtsolutions.com

Lights! Camera!....Is Your BedReady?!

2012-06-19T07:45:00.001-07:00

Expending all of my creative energy is the part of my job I love! This Saturday, I get to be on the set of our new upcoming feature video...soon to be on a youtube channel near you! We will be on set watching the filming of our new video about our capacity management application, BedReady! Please don't blink during scene 6, you may miss my acting debut! I am super excited about this because this is what marketing is all about... finding ways to get the message of what we do and how our solutions can help you in your search for the perfect product.

Our capacity management solution, BedReady sends out real-time alerts to quickly transport patients throughout the hospital; helps reduce ED wait times, properly places patients in appropriate rooms and much much more! Want to know what the much much more includes? Stay tuned to IWT for our video and other marketing campaigns for BedReady! Look for us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Spiceworks and of course you can always keep reading our blog :)

It's All About the People

2012-06-04T07:55:00.001-07:00

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul"

-Henry Ward Beecher

IWT has recently won the 2012 Pacesetters Award given out by the Kentucky Small Business Administration. I was lucky enough to be selected to attend the awards ceremony on behalf of IWT. Each winning company was spotlighted by a short video interviewing the owners. There was one common thing in common that each owner commented on that they attributed their success...the people. They were all so grateful of their employees and customers; very refreshing to hear these people being so appreciative of their work "families". As I was sitting there, listening, I began thinking about the importance of the people in our lives, our families, our fellow employees, friends and everyone else that we come in contact with on a day to day basis. It's the people that help enrich our lives; which makes me think this is why what we do at IWT is so important. Our solutions enhance patient safety. Our software solutions fit into the workflow of every hospital facility ensuring patients are taken care of to the best of each clinician's ability because we care about each individual's life and it is important that everyone receives the proper care. Solutions from IWT ensure proper patient documentation, efficient patient room placement and secure patient records. Not only do our solutions take a patient into consideration but the solutions also make a clinician's work life easier. It's all about...the people.

View IWT's video...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l7jKe8K3UU&feature=channel&list=UL

Have You Hugged A Nurse Today?

2012-05-03T11:21:00.002-07:00

It's the first weekend in May, I live in Kentucky so for me that means...Derby Time!!! I will be out celebrating the Derby with a mint julip in hand, betting on the ponies! Most people know the Kentucky Derby falls on the first Saturday of May every year; but did you know that something else big happens this year on the first weekend of May? Sunday, May 6th is National Nurses Day marking the beginning of National Nurses Week ending appropriately on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale. It's a great thought to know that we recognize these hard working individuals for their passion for taking care of others. I know I am thankful for the care that was received by our pediatric nurse when my youngest son was hospitalized at 4 days old. Not only was our nurse, Renee, very attentive to the needs of my son but she also was attentive to my husband and I during this difficult time and made sure our stay in the hospital was as pleasant as it could be.

National Nurses Week was first observed in 1954, the 100th Anniversary of Nightingale's mission to Crimea. Nightingale became known as the founder of professional nursing, especially due to her pioneering work during the Crimea War.

Our job at IWT is to create software to fit into the workflow of hospitals to make shiftwork easier on your nurse. We want her or him to be able to return their focus to the care of the patient, you.

Think about the times in your life when you or a loved one have been in the care of a nurse and think about how they made your experience memorable. So keep that thought in mind on Sunday after you are celebrating your horse winning the Derby. Go ahead! Show that person your appreciation with a small token or appreciation with all of your extra winnings!

Healthcare IT: Where do you get your information?

2012-04-30T07:28:00.001-07:00

As a healthcare software company, the people in our organization are trying to live through the clients eyes. We ask ourselves the following questions: Where would we search for solutions for our facility? What would make my facility more efficient and impact patient outcomes? What specific features do I need to enhance patient throughput or user provisioning? By asking these questions and more, we are becoming in tune to your needs and wants in your hospital setting. Where do you go to find these answers? Do you look at social media and if so, which social media outlets do you benefit the most from? What about tradeshows? Do you attend many throughout the year and if so, which ones? I would love to hear your feedback and get to know more about you and your facility!!! Contact me...let's chat!! lhargis@iwtsolutions.com. Mention my blog and I'll send you a free gift from IWT! Have a fabulous Monday!

Timely Reporting

2012-04-24T07:37:00.001-07:00

It is possible to get actual real-time data from the units, including how long ED has to wait for a bed to be assigned to how long it takes CTS to arrive and complete a transport. Real-time data is also available to see how long it takes housekeeping to turnover a room, from start to finish. Would it be beneficial to know the time from discharge to clean room? It can be done. It is our experience that all four parts can work together, ED, in-patient, Housekeeping and transport. The word transparency has come up several times. Each department should be able to see what the other is doing, at least from the managerial side. With this type of information, one should be able to identify the bottlenecks and manage them. I will admit, this is not the "end all", but it has opened a lot of eyes to potential savings and safety.

6th Annual National Health IT Week-Proud Partner

2011-08-26T08:51:00.000-07:00

Innovative Workflow Technologies (IWT) is a Proud Partner in National Health IT Week 2011

This September, IWT-as a partner in the advancement of health information technology to help improve healthcare-is joining approximately 200 public and private sector organizations to participate in the Sixth Annual National Health IT Week (September 12-16, 2011). National Health IT Week 2011 is the premier event offering all healthcare stakeholders an opportunity to unite under one banner driving the message on the benefits that health information technology (HIT) can bring to U.S. healthcare. "One Voice, One Vision."

Comprehensive health care reform is not possible without system-wide adoption of health information technology, which improves the quality of healthcare delivery, increases patient safety, decreases medical errors, and strengthens the interaction between patients and healthcare providers.

With Meaningful Use now providing the way forward, eligible providers across the country increasingly understand the benefits for themselves and their patients, and are adopting Meaningful Use compliant electronic health records.

Initiated in 2006 by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), National Health IT Week has emerged as a landmark occasion for using health IT as part of the overall solution to improve America's healthcare as a bipartisan, federally led, market driven initiative.

The week consists of several partner events, including:

Capitol Hill Steering Committee on Telehealth and Healthcare Informatics Technology Showcase
National Health IT Week Press Conference on Capitol Hill
National Health Week Networking Reception
HIMSS 10th Annual Policy Summit

National Health IT Week 2011 participants-vendors, provider organizations, payers, pharmaceutical/biotech companies, government agencies, industry/professional associations, research foundations, and consumer protection groups-are working together to elevate national attention to the advantage of advancing health IT.

Visit http://www.healthitweek.org/ for a full list of partners and updates on the Week's activities. Working together with our growning coalition of stakeholders, IWT is helping to transform healthcare for all.

Patient Information-What is it Worth to You?

2011-08-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

It seems as if every health IT publication I read lately has some type of story about a breach of security with violations of the HIPAA policy. Most recently, Health Data Management reported an Alabama woman was charged of violations for "stealing paper surgery schedules of about 4,500 patients..." her intention was to commit identity theft.

Although, IWT's user provisioning system cannot guarantee 100% protection against a breach, it can certainly reduce the risk. SAM-Systems Access Manager is a user provisioning system created by IWT that is role-based and ensures employees have access only to the information needed to perform their job functions effectively. SAM links users to specific jobs and applications. There are many benefits to the role-based functions of SAM; SAM offers security where employees are on a "need to know" consistency and are only able to view information needed to do their job. Adding, deleting and changing systems are easy when SAM is activated. Accounts can be quickly set-up just as accounts can be quickly deactivated. Integrating SAM into a hospital's organization will provide many benefits that will improve workflow and security within the system. Improved security provides consistency and restricted access to passwords requiring authorization. workflow is enhanced with improved staff productivity.

According to Health Data Management magazine, the cost to reduce the risk to protected health information before the breach can be as low as 10 percent of the cost to remediate a medium-sized breach.

What's your opinion? Is it worth the risk? Do you pay to protect your health information or do you take the risk and pay the price to correct a breach?

The Doctor and the iPad

2011-05-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

How did anyone ever survive without technology? I mean really, what did those people do when all they had was one rotary dial phone in the house, three tv stations to watch (no remote control…) and a laptop-what’s that?

Recently, I have come to realize how reliant and obsessive we have become on the use of technology in our lives; my mother wanted to borrow my cell phone on a Saturday night for a couple of hours while she was with MY children (apparently she didn’t get the text message that EVERYBODY has their own cell phone these days!) What?! The thought of not having instant access to all cyber social activity was unbearable: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN, TEXT Messages-that’s how I get my real-time updates in my social life. Yes, that is extreme (however very true, sadly), but what is really awesome is that physicians and clinical staff are helping patients get well much faster with instant access to medical charts and information and spending more face time with patients. Physicians are now physically attached to their iPads, downloaded with the appropriate apps to deliver instant real-time patient chart information and medical information. Doctors use less time than they would trying to find paper charts and searching for the information, now with a few clicks it is all delivered right in front of them. Patients are able to understand their conditions more clearly by being able to see diagrams related to their medical status. Doctor’s in turn are becoming more reliant on that instant access and delivering better patient care.

I dare you to ask if you can borrow the iPad!

For a more detailed article on ipad care, follow the link below:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/42218296