Health care is never stagnant, but in recent
years, change has become the rule instead of the exception.
And there is no end in sight; from evolving government
standards, to a dwindling physician population, to mounting
cost pressures and a looming chronic disease
crisis—hospitals are facing changes of unprecedented
magnitude, which in turn will spawn more changes affecting
virtually every area of our industry. It is a transformative
time for all health care leaders, and physicians in
particular, as we struggle to find ways to adapt in the midst
of ever-expanding challenges and consumer expectations.
MEDITECH's 2009 Physician/CIO Workshop gave our customers a
chance to discuss these widespread changes, as well as
exchange strategies with other health care organizations
about how to use I.T. in smarter, more creative ways, to
navigate the uncertainties we are all facing. MEDITECH's COO
and President Howard Messing opened the conference by
marvelling at how much technology, as well as the world in
general, has changed since our founding over 40 years ago.
"This is such an exciting time for me, because I'm
seeing so many things which were only theorized about back
when I joined MEDITECH, actually coming to fruition,"
said Messing. "I remember from watching Star Trek, that
whenever someone became sick or injured, their electronic
medical record would automatically pop up as soon as they
entered the examination room. And now we're heading towards a
time when we can actually share data 'across the galaxy,'
just as they did in science fiction!"
Messing also welcomed a special guest to the
conference: Paul Egerman, a member of the HIT Policy
Committee in Washington, D.C. In addition, Messing encouraged
attendees to follow MEDITECH's lead in connecting with
government health care officials whenever possible—as
well as offering feedback on ARRA and other forthcoming
regulations. "We all have a stake in seeing these
changes through. As capitalists or businesspeople, of course
we find the certifications and fiscal concerns to be
challenging," said Messing. "But as citizens and
potential patients, there's so many reasons to be optimistic.
Without a doubt, this is the direction we want for our health
care system."
Messing's views were frequently echoed by the dynamic slate
of speakers at this year's event, which included industry
experts and clinicians on the front lines of recent health
care developments. The Keynote Address, delivered by HCA's
Chief Medical Officer and President Jonathan Perlin, MD,
noted that the ideals of using I.T. for care quality and
maintaining fiscal responsibility go hand-in-hand, since
medical errors caused by paper-based processes are costing U.S.
hospitals millions of dollars each year in lost revenue.
Health Futures President Jeff Goldsmith, PhD, also reminded
us that information technology will be an essential tool in
the next decade, as the baby boomer physicians retire and the
new generation of tech-savvy clinicians takes over an
increasingly complex set of patient problems.
MEDITECH continues to offer to the products and services
customers need to navigate this sea of change. MEDITECH's
Vice President of Product Development, Michelle O'Connor,
presented the latest data on the current levels of adoption
of Advanced Clinical Systems among the MEDITECH customer base,
particularly highlighting the components needed to achieve
HIMSS Analytics' Stage 6 and Stage 7 of EMR Adoption. Most
importantly, O'Connor stressed the ability of all
customers—6.0, Client/Server, and MAGIC—to realize
their I.T. goals. 
And as the federal government continues to exert greater
influence over our industry, MEDITECH continues to serve as a
powerful advocate on behalf of its customer community.
MEDITECH's Vice President of Marketing, Hoda Sayed-Friel,
informed the audience about her recent discussion in
Washington, D.C. with Dr. David Blumenthal and John Glaser.
Sayed-Friel unveiled a proposal for updating the current
Meaningful Use Matrix, placing greater emphasis on the
urgency for community hospitals to fully implement bedside
verification systems as a necessary first step on the path
toward greater levels of CPOE adoption.
"Our systems are compliant and ready for deployment,"
concluded Sayed-Friel. "These are urgent times in health
care; however, we believe that all MEDITECH customers can
achieve excellence today."
MEDITECH
Medical
Information Technology, Inc.
MEDITECH Circle
Westwood, MA 02090
781-821-3000
www.meditech.com