Hospital mergers and acquisitions have become increasingly common due to rising health care costs, staffing constraints and demanding regulatory requirements.
Advertisement
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
Merger activity has reached its peak the highest level in seven years, as hospitals seek to expand access, expand services and provide better care while gaining financial stability.
A recent analysis of Kaufman Hall showed that almost 40% of affiliated hospitals added one or more services after acquisition.
“Hospital integrations are very complex,” says Craig Baker, director of global growth and design at Cleveland Clinic Information Technology Division (ITD). “Success is linked to varied projects that must be adaptable and sustainable. »
Baker shares, “Several years ago, ITD worked with a vendor to develop expected workflows for established clinical service lines on major campuses. After the initial work, these workflows became obsolete due to declining ownership and management. Additionally, workflows have not evolved as new applications have been introduced and caregiver roles have expanded.
From an overall design perspective, Baker and his team are broadening their focus to better align with service lines and applications, not just the digital product.
“While our primary goal is to standardize technology, caregiver roles, and workflows regardless of location, the reality is that there is some variability. » Baker adds: “By discussing and documenting expected workflows, we work closely with local and corporate teams to collectively reinforce accountability for standard technology adoption. These crucial discussions provide a holistic view of all outliers and the expected timeline for completing the IT integration.
Lessons learned from previous mergers led to a structured, well-defined process — the “pod” concept — aimed at repeatedly delivering the same experience to all acquired facilities and caregivers.
The Pod solution offers structure and collaboration
Global Growth and Design team members combine their diverse perspectives and expertise to support an integrated, cross-team approach by collaborating with team members from various specialties and departments, including:
- ITD Service Lines
- Construction and infrastructure
- Cybersecurity
- Clinical engineering and integrations
- Nursing informatics
- Main Medical Information Office
- Specialist doctors
- Training (clinical, revenue cycle and access)
These connections cultivate a pod solution, or service line orientation, not a product-centric orientation. From a service line perspective, each module captures and transmits valuable information to resolve potential issues.
Baker elaborates: “With a product-centric approach, there is no accountability for the end-to-end workflows that drive a service line. Product owners and analysts focus on building their specific application. This mindset creates huge workflow gaps and downstream problems.
With Pods, a designated team member is identified for each technology/application to ensure optimal end-to-end workflows for the caregivers involved in the integration. From there, the leader of each module works with their local counterpart to review roles, workflows and potential risks.
“Knowing and managing risks before implementation helps avoid problems when the site goes live,” says Baker. “Identifying risks and gaps during the project lifecycle allows for thoughtful analysis and problem solving to ensure we don’t have problems downstream. »
Earlier identification of risks has led to fewer problem resolutions since adopting the pod solution.
“The sharp increase in risks identified during our last project was a victory for me. » Baker continues: “It showed that we are doing a better job connecting with our local teams. We listen to their concerns and make thoughtful decisions to avoid problems.
Activate a Service Line Mindset
“Focusing on a range of services showed us that integrating technology goes well beyond just providing digital tools,” says Baker. “It’s about collaborative problem solving, building trust and fostering connections. »
The three-pronged pod approach:
- Service line expertise: Identify technical and management experts to review, update and catalog results.
- Responsibility: Own, document and provide guidance and training in managing workflow changes.
- Growth: Follow and maintain the overall design plan; draw on experience to refine the approach.
“Moving to an online approach to services improves communication and connections throughout the onboarding process. » Baker adds: “We’ve seen how applying pods to our workflow promotes goodwill and support during the life of the project and beyond. »