Jeff Rosenfeld serves as Manager of Strategic Innovation and Project Management for Tahoe Forest Hospital District.
On Thursday, September 21, Mr. Rosenfeld will speak on a panel at Becker's Hospital Review 3rd Annual Health IT + Revenue Cycle Conference. As part of an ongoing series, Becker's is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference, which will take place September 21 through September 23 in Chicago.
To learn more about the conference and Mr. Rosenfeld's session, click here.
Question: Looking at your IT budget, what is one item or expense that has surprised you in terms of ROI? How so?
Jeff Rosenfeld: AS/400. It has operated well beyond its design expectancy. I wish every piece of technology was as reliable and had its longevity.
Q: Finding top tech talent is always a challenge. Say a CIO called you up today to ask for an interview question that would distinguish the best candidates from the mid- to low-performers. What question do you suggest he or she ask?
JR: A high performer is much more than someone with tech savviness. It's someone who understands how systems, people and information interact across numerous disciplines. So I would ask a candidate to describe what they consider their greatest success in identifying and implementing a technology to address a pressing business concern. What was their approach to ensuring a good fit, and how did it subordinate the organizations strategic objectives? How was roll-out and deployment determined successful? In the adoption, what elements of learning were embedded in the process to support an ongoing optimization?.
Q: We spend a lot of timing talking about the exciting innovation modernizing healthcare. It's also helpful to acknowledge what we've let go of. What is one form of technology, one process or one idea that once seemed routine to you but is now endangered if not extinct? What existed in your organization 2-5 years ago but not anymore?
JR: A concept that once seemed fairly common was that a singular practice or health system could exist and thrive in somewhat informatic isolation. Sharing clinical information across networks seemed like a technology challenge. Now, that has changed not only due to regulation, but also to market pressures driven by both patients and payers. In our organization, these were significant factors in determining our transition toward new EMR technology partners..
Q: Tell us about the last time you were truly, wildly amazed by technology. What did you see?
JR: A short time ago I was introduced to Lenovo’s AIMe registration bundle powered by LifeMedID. The integrated package has the potential to greatly streamline and enhance the patient access points within our health system. A patient-facing kiosk or tablet allows access staff the opportunity to end the use of repetitive forms, quickly update patient demographics and insurance, and provide opportunity to collect payments. Such technology has the potential to not only support operations and safety, but act as a staff and patient satisfier, as well.