Our first couple of minutes of conversation were devoted to the sincere emphasis that Bradley Dick gives to obtaining referrals and recommendations for other CIOs and IT department executives. “Of all the various sources for product or service validation and comparison ratings, nothing is valued more than the word of a trusted friend. I place far more value on the word of peers than on graphs, charts, and quadrants developed by research and consulting groups. So you bet I understand why TechLINKS is providing this service, and I truly do think it delivers value.”

“Like most other healthcare organizations, our priorities are being heavily influenced by the compliance and regulatory requirements of today. We learned a lot at the HiMSS conference last week and it was great to have direct access to so many suppliers and vendors within our industry. Having this huge conference come to Georgia was great, and I do hope that can continue to happen in future years,” said Dick.

 “We are moving ahead with Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and some of the advanced features are going to impact quality, costs, and patient satisfaction. Doctors and staff will be able to walk up to any shared computer and with the tap of a card and pin have secure access to the information they need. We are bringing more data into the room with the patients, and that delivers very positive results. Empowering patients with knowledge often gives them added explanation and understanding of the importance of their treatment,” he explained.

  One of the examples provided was that people who understand the need for therapy are the ones who are most helped by that therapy. Patients who are most informed are also the ones who feel they are receiving the best care. Because of services like WebMD and others, people (patients and their families) are going to obtain the information they want, one way or another. It is to the advantage of the healthcare facility to provide the needed information because feeling informed is an expected part of the service.

“The healthcare industry has been behind the curve in the past, but today this industry is really starting to get with the program. We are using information systems to better inform the patients, and that results in higher levels of patient satisfaction. How all this is getting done will vary according to the specialties of each facility, but it is good for all of us to have ways to share ideas,” commented Dick.

By Mike Adkinson

March 2010