Billian's HealthDATA News http://billianshealthdata.com/news Billian's HealthDATA News RSS Feed <![CDATA[The Power of the Physician Market]]> http://www.billianshealthdata.com/news/SiteNews/news_items/2012/May/The_Power_of_the_Physician_Market.html May 10, 2012 Billian's HealthDATA Director Lisa Reichard, RN, recently presented a webinar on "The Power of the Physician Market," covering:
  • Current Trends
  • Physician Selection of Affiliated Hospitals
  • Decision-Making Power and Tracking Financial Performance
  • Meaningful Use-EMRs
**With Recent Commentary by John Haupert, FACHE , President and CEO of Grady Health System**

Presentation materials from the webinar are now available. Click here to download slides from the presentation, and here to access the audio recording.







]]> <![CDATA[An Insider’s View on Staffing & Recruiting Trends in Healthcare (Part 2)]]> http://www.billianshealthdata.com/news/SiteNews/news_items/2012/April/Healthcare_Recruiting.html April 25, 2012 Part 1 of this series into why three main trends in healthcare recruiting and staffing are taking place:
  • Private-practice physicians are moving to full-time hospital employment.
  • There is a shortage of qualified professionals in long-term care facilities.
  • There is an ongoing need for additional healthcare IT talent.
Healthcare IT jobs may have snagged the spotlight in recent months, but more clinical jobs are seeing just as much - if not more - demand. In part two of this series, Billian's HealthDATA talks with industry experts Yvette Herrera-Greer, a Health IT Talent Specialist at Bellevue College - part of the national Health Information Technology Consortium funded by the ONC; and Cynthia Coker, Principal at Asocia Group, which through its healthcare division connects hospitals, providers and payers with IT and clinical talent, to get their take on how these trends are playing out in the worlds of academia and clinical staffing.

The Clinical Staffing Perspective
ccokerredyCynthia, much attention is being paid right now to healthcare IT jobs, due to a high number of job openings but a lack of qualified candidates. Do you see the same disparity in non-healthcare IT roles?
Cynthia Coker: "Yes. As the U.S. population ages, and the Baby Boomer generation begins to need consistent medical care, healthcare professionals are certainly more in demand."

What clinical positions are healthcare organizations having a hard time filling? Why the demand?
CC: "Over 85% of hospitals have openings for RNs that remain unfilled, according to the American Hospital Association, and we see this consistently. Research suggests that over the next decade, the U.S. will require an additional 103,900 nurses a year to maintain the current standard of care. Also in demand are pharmacists, radiology technicians and laboratory technologists. However, there are not enough qualified professionals to meet the demand.

"Management positions in healthcare are also in demand in upper levels, which is opening up a number of positions for those with a business degree."

At an academic level, are enough people being trained to fill these positions in order to meet current and future demand?
CC: "No, and that is a main issue."

Has Asocia seen the trends noted above?
CC: "Yes, we have definitely noticed private practice physicians becoming full-time employees at hospitals. A lot of this has to do with healthcare reform and the costs of EMR solutions. There is much more that physicians must keep up with.

"The demand for workers in the field of long-term care far exceeds the supply of qualified workers that can deliver those services. Rapid turnover in home care workers is also a contributing factor to the inadequate staffing levels. Home care workers are also grossly underpaid, with no opportunity for advancement.

"We are also seeing healthcare IT changing to focus on well-rounded professionals with clinical and technical experience, rather than the narrower programming field. The demand for workers is so high, however, that I think you're going to continue to see a mix of talent."

The Academic Perspective
Through Herrera-Greer's work in healthcare IT workforce development at Bellevue College - which through its Life Science Informatics Center offers Healthcare Informatics Certification, physician practice manager professional development and health IT career pathways, as well as programs in telehealth and personal health records - she is also seeing a surge in the need for qualified healthcare IT candidates, often with a blended clinical component.

yvettereadyYvette, based on your experience in the academic world, do you foresee the job market for HIT professionals decreasing/leveling off/increasing over the next few years? Many job seekers in this area are concerned that job opportunities will actually decrease once Meaningful Use deadlines have passed, and potential cuts to Medicaid/Medicare are made.
Yvette Herrera-Greer: I see them increasing, taking into account:
  • an aging population with increased healthcare needs
  • a need to reduce costs; current healthcare spending is unsustainable
  • decreasing technology costs, but continuing innovation. Technology at the point of care is dramatically on the rise, with the advent of accountable care organizations and the financial necessity of telehealth. 
  • data-driven provider orders will become the standard in the near future. Both defensible legally and unquestionably aligned with patient safety, IT management and support for the applications and devices required will increase dramatically as well.
  • the "virtual" voice of the consumer. Now habituated to instant personal finance and consumer information, the healthcare consumer's expectations are very high, and insistent.
Along those same lines, do you foresee the government continuing to fund academic and training programs like Bellevue's? How do you envision these programs acclimating to whatever happens at the federal level?
YH-G: "With ONC funding, Bellevue College successfully led efforts in the Northwest to train 2,400 individuals in health IT. However, much work remains to be done, including faculty development and the creation of Health IT career pathways. The Dept. of Labor, National Science Foundation, Health and Human Services, and the Dept. of Agriculture have all recently encouraged program growth in health IT. Community colleges are the beach upon which changing waves of workforce needs break. They must adapt to remain viable - that, in part, is our mission."

Are there any specific areas in healthcare IT that your students are gravitating towards?
YH-G: "In the short term, EMR vendors, consultants, and healthcare organizations implementing EMR systems need staff to support implementations. However, although most hospitals and vendors seek candidates with experience in specific EMR systems, few allow academic access, creating an artificial barrier to developing a work-ready pool of prospective employees."

Do you see one particular area of HIT as being easier to enter/transition into? Why?
YH-G: "Given the lack of access to specific EMR systems, students have sometimes been best served looking for jobs outside of major medical centers. Mental health and specialty clinics, long-term care, hospice- and community clinics are, in some cases, more willing to provide new employees with on-the-job training in the applications used in their organizations. IT professionals with limited healthcare experience tend to be more successful obtaining temporary contract positions with consulting groups and vendors."

The Patient's Perspective
Industry insiders like Coker, Herrera-Greer and Crenshaw are well versed in the recruiting and staffing challenges the healthcare industry faces in this era of reform. But one doesn't have to be an expert to notice that shifts in leadership, job titles and the general status quo around healthcare employment are taking place. As mainstream publications like The Atlantic feature in-depth stories on the subject, such as " The New Face of Health Care: Why Nurses are in Such High Demand," these issues are streaming more into the world of patients - otherwise known as consumers.

As the article notes, "consumers are feeling the impact of these changes," and as a result, many are looking to be more in charge of their own health and taking greater care when it comes to choosing who provides that care. Here's hoping that the industry successfully evolves to meet their needs.

Interested in connecting with healthcare executives?
Billian's HealthDATA is the leading source for comprehensive information on Hospital, Physician and Long-Term-Care markets. Learn more about the Billian's HealthDATA Portal here.







]]> <![CDATA[Billian Adds Home Health & Nursing Home Financials to Healthcare Market Research Line-Up]]> http://www.billianshealthdata.com/news/SiteNews/news_items/2012/April/Home_Health_PR.html April 24, 2012
The Home Health addition brings information on over 10,000 agencies to the Billian's HealthDATA Portal, the company's flagship healthcare sales and marketing database.  HHA account details offer Portal subscribers insight into facility affiliations, services offered, Medicare/Medicaid participation, staff counts, number of branches in operation and executive contacts to aid in connecting with and identifying trends in the fastest growing sector in healthcare.

The addition of Nursing Home Financials will offer Portal users additional insight to leverage when profiling and prioritizing healthcare prospects with access to monetary indicators similar to what the company offers on hospitals - including income statements and balance sheets, departmental financials, and wage and Resource Utilization Group (RUG) statistics. Nursing home occupancy rate details have also been added.

For a limited time, Billian's HealthDATA will offer a 50-percent discount on Long-Term Care Package subscriptions. Customers may take advantage of this rate through the end of June when they subscribe to three of the five Billian's HealthDATA long-term care market data packages. These include Nursing Homes, Nursing Home Corporations, Assisted Living Facilities, Assisted Living Facilities Corporations and Home Health Agencies.

To take advantage of this offer, please visit: www.BilliansHealthDATA.com/NurHmFinancials

About Billian
Billian Inc., the leading resource for current and comprehensive insight into U.S. healthcare facilities, operates three divisions that collectively cover the spectrum of health market research and information needs. The company's Billian's HealthDATA and Porter Research brands offer lead generation and custom research solutions to help professionals sell more effectively into healthcare accounts. The company's Healthcare IT Research (HITR) brand offers complimentary benchmarking resources to help healthcare providers identify improvement areas and implement change through peer advice.

Contact:
Jennifer Dennard
 jdennard@billian.com
2100 RiverEdge Pkwy, Ste 1200
Atlanta, GA 30328
800-533-8484







]]> <![CDATA[An Insider’s View on Staffing & Recruiting Trends in Healthcare (Part 1)]]> http://www.billianshealthdata.com/news/SiteNews/news_items/2012/April/Recruiting_Feature.html April 12, 2012
There is, however, a silver lining for healthcare. The same report points out healthcare employment has continued to grow - 26,000 new jobs were added in March, for a total of 360,000 jobs over the last 12 months. Physician offices and hospitals each added 8,000 jobs over the month.

Things begin to look even rosier in the realm of healthcare IT, where some recruiters predict a true hiring boom is about to begin. Recent results from the 23rd Annual HIMSS Leadership Survey seem to back this up: One-fourth of respondents cited adequate staffing resources as the top barrier to IT implementation at their organizations, and, correspondingly, two-thirds plan to increase their IT staff in the next year.

For those that have been keeping a close eye on healthcare hiring and recruiting over the past year, three main trends have emerged: 
  • Private-practice physicians are moving to full-time hospital employment.
  • There is a shortage of qualified professionals in long-term care facilities.
  • There is an ongoing need for additional healthcare IT talent.
Billian's HealthDATA recently sat down with Tiffany Crenshaw, President and CEO of recruiting and consulting firm Intellect Resources; and Yvette Herrera-Greer, a Health IT Talent Specialist at Bellevue College, part of the national Health Information Technology Consortium funded by the ONC, to get their take on these trends and what they mean for the industry.

In part one of this series, Crenshaw, who was recently named to the list of "Women You Should Know in Healthcare IT" by HITConsultant.net, offers an industry insider's perspective on these trends. In part two, Herrera-Greer will offer an academic's take on the healthcare job market.

Private-Practice Physicians Moving to Full-Time Hospital Employment
tiffanycms Tiffany Crenshaw: "I'm going to comment on this as a business owner and not as a healthcare professional. My craft/profession is recruiting. It's my passion. But as a business owner, I spend less than 5 percent of my time recruiting. Instead, on any given day, I am wearing hats of vastly different colors - sales, human resources, finance, account management, marketing, office management, insurance, legal, purchasing and even housekeeping and maintenance. A physician who owns or is a partner in a practice may have to do much of the same, in addition to dealing with Medicare/Medicaid and other healthcare legislation.

"While a physician may lose control of his/her independence and have to deal with a few more politics by rolling to a hospital, becoming a full time employee of a hospital affords him/her the chance to focus almost exclusively on their craft. And, there is something to be said for that.

A Shortage of Qualified Professionals in Long-Term Care Facilities (Will a Significant Shift into Home Health Happen?)
"I look at both as a natural evolution of IT activity coming soon. They are some of the last frontiers. When I started in this business, all of the activity was in inpatient, and through time we started to work in outpatient, ambulatory and the specialty clinic. I feel like urgent care, long-term care and home health are simply the next evolution as these areas are growing more sophisticated in their technology."

An Ongoing Need for Additional Healthcare IT Talent (with IT and Clinical Cross-Breeds Especially Needed, as Results from the HIMSS Survey also Attest)
"The desire for the cross-breed of IT/clinical skills really started to heat up back in the mid-nineties and it has never relented. Over 50 percent of the positions, both consulting and full time, that we work on include a cross pollination between the two.

"I like to tell people new to our field that it's a very "inbreed" community. The industry likes to grow from within and some of the most successful, sought after healthcare IT professionals started as clinicians and, tiring of patient care, made the transition to IT.

"Many candidates come to me asking for education advice. The most common question is, "Should I purse an MBA or an MHA?" My standard answer is, "Neither. I can count on one hand the number of positions we work on each year that require an MBA or MHA. That's the equivalent of the positions we get every two weeks requiring an RN or BSN. Go to nursing school. And if you have a weak stomach, look to certifications like medtech, pharmtech, radtech and similar. If those still don't float your boat, look at getting a PMP certification."

Looking Beyond Healthcare IT
While the job market for healthcare IT has certainly had its fair share of the spotlight lately, there are a number of other areas in healthcare that are experiencing steady, if not greater, job growth.The most recent edition of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook lists physician assistants on its list of jobs with the fastest growth - with the prediction that 29,200 new jobs will be added between 2012 and 2018. In fact, half of the fastest-growing jobs listed are healthcare-related. Registered nurses and nurse practitioners are in first place for jobs with the largest predicted numerical growth - 581,500 new jobs, to be exact.

In part two in this series, Yvette Herrera-Greer shares her expectations for healthcare job market growth, training and funding for job-seeker programs, and what her students consider to be the "hot" jobs in healthcare.

Interested in connecting with healthcare executives?
Billian's HealthDATA is the leading source for comprehensive information on Hospital, Physician and Long-Term-Care markets. Learn more about the Billian's HealthDATA Portal here.







]]> <![CDATA[The #HITsm Community Weighs in on HIT Buzzwords for 2012]]> http://www.billianshealthdata.com/news/SiteNews/news_items/2012/March/the_hitsm_community_weighs_in.html March 20, 2012 location.href="http://www.billianshealthdata.com/news/SiteNews/news_items/2012/March/storify.html" ]]> <![CDATA[Billian's HealthDATA / Porter Research Form Strategic Alliance with Dodge Communications]]> http://www.billianshealthdata.com/news/SiteNews/news_items/2012/March/Dodge_Partnership.html March 13, 2012
"Research and analysis are central components to any integrated communications campaign and are therefore vitally important to any client," said Brad Dodge, president and CEO of Dodge Communications. "Through this partnership, we are able to offer additional value-added services that will contribute to successful market awareness and stronger branding strategies as clients develop new products and comprehensive communications campaigns."

"Our partnership with Dodge Communications will allow us to continue to innovate and educate the healthcare IT market on the importance of communications research and measurement," said Cynthia Porter, president of Porter Research, which has conducted market research in the healthcare industry for more than 20 years.

About Billian's HealthData
Billian's HealthDATA - a Billian Inc. company - is the leading provider of comprehensive market intelligence on the healthcare industry, covering facilities across the continuum of care - from Hospitals to Long Term Care. Billian's dedication to providing high-quality data via products like the Portal, coupled with partner company Porter Research's custom market research services, provides customers with healthcare business intelligence about multiple markets in scaleable formats. For more information, visit www.billianshealthdata.com or call 678-569-4872.

About Porter Research
Porter Research - a Billian Inc. company - has for over 20 years worked diligently to understand and assess each client's unique needs and build a customized business-to-business research program to achieve desired goals. Combining unparalleled experience, proven methodologies and knowledge-based analysis, Porter provides the unbiased results that healthcare clients need to make informed strategic business decisions. For more information, visit www.porterresearch.com or call 678-282-1033.

About Dodge Communications
Dodge Communications is a full-service public relations and marketing agency serving the healthcare industry. Dodge's award-winning programs help companies build brand awareness, establish thought leadership and generate demand. For more information, visit www.dodgecommunications.com or call (770) 998-0500. The Dodge Communications Blog provides insights on the latest healthcare industry, marketing and public relations news and issues.

Contact
Jennifer Dennard
Billian's HealthDATA / Porter Research
678 569 4872
jdennard@billian.com







]]> <![CDATA[HIMSS12 Wrap Up: Healthcare IT Heads to Las Vegas]]> http://www.billianshealthdata.com/news/SiteNews/news_items/2012/March/HIMSS12_Wrap_Upx_Healthcare_IT_Heads_to_Las_Vegas.html March 7, 2012
Following are some of our favorite shots from the show. View the full image gallery at our Facebook page.

HIMSS12 was a great show for hospital data. HIMSS12 was a great show for hospital data.

Billian's HealthDATA enjoyed chatting with customers about hospital data. Billian's HealthDATA enjoyed chatting with customers about hospital data.

John Lopex from Fox Rehabilitation wanted to learn more about hospital data at the Billian's HealthDATA party.

John Lopez from Fox Rehabilitation (above) and Matthew Browning from YourNurseIsOn.com (not pictured) were the big winners at our reception.

Billian's HealthDATA enjoyed chatting with customers about hospital data.

The HISTalk party was a great place for Billian's HealthDATA to talk with folks about its new physician data.

Lisa Reichard of Billian's HealthDATA, Greg Wilson of Salar, and Cynthia Porter of Porter Research had a great time at the HISTalk party. Billian's HealthDATA is proud to be a sponsor of HISTalk.com

The HISTalk party was a great place for Billian's HealthDATA to talk with folks about its new physician data. The HISTalk party was a great place for Billian's HealthDATA to talk with folks about its new physician data.

Micky Tripathi of the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative wore a custom beauty sash to the HISTalk party; while Elvis entertained Erin Sweeney and Beth Friedman, both of the Friedman Marketing Group. Be sure to check out Porter Research's recent interview with Tripathi, " Massachusetts Looks to Medicaid for a Truly Sustainable HIE."

Jennifer and Amanda talked Elvis and hospital data at the New Media Meetup. Meaningful Use and hospital data were hot topics at HIMSS12.

Jennifer Dennard of Billian's HealthDATA and Porter Research, with Amanda Woodhead of emdeon, which had one of the cleverest giveaways at the show.

Don't forget to check out the rest at the Billian's HealthDATA Facebook page!








]]> <![CDATA[Billian Adds RealTime Medical Data to Healthcare Data Product Lines]]> http://www.billianshealthdata.com/news/SiteNews/news_items/2012/March/Billian_Adds_RealTime_Medical_Data_to_Healthcare_Data_Product_Lines.html March 7, 2012 ATLANTA, March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Billian Inc. has announced a strategic alliance with RealTime Medical Data, a partnership that will enable Billian Inc.'s customers to leverage nearly real-time data on Medicare claims paid within 90 days.

RealTime Medical Data is partnering with Billian Inc. to promote RealHealth Analytics, an online tool giving healthcare administrators a complete picture of their Medicare market, including Inpatient, Outpatient, and Part B services. Providing more than 60 different reports, RealHealth Analytics' users can track physician referrals, view market share, identify physician splitters, and plan for Value-Based Purchasing.

"Billian has a loyal following of healthcare providers," said Gina McWilliams, CEO of RealTime Medical Data, "and RTMD has the data they need. We thought it was a good fit."

RTMD will provide members of Billian's affiliate HITR.com - a healthcare benchmarking and social networking site - with exclusive reports that enable a hospital to compare Case Mix Index, Average Length of Stay, Total Charges, Unadjusted Reimbursement and other metrics with peer facilities. The reports will also be made available to vendors targeting the healthcare industry via the Billian's HealthDATA Portal, an online sales and marketing database that includes information on inpatient, outpatient, ambulatory and long-term care markets.

"RealTime Medical Data enjoys a unique position in the provider market with key performance information based on the most current Medicare claims data available," said Don Graham, General Manager of the Billian Inc. healthcare division. "Every hospital is striving to improve cost reductions and productivity gains. RTMD can help them achieve these objectives quickly. The Billian partnership will enable us to reach out more effectively to hospital prospects."

In addition, RealTime Medical Data will regularly provide new content. This month's feature allows users to compare high-cost services between states. 

About RealTime Medical Data

RealTime Medical Data was founded in 2001 in Birmingham, Alabama. Its core mission is to provide comprehensive, non-modeled and timely Medicare claims data that allows hospitals to develop and support strategic business initiatives. RTMD recognizes that healthcare administrators typically make decisions from data that is incomplete, modeled or out-of-date. RTMD has now expanded its user base to include pharmaceutical companies, physician practices and healthcare consulting organizations.

About Billian Inc.

Atlanta-based Billian Inc. is parent company of Billian's HealthDATA, Porter Research and HITR.com. Billian's HealthDATA is the leading provider of comprehensive market intelligence on the healthcare industry, covering facilities across the continuum of care - from Hospitals and Hospital-Affiliated Physicians to Long-Term Care. Billian's dedication to providing high-quality data via products like the Portal, coupled with partner company Porter Research's custom healthcare market research services, provides customers with healthcare business intelligence about multiple markets in scaleable formats. HITR.com – a healthcare IT benchmarking and social networking site for healthcare providers and vendors - is the company's newest affiliate.

CONTACT: Jennifer Dennard, 678-569-4872, jdennard@billian.com









]]> <![CDATA[Providers’ Perceptions: Accountable Care White Paper Now Available]]> http://www.billianshealthdata.com/news/SiteNews/news_items/2012/February/Providersx_Perceptionsx_Accountable_Care_White_Paper_Now_Available.html February 23, 2012
This definition does not differ much from that already generally accepted by the healthcare industry. It also closely matches that established by Billian's HealthDATA and Porter Research for their recent study, " Providers' Perceptions: Accountable Care Organizations." Billian's HealthDATA and Porter Research fielded a primary market research program aimed at understanding healthcare providers' perceptions regarding ACOs.

The study, which drew upon the opinions of C-level healthcare executives representing predominantly acute-care hospitals and healthcare systems, ranging in size from single-facility organizations to organizations with more than 20 hospitals, illuminated a number of concerns these organizations have regarding preparing for and participating in accountable care business models.

Key findings from the " Providers' Perceptions: Accountable Care Organizations" white paper include:
  • While providers realize the importance of laying a solid IT foundation for a new, accountable care business model, they are struggling to balance the need to deliver quality patient care while reducing costs and enhancing revenue.
  • Hospitals are by far the greatest drivers of ACO formation, with their main reason for participation cited as an opportunity to increase market share.
  • Hospital-employed physicians will be key participants in ACOs.
  • Coordination of care is one of the most important provider initiatives for improving the health of the patient population within an ACO model.
  • Business intelligence and analytics technologies will be key tools in successfully laying a foundation for an ACO, as well as measuring its outcomes.

Fill out the form below to download the Providers' Perceptions: Accountable Care Organizations whitepaper:



About Billian's HealthDATA
Billian's HealthDATA - a Billian Inc. company - is the leading provider of comprehensive market intelligence on the healthcare industry, covering facilities across the continuum of care - from Hospitals to Long Term Care. Billian's dedication to providing high-quality data via products like the Portal, coupled with partner company Porter Research's custom market research services, provides customers with healthcare business intelligence about multiple markets in scaleable formats.

About Porter Research
Porter Research - a Billian Inc. company - diligently works to understand and assess each client's unique needs and build a customized business-to-business research program to achieve desired goals. Combining unparalleled experience, proven methodologies and knowledge-based analysis, Porter provides the unbiased results that clients need to make informed strategic business decisions. Over the past 20 years, Porter's research team has conducted over 150,000 interviews with executives in a variety of industries: banking/financial services; consumer goods; high tech; healthcare; life sciences; retail; and utilities. With significant experience working with Fortune 500 healthcare companies, the Porter executive team has built a significant practice in the healthcare technology, provider, payer and life sciences sectors.

Contact:
Jennifer Dennard
Social Marketing Director
jdennard@billian.com
2100 RiverEdge Pkwy, Ste 1200
Atlanta, GA 30328
678-569-4872







]]> <![CDATA[TELP Takes Healthcare IT To a New Level in New York]]> http://www.billianshealthdata.com/news/SiteNews/news_items/2012/February/DASNY_Healthcare_IT.html February 6, 2012
When coupled with the state of New York, however, the term takes on a whole new meaning, yet still retains a sense of well-intentioned oversight for the public's, or rather patient's, benefit. Founded in 1944, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York offers project financing and construction services to non-profit organizations across the state that provide community programs and meet public purpose within their mission. Healthcare was included in this category in 1995, when the Authority merged with the then New York State Medical Care Facilities Finance Agency and created the Tax Exempt Leasing Program (TELP), enabling it to finance technology and equipment to its nonprofit clients. As of the end of last year, TELP had funded more than 400 projects to the tune of around $2.6 billion.

"The Authority has been active in assisting providers including nursing homes, hospitals and others to fund technology necessary to make interoperability and Meaningful Use possible," explains Art Ware, TELP General Manager at DASNY. "Projects include software, hardware and other assets necessary to obtain this goal. If 2012 is like 2011, we will come to or exceed our self-imposed annual cap for financing equipment and technology of $250 million. The average project is for general medical equipment, and almost all assets have a clinical or information nexus to healthcare. We see healthcare information technology continuing to increase in 2012 as it did in 2011."

Last December, the Authority announced its biggest TELP-funded project to date - a tri-party master lease of $88.4 million for Catholic Health Services of Long Island's (CHSLI's) electronic medical records (EMR) project. According to Ware, the transaction will finance EMR assets and technology for a data center five CHSLI hospitals - Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, Mercy Medical Center, St. Charles Hospital, St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center, and St. Francis Hospital. It is also expected to save the health system more than $5.4 million over 84 months, when comparing taxable commercial funding.

"The EMR project will enable these facilities to be compliant with the new requirements of the Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY), which is under the development, management and operation of the Commissioner of the New York State Dept. of Health," Ware says. "The department, via SHIN-NY, is developing standards to secure patient health information - its use, storage and transmission.

"Ultimately, what all this means is that these five hospitals on Long Island will be able to network among themselves, and will be able to share essential patient record information over a highly secured data system, within and external to the Catholic Health System in an inter-operative, multilateral collaborative process that is intended to save lives, and be quick and efficient."

Ware adds that the Authority has funded a significant number of EMR technology-specific projects across the state since it received legislative authorization to fund intellectual property technology under the TELP program more than a year ago.

Provider IT-EMR ($) Total Funded ($)
Nathan Littauer Hospital 2,000,000 250,950
Mary Imogene Bassett 10,400,000 1,889,990
Hospital For Special Surgery (NYC) 16,000,000 5,000,000
Rochester General Hospital 54,969,282 54,969,282
Montefiore Medical Center 17,528,118 1,200,681
St. Joseph's Hospital 6,823,608 412,184
Rome Memorial Hospital 7,500,000 2,587,751
Catholic Health Services of LI 88,848,520 88,848,520
Hebrew Home for Aged At Riverdale 2,592,089 1,527,089


The table above lists additional healthcare IT-related projects the Authority is currently involved with. All are at various stages of implementation.

Late last month, the Authority approved $534 million in financing for higher education and healthcare institutions, confirming Ware's prediction that 2012 will likely see an increase in interest related to funding of healthcare IT projects across the state.







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