Clarian has been in the process of implementing Project Pace (advanced clinical applications from Cerner Corporation) which supports a key component of an organizational-wide strategic goal: Knowledge-Driven Care (KDC).  Implementation of supporting workflow and care process changes across the health system is critical to the effective use of these clinical applications and support for Clarian’s patient safety and cost management goals.   Aspen has been assisting Clarian in updating
its Information Technology Strategic plan and enhancing Information Services (IS) organizational processes to support these new initiatives.  Specific focus areas have included:

• Enhancing governance and decision making structures required to rapidly implement and support advanced clinical systems (including clinical documentation and CPOE); and,
• Working with IS management on improving IT service management processes to ensure
  reliable support of the new technology platform.
  

We have successfully led a number of engagements related to I/T and clinical systems planning:

• Assisted the Senior Staff with IT planning in an 8 week period for this expanding 300-bed community hospital. 
• Assessed the current Project Management function and formulated a plan to develop the Project Management Office and physician IT support functions with in the IT organization.
• Developed a Physician Adoption plan in preparation for the implementation of Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE).
• Conducted an assessment to evaluate progress toward implementation of the IT plan.

ITxM is one of the country’s largest multi-regional providers of blood product collection/distribution and related services.  ITxM is a $150M not-for-profit organization and is the parent company of multiple entities, including LifeSource and Central Blood Bank blood centers.  We successfully led a number of engagements related to IT planning, project management and interim leadership:

• Developed an IT plan that determined the appropriate strategies and tactics to support ITxM’s business strategy and organizational goals.  The engagement provided a framework and action plan that guided executive decision making related to IT and defined how/what business and clinical goals will be supported (and funded) by technology initiatives. 
• Implemented a Project Support Office (PSO) that put in place a structure, process and methodology for project management for strategic projects and ensured that a standard project management approach and tools were utilized and the desired benefits and goals of the projects were achieved.
• Assessed Call Center options that reviewed strategic alternatives for the disposition of the downtown Chicago Call Center operations.  This included consideration of 1) relocation of the function to Pittsburgh, 2) consolidation of operations with the suburban Chicago Call Center, and 3) outsourcing.  A cost benefit analysis was conducted to determine a recommended go-forward solution.
• Strategic Acquisitions/ Affiliations – provided technical and consulting support for the future acquisition and/or affiliation of blood banks, joint venture or outsourced services to support the growth goals of the business.
• Project Management for ISBT 128/DonorDoc Implementations – provided oversight and project management support for these high profile initiatives that had critical impact on the organizations growth and competitiveness in the marketplace.
• Served as the Interim CIO

We assisted the LUH senior management team to assess and validate its IT direction and future relationship with McKesson. Engagement objectives included:

• Determined LUH’s impetus for moving forward with advanced clinical applications (e.g. linkage with current business/clinical goals, sponsorship and commitment to the organizational change effort), confirmed application requirements (McKesson portfolio and proposal) and assessed the impact on the future IT environment (people, process, technology and funding requirements). 
• Defined alternatives, evaluation criteria and total cost of ownership models.
• Facilitated a decision among senior leadership staff on the preferred direction; and
• Developed an action plan for moving forward.

The outcome of the engagement provided LUH’s management team a clear path and action plan for the future.  The collaborative process educated management on alternative options, garnered sponsorship from the entire 9 member management team and guided executive decision making related to LUH’s overall IT strategy and McKesson’s proposal.

Aspen Advisors has assisted St. Anthony’s (SAMC) in establishing an EMR vision, procuring a core clinical vendor and implementing the  Epic portfolio of applications.   The scope of our support centered around three areas:

• Confirming and crafting SAMC’ clinical systems direction by working with the executive team, medical staff leadership, nursing and clinical selection group.
• Facilitating a structured clinical systems vendor selection process that included SAMC's executive, physician, nursing and allied health constituent participation culminating with contracting with Epic as the vendor of choice.
• Developing the governance and project structure, directing the Epic and work-flow improvement implementation and providing certified Epic implementation specialists to support the deployment (currently in process).

We have successfully completed a number of engagements related to IT planning, project governance, system standardization, enterprise-wide scheduling design and the development of a consolidated business office (CBO). Engagements included:

• Facilitating decisions, establishing governance structures and leading projects related to the standardized role-out of clinical, patient management and patient accounting applications across the health system’s eight hospitals and 30 physician clinics and ambulatory facilities. 
• Worked with the leadership team in developing EMR and information systems plans; facilitating decisions related to the selection of a core clinical vendor.
• Facilitating the selection of a PACS applications platform.
• Developing an Affiliated Physician EMR strategy and offering.
• Facilitating annual Management Committee IT planning retreats.

Texas Health Resources (THR) is composed of 13 hospitals with over 3000 beds and 3600 physicians.  Aspen is assisting THR with the rollout of Epic at its ambulatory sites and employed physician practices.

University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) consists of three hospitals (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Presbyterian Medical Center, Pennsylvania Hospital), a faculty practice plan, a primary care provider network, two multi-specialty satellite facilities, home care, hospice and a nursing home.  Engagements include:

• Supporting the organization’s Epic roll-out and standardization process in the physician and ambulatory setting.
• Fulfilling the role of Interim Applications Director.  A key component of this position included establishing a common governance and decision-making structure and change management process among the 3 hospitals to support the implementation of the inpatient core clinical system (Eclipsys).

UPMC is applying its expertise in clinical services, innovative business practices and information technology (IT) to create new businesses in IT and other areas nurtured from UPMC’s core service lines. UPMC has made significant investments in IT to link and integrate electronic medical records across multiple hospitals and care settings. UPMC’s Information Services Division (ISD) supports 19 UPMC hospitals, over 2,000 physicians, UPMC Health plan and Strategic Business Initiatives (SBI) division (joint venture and for-profit initiatives). UPMC core applications portfolio includes Patient Management / Accounting (McKesson Medipac), inpatient EMR (Cerner), Physician EMR, Billing & Registration (Epic), Enterprise-wide Master Patient Index (Eclipsys). Aspen Advisors assisted UPMC:

• In the implementation of Epic’s Prelude, Cadence and Resolute patient access and revenue cycle modules in their physician practices.
• In evaluating alternative models for providing IT services to its own facilities, UPMC-related ventures as well as capitalizing on its core competencies and industry relationships to provide services to non-affiliated entities.