In order to keep patient care networks working optimally, it’s important to have an HTM provider with the skills and relationships to collaborate with your organization’s IT Department. Recently Geisinger, a 10-hospital system with locations throughout Pennsylvania, began planning for upgrades to its wireless infrastructures. The IT Program Manager knew that they needed to involve HTM in this project, in order to minimize the impact on patient care devices, and reached out to their HTM partner, Joseph Welker, Clinical Systems Engineer with ISS Solutions.
“IT pulled us in early, knowing that HTM needed to be involved and have a voice during the planning phase” noted Welker, who is based at Geisinger. ISS Solutions’ HTM provides comprehensive services for all Geisinger’s healthcare technology management needs and has worked to establish strong ties with IT as an important part of that relationship.
Through their collaboration, IT and ISS Solutions produced a plan to set up an isolated test area, to test the effect of the change on medical equipment. They worked together to ensure all appropriate testing could be completed before the go-live. During the testing, several potential issues were discovered and resolved through further collaboration between IT, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and ISS Solutions. Through ISS Solutions’ relationship with clinical stakeholders, they made sure the clinical teams were aware of which equipment would be impacted and put in place plans for equipment downtime which would minimize patient impact.
Geisinger CIO, John Kravitz noted, “The collaboration between IT and ISS Solutions allows for careful planning of network upgrades and cyber security preventive measures in order to protect clinical equipment to ensure there is minimal impact to patient care.”
Currently, half the locations have their upgrades completed successfully and the remaining upgrades are planned to be completed on time. After-action reviews allow for a collegial conversation about what worked well and what could be improved during the next upgrade. This type of teamwork is not created for a single project but is built over years of working together with respect and trust, and a common goal of supporting patient care. This type of teamwork ensures ISS Solutions’ and Geisinger’s success in providing for their patients.
