Implementing Hospital Technology: A Complex & Coordinated Effort

The Process of Acquiring and Implementing New Hospital Technologies

The process of acquiring and implementing new hospital technologies has become more complex as the breadth and sophistication of available solutions continues to grow and expand. The more basic medical machinery of yesterday is steadily being updated and, in many instances, replaced altogether. Multi-faceted interconnected systems driven by logistics software are helping to automate manual processes. Many of these systems are using generative AI to improve access to information and optimize workforce efficiency throughout the hospital.

Implementing today’s technologies requires tight coordination and collaboration across departments.

Successful Implementation of Hospital Technology

Successful implementation of hospital technology requires tight collaboration at every phase of the decision-making and implementation process. That includes the initial discussion phase, which requires delineating where the technology fits, who it will benefit, who will operate it, and who will maintain it. That means putting together a team that can address and add valuable input in each of these areas. The time to begin that collaboration is before a purchase decision is made.

A Good Example of the Importance of Collaboration

There are many moving parts to implementing a pneumatic tube system, each of which requires planning, coordination, and hands-on experience. It should include the following key participants:

• Facilities Management VP or Director: These individuals typically take the lead on the project. They are the ones who look at ROI, functionality, and make the final decision.
• Clinical Staff/Users: This includes nurses, clinicians, pharmacy technicians, and others who will use the system. Including practicing clinicians on the project helps ensure effective, efficient, and safe workflows.
• Hospital Education Department: These are the people responsible for educating users on how to use technology. They arrange for training. Involving them early will enable them to put together training videos and programs in advance so that they are available immediately after implementation.
• IT Department: They are instrumental in assembling the pieces needed to ensure that the system will work on the network. They are responsible for pulling cable, setting up servers, troubleshooting, and keeping the system updated, which includes managing exceptions such as conducting virus scans, patch installs, and, when needed, opening ports while the system is in operation.

When Key Stakeholders Aren’t Collaborating

When these key stakeholders aren’t collaborating, expensive mistakes can occur. While most hospitals acknowledge that broadening the circle to include more key participants would add value, old habits die hard. For many hospitals, the purchasing and implementation processes have remained hardwired to a handful of decision-makers, often at the exclusion of the individuals whose early input could pave the way for a more successful implementation. That includes those who will be responsible for ongoing maintenance of key components once the technology is installed.

Without tight collaboration, here are some of the issues that can occur:

• A key required capability may be left out of the contract because operations personnel were not included.
• Integration issues may arise because IT wasn’t part of the initial planning.
• Money may be spent on components or features that users don’t need.
• Serious workflow flaws may be left unnoticed due to a lack of collaboration between facilities management and operations.
• Training may run behind schedule, as those responsible for training were not included early in the process.
• Ongoing support of the system may lag without coordination between groups.

Issues with Pneumatic Tube System Implementation

Going back to our example of a pneumatic tube system implementation, not including key IT personnel can create serious, and often expensive issues such as:

• Delays in installation, as the project waits for IT to pull cable because it was never scheduled.
• Unnecessary expenses because IT wasn’t included and lacked the time to set up a money-saving virtual network.
• Hardware components that don’t fit and issues that IT could have solved if involved prior to implementation.
• Various network issues that IT could have identified and resolved if they had been included in early system discussions.

How to Avoid Hospital Technology Implementation Nightmares

Here are some tips:

• Assign a project manager who can not only address all areas of the implementation but who understands which participants should be included in the collaboration.
• Map out all phases of the proposed implementation and ongoing system maintenance, including who is responsible for each.
• Gather input from participants, including:
• Workflows and processes
• Physical preparation
• Scalability for growth
• Potential issues
• Value and ROI
• Scheduling
• Finalize an implementation plan and schedule.

Involving Key Stakeholders Early

Involving key stakeholders early is key to hospital technology implementation success. Innovations in hospital technologies hold great promise in their ability to automate processes and optimize the efficiency of workflows for those who are focused on providing care to patients.

Including all the major stakeholders in a well-planned implementation process can add significant value. Not only will it help avoid potential operational issues, but it will also help ensure that the technology put in place is optimized across all areas, schedules are kept, and a smooth transition is achieved.