Q&A with CIDO Tom Barnett, Part 2: “Last year changed the game for everybody.”

In healthcare, the terms ‘large organization’ and ‘agility’ typically don’t go together. In fact, most have come to believe that the bigger a health system’s footprint gets, the harder it becomes to introduce change.

If that’s the case, then Baptist Memorial has achieved unicorn status. Despite its size — 22 hospitals spread out over three states — Baptist has consistently demonstrated a willingness to take on new technology, according to Tom Barnett, who serves as Chief Information and Digital Officer. Case in point: it was one of just a few organizations selected to implement Epic’s new integrated video platform last year. “That type of agility for an organization of this size is extremely gratifying and exciting to work with,” he noted.

What makes that possible, according to Barnett, is Baptist’s methodical approach to change management, and its unwavering focus on process and workflow before technology. During a recent interview, he talked about the multifaceted strategy his team uses when planning an initiative, how they’ve adapted lessons learned from other industries to improve efficiencies, and how to differentiate a vendor from a partner. Barnett also discusses his team’s goal when it comes to improving patient experience, and why he believes the most important thing a leader can do is to make himself or herself available.

LISTEN HERE USING THE PLAYER BELOW OR SUBSCRIBE THROUGH YOUR FAVORITE PODCASTING SERVICE. 



Key Takeaways



* The key to creating a better experience is to look first at “how we’re connecting with patients in the wild,” and start engaging as soon as they search for care.

* Engagement doesn’t have to start with a blank slate. In fact, there are about 12 core pathways that organizations can use to help guide patients through the care journey.

* For Barnett, the chance to lead the digital strategy for a large organization that values innovation and agility was too good to pass up. “It’s extremely gratifying and exciting.”

* The difference between vendors and partners? “A partner is somebody that’s going to be at the table with us. They’re looking at our challenges. They’re looking at what we’re attempting to do on our roadmap, and helping us to think outside of the box.”





Q&A with Tom Barrett, Part 2 [Click here to view Part 1]

Defining the patient experience

Gamble:  What are some of your core objectives at this point?

Barrett:  Well, I’m very fortunate. The organization is very strong from an EMR standpoint. We’re on the Epic platform, and actually, Baptist Memorial was the first health system to achieve the Epic 10-star rating, which is the highest you can get — we have all of the functionality rolled out.

They achieved that in 2017, and as Epic continues to evolve their products and new features come out and new applications are added, the team has definitely been working through that, even through the pandemic. We re-attested and certified, re-achieving 10-star status this past September. From an Epic perspective, we’re in an extremely good spot right now.

Beyond that, from an objectives perspective, we’re looking to figure out the first elements of that digital responsibility and take a look at how we’re connecting with patients in the wild, so to speak, which is through the search engine of your choice. The minute a patient decides they have a need or a question, what does that journey look like, and how do we define it?