Shane Pilcher, Administrative Director & CIO, Siskin Hospital, Chapter 1

People often like to compare a situation to “drinking from a fire hose,” but when Shane Pilcher started as CIO at Siskin Hospital in the summer of 2015, it really was quite an experience. Not just because he was the first CIO the organization had ever named, but because it was his first exposure to the post-acute care and rehabilitation environment. But although it’s been an adventure, Pilcher has cherished every moment.

In this interview, he talks about the major initiatives on his team’s plate, including selecting a new EHR system — which is “a journey it itself,” replacing legacy systems, and of course, keeping data safe. Pilcher also discusses why he believes “the post-acute space is the next frontier in healthcare,” what he looks for in a vendor partner, how consulting helped prepare him for the CIO role, and what he learned during his time with the Navy.

Chapter 1



* About Siskin

* Selecting an EHR – “It’s a journey in itself.”

* Lack of EHRs specializing in rehab

* “The post-acute space is the next frontier in healthcare.”

* Integrating with referral sources: “It’s still a highly paper, highly manual process.”

* Need for vendors who “willing to roll up their sleeves and work with us”

* Being Siskin’s first CIO – “It has been like drinking from a fire hose.”

* Avoiding “IT speak”



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Bold Statements

It’s truly a journey in itself, trying to work through all that and trying to anticipate everything that you might need to know, and finally making a board recommendation.

Not a lot of EHRs have really addressed that space until recently. So we’re really having to do some deep dives in terms of functionality to see if it fills the gaps that we currently have.

One thing I value tremendously is a vendor that is a partner with us. And that’s not just in the EHR space, but all the vendors that we use. We need those that can meet that need, but are willing to roll up their sleeves and walk the path with us, get their hands dirty, and help us get to that finish line, and be willing to also continue develop their products so that it grows with us.

Before we launch into a different EMR and go down that path, we really had to get the organization to understand that if we’re going to invest in a new system — and the dollars and time it’s going to take to implement it, as well as the maintenance and the licensing fee to maintain it — we also have to be willing to have the resources available to keep it going and keep it optimized.

IT can easily become the department that is seen as a roadblock. They frequently can say no, but you’ve got to get beyond that. You’ve got to be able to understand every business segment of your organization so you can understand how IT can support it.

Gamble:  I think the best place is to start is by getting some information about Siskin Hospital. You have the rehabilitation hospital, but what are some of the other features and where are you located?

Pilcher:  We are a just under 200-bed independent and patient rehab facility with a subacute care rehab as well. We have three clinics; one onsite and two offsite. We provide just about every service that you can within the rehab space — everything from physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychology, as well as all the specialties that go along with it. One of our areas of focus is brain injury and spinal cord and stroke rehabilitation. We are located in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Gamble:  And you’re independent, but do you have any types of affiliations with other health systems or hospitals?

Pilcher:  We don’t. We’re completely on our own, which is a blessing and a curse, but we are excited to be able to try and keep that way ...