Every Chief
Information Officer I know works hard to meet their hospitals’ needs and create
a positive experience for patients. After all, patients are a hospital’s most
important “customer.” Few CIOs, however,
seem to view nurses in the same light. Recently, I’ve been fortunate to meet some really good CIOs who recognize that nurses are also important customers, and that when the IT department delivers the tools nurses need to do their jobs effectively, patients also benefit. Two recent studies point to the importance of meeting the technology needs of hospital caregivers.
Technology research firm Ponemon Institute found U.S. hospitals lose more than $8 billion per year in productivity due to the use of archaic communication technology. The study reports hospital doctors and nurses waste 46 minutes each day when they use pagers to exchange information, rather than more efficient alternatives like texting on smartphones. (See “Pagers Cost Hospitals Billions,” CNN/Money.)
Our own survey, sponsored with American Nurse Today, the Official Journal of the American Nurses Association, also indicates significant communication challenges in our nation’s hospitals. Our Special Report, Top 10 Clinical Communication Trends, finds that nurses who have text communication available for use on their unit say they experience fewer communication barriers than nurses who do not have texting. That doesn’t surprise us, but we were surprised to discover that nurses spend more than half their shift on tasks such as communicating, charting and waiting for information, taking away significant time from hands-on patient care.
The good news? Our survey also uncovers a positive trend: Half of executive-level nurses say they have an influence on their hospitals’ technology decisions. If you want to deliver the tools your clinical staff needs, it makes sense to give them a voice in decision-making. Unfortunately, we also found while nurse leaders are gaining a seat at the table with the IT department, the overwhelming majority of staff nurses still do not have an opportunity to weigh in on the devices they use every day.
If your hospital is like those in these two surveys, and your nurses are struggling with their communication tools, it’s time to make a change. I know it’s tempting to solve your problems with a quick, proprietary solution, but be cautious about a knee-jerk reaction. Instead, consider your long-term strategic plan and upcoming meaningful use initiatives, and choose a technology platform that will allow you to continue innovating as the landscape changes.
Your hospital, your IT department, your clinical staff, and most importantly, your patients are depending on you to deliver positive experiences for all your customers well into the future.