Three Personal HIT Impact Stories for NHIT Week

It's hard to believe that National Health IT Week (NHIT Week) 2018 is already here. As demand for great value in value-based care rises, new regulation changes drive the industry forward in hopes of less burden on providers and more meaningful care experiences. While there's still some ways to go, recent positive change include less burdensome rules for the Physician Fee Schedule for 2019, the proposed 2019 Quality Payment Program and streamlined Evaluation and Management (E&M) codes.

On top of these industry improvements, NHIT week also commemorates the personal impact health IT advances have made in millions of lives across the country. Today, three Stoltenberg Consulting team members share their individual stories.

1. "Growing up, I always envisioned myself working in healthcare. I started college wanting to be a physician's assistant, but after a summer working at a nursing home, I decided patient care just wasn't for me," said Elizabeth, Healthcare Systems Consultant. "After graduation, I knew I still wanted to be involved in the healthcare industry. Through Stoltenberg, I gained an introduction to an ever-growing, ever-changing world of HIT. Like I envisioned growing up, I get to work with doctors, nurses and hospital staff in a field that allows me to think creatively, directly help people and learn something new every day. I have gained a whole new perspective of healthcare and how significantly health IT advances it. This field is demanding, diverse and dynamic, and I am excited to see where this career takes me."
   
   
2. "It has been a wonderful experience working for a company that supports hospitals' technology needs with such passion," said Marni, Senior Technical Recruiter. "Hearing about how new technology has improved workflow for clinicians makes me proud to be part of the industry that makes it all happen. Working as a HIT recruiter has been rewarding, knowing that the passionate skilled resources I place make a meaningful difference for strained hospital internal IT teams."
   
   
3. "Back when I was exploring college majors, healthcare was important to me, but I more so focused on what I could do to help people," said Kaitlyn, Account Solutions and Development Director. "With my career now in HIT, sometimes it is easy to lose sight of the direct impact our work has on patients and their families while sitting behind a computer. That all changed for me when my grandmother was in the hospital a few years ago. Thanks to a comprehensive EHR, we identified that her medications had not been properly administered when she transferred facilities, and she was showing major signs of pain as a result. The nursing staff quickly reviewed and identified the missed doses to get her back on track. In just a few hours, she showed a clear turnaround. For me, it was a great reminder that the leaps and bounds made in the HIT world have very real impacts on all involved in the healthcare spectrum, including patients, their families and beyond. As the healthcare industry pushes into the next phase of accountable care and deeper into population health, I look forward to seeing how HIT plays a pivotal role in enhancing patient outcomes. That's ultimately what it is all about."

What is your health IT story? We encourage you to take a moment to reflect this week on health IT's impact on your own career, family or personal path. Cheers to NHIT 2018!