K.C. Bolton:
Been a while...but what a ride!
Been a few weeks since I last posted here. But I have had some great learning experiences. Since my last posting my telemed project paper was approved for final draft. That culminates almost 9 months of effort on that albatross of mine. It gets even better: so far there are no road blocks to our upcoming telemedicine deployment. Nice to have an academic exercise be carried out to fruition in a tangible way.
I had the opportunity to visit our nation's capital. Sat in on a session with Dr. Winkenwerder, the senior physician who advises the Secretary of Defense. Nice to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that smart and dedicated folks are at the helm.
Some highlights of the visit (not all new/earth shattering, but still important)
*Relative Value Units (RVUs) are the standard for judging productivity. This is where the complexity of a patient's complaint is factored into a providers productivity assessment. Gone are the days where you count visits. KC's view: If you are not doing anything currently, counting visits is a good start. A standard primary care visit is .7 RVU. The DoD standard is 15.4 RVUs daily.
*Appointing systems are critical to positive patient outcomes. I like to think as our Central Appointments as 'the tip of the spear'. They are the first and most visible face the healthcare organization has with the patient. And if the appointment system is dorked, the patient will feel it right away.
*Metrics, metrics, metrics. If you aren't measuring, you are missing opportunities to improve care. In terms of quality, access and cost...the Iron Triangle of healthcare. The important thing is to have the leadership agree on the metric. What to measure, how to measure, how often.
There are other nuggets, but I will save them for later.
9:11:00 PM 
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