Healthcare Services

How to improve the patient experience - Sustainably

Posted by Qaalfa Dibeehi on May 22, 2012

0 comments | 421 reads

At the recent Beryl Institute conference on Patient Experience, Rhonda Dishongh, Director of Patient Experience Design at Memorial Hermann Hospital System and I presented a case brief on our work there. This time, our talk was focused on “Achieving patient experience excellence through cultural transformation”. Rhonda was keen to get the message out that the key to sustainable improvements in Patient experience and therefore patient satisfaction is cultural transformation. This transformation has to be organic – grown and nurtured from the inside. It will not happen simply by mandate. You will not make it happen by creating great sounding policy alone.

If you boil it all down, there are four key ingredients to successful cultural transformation:

• Leadership - The leaders are required to demonstrate and set the stage for the transformation. They need to be servant leaders - leaders who live the new culture’s values. The Servant Leader was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader.

May 17, 2012

Knoa Software Releases Knoa EPM Version 7.0

Offering Provides Complete User Experience Management for Customers
Leveraging SAP® Solution-based Environments

VNMKNOA5142012 - NEW YORK/ORLANDO, May 14, 2012– Knoa® Software, the leading provider of end-user experience and performance management software, today announced the availability of Knoa Experience and Performance Manager (EPM) version 7.0. The new version supports SAP® enterprise software, including the SAP NetWeaver® Portal, the SAP Customer Relationship Management (SAP CRM) application and SAP BusinessObjects™ solutions, and enables customers to drive adoption and effective use while lowering the cost of IT services. The solution is resold by SAP as the SAP User Experience Management (SAP UEM) application by Knoa.

This new version of Knoa EPM provides complete integration with industry-leading SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence (BI) solutions, enabling analytics that provide a complete view of end-user behavior that expedites insight and action. It uniquely monitors the entire SAP solution-based landscape, analyzes in detail the user’s interaction with the application, and provides remediation recommendations so that customers can take immediate action. The ROI is substantial and immediate.

“Knoa EPM version 7.0 represents a major evolution in the state of user experience management and brings unique and powerful capabilities to our global customers,” said Thad Eidman, chief executive officer, Knoa Software. “Out-of-the-box, the new version fully enables every application screen, button and function immediately and automatically, without the manual scripting of legacy products. Furthermore, it automatically discovers and then integrates customizations. Knoa EPM continues to set the industry standard for enterprise user experience management.”

Knoa's vision for user experience management starts with monitoring application performance from the end-user perspective. The new version goes well beyond simply measuring the performance of the application. The Knoa agent monitors the user's interaction with SAP applications and captures all of the actual workflow executed, as well as the ecosystem and application errors; from all users, at all locations, at all times.

“In partnership with Knoa, SAP is providing customers true end-to-end enablement and helping them achieve greater productivity from their workforce,” commented Markus Schwarz, global head of SAP Education. “The new release of Knoa EPM, also available from SAP as SAP UEM, gives customers the opportunity to reduce the overall cost of IT service desk operations and training while also providing executive-level insight into application usage.”

For more information on Knoa Software, Knoa EPM version 7.0, or to hear more about Knoa’s partnership with SAP, visit Knoa in booth 969 at the SAPPHIRE® NOW and ASUG Annual Conference. The conference – being held May 14-16 in Orlando, Fla. – provides attendees the opportunity to learn and network with customers, SAP executives, partners and experts across the entire SAP ecosystem.

About Knoa Software
Knoa® Software delivers on-premise and cloud-based solutions that monitor, measure and manage how end-users are utilizing enterprise applications to optimize end-user experience, enhance user performance, and deliver return on investment. Uniquely, Knoa automation provides complete and deep insight into all activities, by user, for each application monitored. 20 percent of the Fortune 50 and hundreds of global 5000 companies have already licensed Knoa software to power their user experience and optimize their performance. For more information visit www.knoa.com. You can also follow us on Twitter: @knoasoftware.

You can also view our 2 minute overview on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6J-0-X4dTA

# # #

SAP, SAP NetWeaver, SAPPHIRE and all SAP logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries.

All other product and service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

SAP Forward-looking Statement
Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “should” and “will” and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

Editorial Contact:
Erica Burns
PAN Communications
617-502-4300
Knoa@pancomm.com

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Two dimensions of top percentile patient satisfaction

Posted by Kalina Janevska on April 30, 2012

0 comments | 366 reads

Managing patient satisfaction is a key strategic goal for healthcare providers on both sides of the Atlantic.

With patient satisfaction scores being directly linked to financial gain and loss, hospitals in particular are forced to re-evaluate their way of being and consider their patients’ perception of who they are and how they operate. This has great implications to how things are executed because now they can’t afford not to ask themselves: But how does this affect our patients’ satisfaction? In addition to the traditional “Will this improve our clinical outcomes?”; “Will this makes us more efficient?” etc.

But how do you achieve top percentile satisfaction?

In the work Beyond Philosophy did with Memorial Herman Hospital System a few years ago, we came to an important revelation about patient experience and patient satisfaction.

There are two key elements to patient satisfaction: clinical outcome and emotional outcome.
Clinical outcome is defined in a broader sense and entails the effect derived as a result of the medical treatment and associated service standards that hospitals deliver. It has to do anything with the medical procedures and practices, the communication of those, efficiency, timeliness, routines and any practice in the hospital which directly or indirectly impact the patient’s medical wellbeing. This answers the question: What do we do?

Don’t Overlook the Non-clinical in the Patient Experience!

Posted by Qaalfa Dibeehi on April 25, 2012

0 comments | 381 reads

Patient experience is undergoing a renaissance, especially in hospitals. In the US, this is being driven in large part by the implications of the HCAHPS patient satisfaction reimbursement rules. In the UK, it’s National Health Service (NHS) reforms. As such, hospitals have been eager to hear from experts and learn from other industries about the most effective ways to improve Patient Satisfaction. The body of publicly available patient experience info is growing and in many ways it parallels that of the broader customer experience space.

One particularly informative Beryl Institute infographic recently caught my eye. It is entitled “Making Patient Experience a Priority” and it beautifully describes why patient experience is so important and outlines what needs to be done to build relationships with patients. The infographic puts the spotlight on what happens before and after care. “Before Care” includes things like connecting patients to information, helping patients with referrals, and engaging patients in events on prevention. “After Care” refers to things like following up on appointments, providing classes, and taking medication.

Will new levels of accountability for patient satisfaction be a sufficient driver of change in the US Healthcare system?

Posted by Marc Mandel on April 23, 2012

0 comments | 537 reads

We've already taken a number of close looks at the payers and how healthcare reform coming out of the current administration is forcing the powerful hand of change, but let's take a fresh look at providers and especially, hospitals.

Having had the personal misfortune of being a patient in a hospital a month ago for my very first time, I wanted to share some observations about the experience.

While I came into the hospital via the emergency room and because I was transported by ambulance I was wisked into the triage process rather than being left for an unpredictably long amount of time in the waiting room, being brought in was where the positive patient experience ended and the mismanagement and bureaucracy began.

The admitting nurse took my name and insurance information while another took my vitals.The grilling continued with duplicative information being provided to a series of interrogators for close to 20 minutes prior to them strapping on my ID wristband and parking me in the hallway on a gurney where they left me for the next six hours.

I am not sure if this was a steller example of best of breed healthcare, but I'll suggest it likely fell short in terms of the overall experience I received from the hospital. Never before had I felt like such a number and dehumanized by an overtaxed process run by doctors and administrators who have found more loopholes in the payer process to shake a stick at, all in the spirit of ensuring maximum financial compensation for minimal services rendered.

April 17, 2012

Survey Indicates Small Business Disaster Recovery Offers A Revenue Opportunity For Managed Service Providers

Modular DPS Polls Users Of Intel AppUpsm Small Business Service And Identifies Backup And Recovery As A Top Line Extension For MSPs

Modular Data Protection Services (DPS) Inc., a leader in cloud data protection for the channel servicing the SMB/SME market, today announced results of an informal survey of managed service providers (MSPs) focused on the small business market. Modular DPS surveyed resellers of Intel AppUpSM Small Business Service, Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC), and discovered that many MSPs may be missing revenue-generating opportunities in the areas of offsite data backup and recovery services.

“Our research shows that many MSPs are currently offering planning services for disaster recovery and business continuity, but the majority haven’t yet taken steps to offer an offsite backup and recovery solution to support their plans,” said Eric Strong, President and CEO, Modular DPS. “With the aid of a turnkey program, such as our new Modular 360° Partner Program™, MSPs can quickly and effectively drive new recurring revenue with a low-risk solution their customers are eagerly seeking. Together with our Alliance Partners including Intel AppUpSM Small Business Service, we can help with a flexible and cost-effective solution that can produce a rapid revenue return.”

The survey queried MSPs about a range of business strategies. Key findings included:
· Remote Monitoring and Management Services was the first most popular (55.6 percent) core focus area for MSPs. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning tied with Remote Help Desk as the second most popular (44.4 percent) core focus area. Offsite Data Backup and Recovery Services placed as the third most popular (42.1 percent).
· Offsite Data Backup and Recovery Services placed second (42.1 percent) following Managed VOIP (44.4 percent) as the most popular line extension for the MSPs surveyed.
· While 50 percent of the MSPs offer Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning services, only 26.3 percent of them also offer Offsite Data Backup and Recovery Services today.
· Seventy percent of the MSPs surveyed had customers with under 1TB of data.
· Thirty percent of the MSPs surveyed do not currently have a regular performance and planning review process for their customers.

MSPs looking for valuable line extension opportunities in the areas of offsite data backup and recovery services will find value in the new Modular 360° Partner Program™. This new program provides partners and their customers with a turnkey data protection solution that combines the necessary data protection software, materials, service document templates, and ongoing support to assure rapid implementation and ongoing success. The solution also includes access to the Intel AppUpSM Small Business Service, which runs on the Intel® Hybrid Cloud Platform. The platform allows MSPs to offer software and servers to their clients via a monthly subscription model with no up front costs, including a server upgrade every three years. Through the partnership with 6fusion Inc., customers can also benefit from an optional pay-per-use utility data vault hosting model for further budget flexibility.

The Modular 360° Partner Program™ provides additional access to the acclaimed “MSPexcellence Playbook and Program for Cloud Solution Providers.” The knowledge base offers the framework and tools to enable program partners to develop and align their cloud services strategy and delivery roadmap within a three-month timeframe.

The Modular 360° Partner Program™ offers a number of additional exclusive benefits for authorized members. For more information, please visit: http://www.modulardps.com/360-partner-program.

Tweet this: @Modular DPS Reports: #SMB #Disaster Recovery Survey Shows Incremental Revenue Opps for #MSPs – http://bit.ly/Hp7T5K

About Modular DPS:
Modular DPS Inc. is a cloud services aggregator comprised of a team of IT industry veterans with experience at all tiers of the IT marketplace. The company creates and delivers data protection service offerings principally through its Modular 360° Partner Program™. This unique approach combines all of the necessary business knowledge, support and technical components to enable IT service organizations to quickly and effectively deliver Cloud Data Protection services rooted in the fundamental principle that establishing a secure and absolutely recoverable client data set is the foundation of a solid data protection strategy.

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For parties interested in: modular dps, intel, INTC, 6fusion, mspexcellence, asigra, mspmentor, aggregator, cloud backup, data protection, disaster recovery, online backup, backup, backup and recovery, cloud backup, backup, virtual server backup, remote backup, reduplication

Eric Strong
President & CEO
eric.strong@modulardps.com
O: (845) 397-0515

Media Contact:
Derek Kol
775-513-6800
derek@derekkol.com

Customer Segmentation Comes to… the ER?

Posted by Jon Picoult on April 13, 2012

0 comments | 435 reads

Few people associate hospital emergency rooms with customer experience excellence. But some hospitals are working to change that.

If there’s something consumers associate with ERs, it’s long wait times and crowded quarters. But as reported in The New York Times this week (“For The Elderly, Emergency Rooms of Their Own“), some hospitals are applying the concept of customer segmentation to create more customized and appealing ER experiences.

The article describes the advent of “Geriatric Emergency Rooms” – urgent-care facilities with a design, layout and patient care approach that’s tailored to the needs of the elderly.

One of the hospitals featured, Mount Sinai in New York City, has seen patient satisfaction scores for its Geriatric ER go “off the scoreboard.” Given that healthcare organizations typically bring up the rear in customer experience rankings, how is Mount Sinai achieving such remarkable results?

April 3, 2012

Modular DPS Unveils MSP Aggregator Program; Fuels IT Service Provider Sales Growth for Cloud Data Protection

New Modular 360° Partner Program™ Offers Partner Access to Products, Services and Expertise to Enhanced Cloud Opportunities

TORONTO – Modular Data Protection Services (DPS) Inc., a leader in cloud data protection for the channel servicing the SMB/SME market, today announced a new and innovative program for IT Services Providers looking for new methods to address growing customer demand for cloud data protection services. Through an alliance with the Intel Hybrid Cloud group, 6fusion Inc. and MSPexcellence, Modular DPS has built the Modular 360° Partner Program™, a comprehensive program which enables managed service provider (MSP) partners to deliver a complete data protection strategy to their SMB/SME clients by leveraging the respective offerings and expertise of the program’s alliance members.

“Today’s market is reaching the tipping point towards mass adoption of cloud data protection,” said Eric Strong, President & CEO, Modular DPS. “This presents exponential growth potential for IT Service Providers that are ready with turnkey solutions that can drive valued business outcomes with a short time to market, low risk solution that’s both flexible and cost effective. With the creation of the Modular 360° Partner Program™, we are offering partners just that. We’ve packaged together the products, expertise and services partners need so that they may quickly and effectively drive recurring revenue through a range of professional service options that will build equity in their practice.”

The Modular 360° Partner Program™ aggregates all the necessary components to provide partners a complete data protection strategy which drives incremental MSP sales growth. Partner program members benefit from the additive program elements from each alliance member including:
· The necessary data protection software, materials and service document templates as well as the sales and technical assistance from Modular DPS to enable partners to get up and running quickly. Powered by Asigra’s widely recognized cloud data protection software platform.
· Access to the Intel Hybrid Cloud program, from Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC), and the Intel AppUpSM Small Business Service catalog. Program partners can create custom client solutions from the catalog including server, business software and data protection components – all in one, single client premise device. This appliance also acts as the local data storage repository and data collection point for transfer through the cloud to an offsite data vault.
· Support from 6fusion Inc. with an optional end-to-end cloud management platform for workload distribution and a pay-per-use billable utility model. Program Partners can elect to protect data within Modular DPS’ 6fusion environment or they can deploy and operate their own hosted data vault instance.
· Knowledge base from MSPexcellence and access to its “MSPexcellence Playbook and Program for Cloud Solution Providers,” for innovative and rapid MSP sales program enablement. This framework and tools enable program partners to develop and align their cloud services strategy and delivery roadmap within a three-month timeframe.

“The Modular 360° Partner Program™ has really helped me accelerate the delivery of my cloud services strategy”, said Kevin Rickey, Owner of Automate Data Systems in Stoney Creek, Ontario. “The Modular team has worked closely with my own organization to help us not only acquire the technical components and expertise we required to setup and deploy data protection services to our clients, they have also really assisted us in our client facing engagements and we have begun capturing new services revenues as a result.”

The Modular 360° Partner Program™ offers a number of additional exclusive benefits for authorized members. For more information, please visit: http://www.modulardps.com/360-partner-program.

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Eric Strong
President & CEO
eric.strong@modulardps.com
O: (845) 397-0515

Media Contact:
Derek Kol
775-513-6800
derek@derekkol.com

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Medicare forcing hospitals to improve their customer service

Posted by Cheryl Hanna on March 28, 2012

0 comments | 497 reads

In the midst of arguments on the Affordable Health Care programs, it is interesting to delve into this year’s Medicare push for improved customer service in the hospital venue. Beginning in October, Medicare will hold one percent of their regular reimbursements based on performance. With payments that will total more than $50 million, United States health-care is being forced to improve the quality of their care.

The survey is called Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health-care Providers and Services (HCAHPS) and contains 27 pertinent questions about a patient’s hospital experience. Here is just a sampling of what patients are asked:

MarketPlace

Global Customer Experience Management (CEM) Certification Program

[May 30-31, Frankfurt; July 25-26, Hong Kong] An internationally recognized program with proven track record of success - being run for 34 times in 13 cities with attendees from 50 countries, the program is developed based on the U.S. patent-pending Branded CEM Method which aims to drive customer loyalty and brand differentiation with quantifiable business results. Limited offer: USD300 early bird discount.

Join us on May 29th in New York City. Stuart Ryder, SVP, Mobile Research Lead for Ipsos IOTX & Roxana Strohmenger, a leading Forrester analyst, will be in attendance to share best practices and new trends in mobile market research.

[June 12, Sir Francis Drake Hotel] Gregson Siu, Vice President, Ariba Business Operations, Ariba and Bob Thompson, CustomerThink, will be in attendance to share best practices, new trends and latest research to help you develop your customer experience program.

Social Networking and sCRM International Congress in Colombia

[June 25-26, Bogota] Thirteen international thought leaders will present, from different perspectives, the trends, the uses, and the magic - as well as the reality - of Social Networking and how it impacts the way customers are doing/will do business.

Driving ROI With VoC

Walker has identified multiple ways to measure ROI – there is not a one-size-fits-all solution. This paper will address each and conclude with some recommendations to help B-to-B practitioners evaluate which ROI approach will work best for their particular business need.