Want a powerful Siemens system? Find your playmakers

[Health IT Social]

I've written a lot in the past about how crazy it drives me when things go wrong with a hospital's MS4 or Invision product and they blame it on the code.  While no software is perfect, I can tell you that after years troubleshooting issues from over 20 hospitals and then even more years doing the same for facilities, most problems go back to users.  We're certainly not at all perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but if you want your system to run smoothly, there is only one way to get there.  You need to be able to identify talent within your organization or within outside Consultants.  Here's what you need to look for...

Starting off with the most basic but most commonly overlooked trait, identify who is the person people always go to for technical questions.

It sounds strange to have to type out but sadly I've seen it happen a million times.  The folks who know the most are not the ones who are asked technical questions when major decisions are made.  If you have a major project coming up or are determining whether an interface is right for your system, don't be afraid to involve the team member that everyone goes to.  I promise you, they'll have something worthwhile to contribute.

Understanding the big picture means everything.  If there's someone in a department who clearly gets all the in's and out's of their module, make sure you put them in a position to succeed.

End user experience is vital to any project or even day to day troubleshooting.  If you have someone who clearly understands the workflow, that's just as valuable as a programmer who can write amazing code.  The only difference is their expertise can assist in building dictionaries which frankly is just as valuable as a code change.  Remember, often times issues have to do with how the system is configured, not the software itself.

Don't be afraid to look for talent in unexpected places.

The easiest way for me to explain this goes back to my background working with billing products.  I've seen folks who were in billing departments who understand completely the flow between coding, billing and even to outside vendors for claims submission processes.  Long story short, don't be afraid to identify the people who understand processes incredibly well and have shown a strong aptitude for learning.  These are the users who get the end user experience and, with the right knowledge, can take your Siemens system to a place that makes sense.

It sounds kind of nuts to say that last line...take your system to a place that makes sense.  In reality, there are so many people out there implementing systems that have no clue what its like to be an end user.  It's that simple, logical understanding of how your Siemens system should work that is not always understood by those with the responsibility to do so.  This is most commonly seen after a go-LIVE since suddenly all the users who aren't necessarily involved in the implementation are wondering why there are extra steps.

You want a successful upgrade, go-live, project?  Keep your eyes open to those who truly understand the system and get them involved.  I promise that you'll find nothing but positive results...

Do you know of more traits of a Siemens superuser that we didn't mention?

Comment below!

The Health IT Social blogger has worked in the healthcare industry for the past seven years. 

His goal is to get people to understand that a great piece of software can save a life the same way a proper diagnosis can...