AS HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS get more involved in IT deployment, the challenges become more complicated – not only from a system standpoint, but from an operational one as well.

Learning the tenets of a new software program is hard enough without having to place it in a larger context, such as sophisticated workflow schematics, Medicare reimbursement schedules or care management initiatives. That is why many consulting firms are evolving along with the healthcare industry to offer more focused, specialized expertise on IT matters, consultants say.

To be sure, healthcare providers are facing a broader, deeper set of challenges than ever before, says Don Thomas, president of Irving, Texas-based SoftLight Development.

“Our clients are faced with a number of challenges, whether it’s technology, process flow, logistics or clinical,” he said. “Basically though, they want us to show them how to take technology and make it non-technical so that their people can understand it.”

Although the situations are highly varied, most problems share the same root cause, Thomas said – data flow.

“Let’s face it, data is king – it’s what pays the bills and is what’s important to everyone,” he said. “Most challenges center around maintaining data and having it flow to the right pieces. Bottlenecks are where the frustration sets in. If you’re a physician clinic, you may have great practice management software, but extending it to the physicians may be a challenge.”

In the hospital environment, Thomas cited an example of how an integrated delivery network had a disconnect between radiology and physicians.

“Radiology didn’t have the capability of transmitting results to the physicians – they would burn the images to a CD and have it couriered over, which can take days,” he said. “With the technology available today there is no reason to wait that long. We are able to take information like that and provide a technical scope. We look at our arsenal and figure out how we can provide the solutions our clients need.”