Managed Healthcare Executive - January 2009 - (Page 28)

{ TECHNOLOGY } ing two large group practices and seven integrated health delivery networks. According to the paper, an exodus of retiring traditionalists and boomers is a serious threat to IT departments because the older workers often selected, implemented and managed the systems that are in place. Their experience is di cult to replace. The report identi ed four segments of workers that might be found in a health IT department at any given time: traditionalists born before 1946; baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964; Gen X born between 1965 and 1980; and Gen Y born between 1980 and 2000. The older generations make up a large proportion—as much as 50% at some sites—of the health IT work force. Unless their departure is transitioned or otherwise controlled, their retirement threatens to leave critical gaps in sta s that are responsible for existing IT systems. YOUNG ALLIES As more of Vail’s experienced IT employees retire, the need to attract and retain talented replacements has increased. More candidates looking to design and manage IT systems are arriving from the college ranks. The Regence Group has expected its younger workers to press for more work benets such as telecommuting and exible work hours as part of signing on. Vail says that the organization is looking at accommodating future generations as well. “We are pushing ourselves to adopt a more collaborative work environment along with the necessary tools to allow for it,” Vail continues. “The younger generation is our ally for keeping this e ort moving.” According to a recent report by the U.S. Department of Labor and Statistics, the demand for jobs in medical records 28 JANUARY 2009 N.Y., the strategy included fending o larger health plans that had been encroaching on their membership market share. Jack VanGraafeiland, chief information o cer, says upgrades of the company’s products in past two years has enabled healthcare providers to better determine and share with patients the exact cost of a procedure prior to the delivery of care. Those upgrades have required a heavy dose of IT support. VanGraafeiland has a sta of 200—a mix of veterans and the less experienced. Relying on senior employees as mentors has been good formula for MVP Health Care, especially since some are postEXECUTIVE VIEW poning retirement because of the recent downturn in the economy, he says. Cast a wide net to recruit “They hold the keys to the kingdom, the best IT talent. and we do want to keep them around Aim to retain experienced because of their history and experience,” IT workers and avoid the VanGraafeiland says. “brain drain.” He points out that it’s good policy that when a senior employee takes on Allow young workers the a mentor role, which gives that person ﬂexibility they value. a break from his or her normal routine, that the time taken doesn’t harm the She notes that new-generation work- mentor’s chances at promotions or iners not only grew up during a tech- volvement in special projects. nological revolution, they helped to VanGraafeiland says other ways to cause it. Managers should recognize keep veteran IT workers from retirthat those workers may value a sense ing can include: sabbaticals; a switch to of balance between work and personal consulting status; nancial incentives; life even more than their experienced retirement based around a system concounterparts. version or sunset. For example, Gen Y employees, Vail says planning for an able IT who are 20- to 29-years-old, instead work force is as important as the techof better pay, might expect a exible nology that plans use to stay ahead of work schedule or company-provided the competition. BlackBerrys and cell phones. “We are adopting tools looking down “They’re not going to be the same as the road three to ve years to deterthe boomers that value money or just a mine the kind of skill sets we need and work ethic,” Siegel says. factoring in how long it takes to recruit For most healthcare plans, evolving or train,” she says. MHE health IT technology requires a savvy work force. When MVP Health Care FOR MORE INSIGHT merged in January 2006 with Preferred See more Technology on Care, its sister company in Rochester, managedhealthcareexecutive.com and health IT is projected to increase by 18% through 2016. According to the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS), there are about 108,000 health IT professionals in the United States now. Bonnie Siegel is a vice president who focuses on health IT at Cejka Search Inc., a healthcare executive and physician search rm in St. Louis. She says with more traditionalists and boomers reaching retirement age, keeping workforce rolls lled with IT replacements is fundamental to an organization’s success. http://www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Managed Healthcare Executive - January 2009

Managed Healthcare Executive - January 2009 Contents Editorial Advisors For Your Benefit News Analysis Politics & Policy Letter of the Law Managed Care Outlook New Day 5 New Realities of Disease Management Pharmacy Best Practices Health Management Technology State Report: Hawaii MHE Resource Ad/Edit Index

Managed Healthcare Executive - January 2009

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