Decisions, Decisions: Choosing IT and IT Vendors

While it’s clear that information technology can improve the operations of any HME, the challenge is figuring out how to begin and where to spend your money. Across the spectrum, HME experts agree on several points when it comes to assessing IT needs. First, no two HME companies are alike. Second, no two software or IT solutions are alike. Finally, the assessment cannot be completed all at once or in a short period of time. Take your time (but don’t wait too long) and do your homework in assessing your company’s IT needs.

**"You can’t do everything at once," says Roberta Domos, president of Redmond, Wash.-based Domos HME Consulting Group. "Prioritize. Sit down and ask, ‘What is an area of my business where technology would be most useful?’"

**"Analyze each position and function in your company, and evaluate whether technology would help people do their jobs better," adds Heidi Thometz, director of sales and marketing for Computers Unlimited, Billings, Mont.

**Consider what makes your company unusual, advises Michael Barish, president of AnCor Healthcare Consulting, Coral Springs, Fla., then determine which software can meet these specific needs. "Is there a managed care contract that requires special programming in order to handle the contractual agreements? Is there something unique about the way equipment is purchased or distributed?"

**Another step is one that providers may overlook. "Make a list of the things that your current system does well for your business," recommends Lee Hartz, general manager of Management by Information, Sherwood, Ark. "No doubt there are things that work well for you. This is the time to remember those things so you don’t get surprised when you put in a new system and find that a feature you thought was standard in all systems does not exist in the new one."

**According to Mark Kulik, vice president for sales and marketing for CareCentric, Atlanta, another question to ask is, "How do I want to grow my business?" With a good IT system, he points out, providers can capture information such as their top referral sources or top-selling sales representatives.

"This is more than just data—it gives you information to act on, which is the single biggest benefit of automating your business," Kulik says.