"We use leading metrics to focus on visiting patients early, after discharge to prevent readmissions"

Patrick Thompson
EVP - Operations
Amedisys

Patrick is responsible for the strategic vision of Information Technology for the company and also oversees the Human Resources and Contracting departments. He has over 25 years of business process reengineering and helping fortune 500 companies streamline back office and field operations to improve operational efficiencies. He was also the Chief Operating Officer of The Shaw Group. Patrick has served on several technology boards and was honored with Top 100 CIO awards for both CIO and Computerworld magazines. He was also acknowledged in ExecRank’s Top 500 CIO Rankings.

Challenges in technology to meet enterprise needs in 2013 and expectations

Windows tablets with the fire power to have long battery life - 10 hours per day, video camera, touchpad, pen based, finger pad, keyboard attachable, large enough hard drive and memory to run store and forward applications.

The areas in business environment where solutions do not yet exist or not up to the mark, and which if existed, would've made job easier

Voice recognition is not here yet.

Manner in which data is used to head off problems and complications before they happen

We are using readmission report to educate our customers on our performance and their performance to drive down readmissions. We also use leading metrics to focus on visiting patients early, after discharge to prevent readmissions.

Thoughts on how IT strategic planning supports organization-wide efforts to improve quality, cut costs and improve efficiency in the health care sector

We have a proprietary EMR that enables us to do ‘care at the bedside’ and get real time information to your referral source to help with care collaboration.

Technology trends impacting enterprise business environment

Trends that will have a significant impact are telemonitoring, telehealth, and telemedicine.

My roles and responsibilities as a CIO

The role of a CIO has changed as a strategic change agent, and transformation catalyst.

Lessons learned and advice for fellow CIOs

Learn the business, in my case I go on patient visits, go to care centers, and do the roles of our people for a day periodically, so I really understand what they need. As CIO you must understand the business and be a servant leader. I learned that from my boss- the CEO.