Renee Brannan

Interviewing for a job is a pretty intimidating thought to many people. It means selling yourself as the best individual for the opportunity. It could sometimes mean hours or possibly even days of preparation. Knowing what mistakes to avoid is generally a great place to start. There is an informative paragraph from the book by Dan Miller, 48 Days to the Work You Love, where he refers to the 5 fatal interviewing flaws. They are listed below. He expands on each of these in his writing.

1. Lack of enthusiasm
2. What’s in it for me?
3. Unclear job goals
4. Poor personal appearance
5. Not selling yourself

These mistakes seem pretty obvious to most, but it can never hurt to revisit the basics. Also, a piece of advice from my personal experience – I’ve found that practice is the best preparation. After you’ve done your homework on the potential employer, practice by rehearsing an actual interview with someone. You can find helpful interview practice questions on the Internet. Best of luck!

- Renee Brannan

Renee Brannan is Director of Sales and Marketing for HIT Perm Jobs, and can be reached at renee@hitpermjobs.com.

We all know that social and business media is exploding online.  The HIT industry is no exception.

I was at a seminar the other day, and the speaker used this simple example to explain social media:

• Twitter – I am eating a hamburger
• Facebook – I like hamburgers
• FourSquare – This is where I eat hamburgers
• Instagram – Here is a vintage picture of my hamburger
• YouTube – Here is a video of me eating my hamburger
• LinkedIn – My skills include eating hamburgers
• Pinterest – Here is a hamburger recipe
• LastFM – Now listening to hamburgers

A couple years ago, I knew very little about these tools.  Today, I am considered an “expert” by some.

I encourage you to get on the train!  Healthcare IT will continue to grow the use social media to inform, educate, motivate and recruit.

-Sheila Rogers

Sheila Rogers is Founder and CEO of HIT Perm Jobs, and can be reached at 214-929-8959, or via email at sheila@hitpermjobs.com.

Sheila Rogers, Founder and CEO

Maybe you interviewed last month for a new job.  Maybe you haven’t interviewed in years.  Either way, here are some great interviewing suggestions for your next Healthcare IT Perm Job position:

• Be on time for the call.  Show the interviewer that you are serious about the position.
• Be succinct and ensure you are answering the interviewers specific questions.
• Research the background of the company that you will be interviewing with.  Many times companies will issue press releases which will give great insight into the company’s goals and recent activities.  Also be sure to go to the company’s website and view their “about us” page as well.
• Be sure that you are in a quiet environment and that you have blocked off sufficient time for the phone call.
• It is always good to have a notebook with you that you can take notes on during the phone interview.
• Because you are on the phone, it is important to be conscious of the attitude that you are presenting via your voice.  It is important that you keep energetic and try not to be monotone over the phone.  Your voice is all the interviewer has to go on – s/he cannot pick up things like body language over the phone.  If you smile while talking, your tone will immediately improve!
• If on a mobile phone or any possible phone issues, immediately when call begins, explain the use of mobile phone or bad line, and apologize in advance any dropped calls or bad signal that comes from it.  The typical understanding is the person who initiates the call always calls back if dropped.
• Bring up details about the hospital you are interviewing with, for example:  faith based organization, moved from Cerner to Epic, etc… something to make a connection.
• Don’t answer a question with just a “No” answer.  If you don’t have the experience they are asking about, relate what they are asked to something with which you have experience.
• Be flexible.  Strange things can happen during interviews.
• Always remain positive.  It can be very detrimental to an interviewer if a candidate talks negatively at length about a previous employer or about the environment of a previous position.
• Be prepared to answer technical questions.  Be sure to review the technical specifications on a job description.  If it has been a while since you have used a particular technology, be sure to re-familiarize yourself with it so you do not get surprised by any questions.
• Expect questions that are designed to be open ended.  Many times you will be expected to answer questions that don’t have a definitive answer.  There may be questions like “tell me about your responsibilities in your last project” or “tell me about your ideal work environment.” If you feel that the question is too broad, ask for clarification.  For example, you could ask, “Which responsibilities would you like to hear about…my management responsibilities?”
• Many hiring managers will ask you what you believe to be your own strengths and weaknesses.  The weaknesses are sometimes difficult to admit for a person, but it is important to show that you know your weaknesses and how you try to control them.
• Also be prepared to give examples of times that you were in a difficult situation.  For example: “Tell me a time of when you and your manager had disagreed.  What did you do to resolve the disagreement?” or “Tell me about a time in your career when you had a difficult task.  What steps did you take to complete this task?”  Managers will ask these questions to gauge how you may fit in with the team and how you might react when you disagree with them on some issue.
• It is always good to have 1 or 2 questions prepared for the your question part of the interview.  It shows him/her that you are taking this interview seriously and that you are interested in finding out more about the position.

With these interviewing suggestions for your next Healthcare IT Perm Job position, you should “break a leg”!  Good Luck!

-Sheila Rogers

Sheila is Founder and CEO of HIT Perm Jobs.  She can be reached at 214-929-8959, or via email at Sheila@hitpermjobs.com.

<Cherie Lester with EngageMeHIT (www.engagemehit.blogspot.com) wrote this great blog — Thanks Cherie - Sheila>

Over the past 5 years I have spoken to hundreds of EMR Professionals that want to enter the world of the traveling consultant.  Most consultants in our industry will travel weekly on a Mon-Thurs or Sun-Thurs schedule with exceptions for longer stays on a client site or variable remote work. 

When discussing the nature of weekly travel to a “newbie” I have learned to play devil’s advocate.  The first person I ever interviewed when I entered into the HCIT Industry had never traveled before.  He assured me that he “LOVED” to travel and was totally “psyched” about the opportunity.  Six months into his engagement he called me to resign, said he couldn’t take the weekly travel any longer.

 Recently I discussed the riggers of weekly travel with some seasoned road warriors.  Below are results of the Q & A from those discussions:

What made you decide to start traveling for work? Most Frequent Responses:  Higher Income.  New Surroundings and co-workers with each new engagement. Enjoy travel & seeing new locations.

What was the hardest adjustment you had to make when you transitioned into traveling weekly for work? Most Frequent Responses: Being away from family(pets). Missing out on family or other functions (weekly bowling or child’s plays etc) and having to leave spouse to do all the work. Navigating the airports, luggage, flight delays, airport security etc.

What do you wish all consulting/staffing firms offered that would make your travel life easier for you?

This question received the most diverse answers, some of the most frequent responses were:  Corporate Credit Card for travel, better discounts on hotel, car, flights etc.  Occasionally paying for spouse to travel, like over the holiday work weeks etc., better assistance for new travelers, even something simple like a handbook with traveling suggestions.

What did you have to give up when you started traveling weekly?  The number one answer was time with family and friends, some other responses were: freedom to join sports leagues or meet friends for dinner once a week during the week, and for single folks: having a pet, being home during bad weather (someone had a water-main break in sub zero temps and didn’t realize until they got home days later) and being in one place so it’s easier to start a romantic relationship.

What did you gain from becoming a traveling consultant?  Some of the top answers for this question were:  better income, seeing out of town family & relatives more, greater independence, being able to travel to new places, less stress, meeting new people, and quiet time at the hotel in the evenings.

Here are a list of tips from the road warriors:

1.  Pack Light!  Learn to pack everything you need for the week into a carry-on bag.

2.  When traveling coast to coast, find extended stay hotels and if you travel home, leave most of your belongings at the hotel during your absence.

3.  You can bring your pet, just check for local pet friendly hotels.

4.  Always have an extra charger (computer, phone, iPod etc) handy.

5.  Make sure your ID, discount cards, credit cards etc are kept in the same place, are always handy and are in a front pocket for safe keeping.

6.  Keep a folder or file or zippered pouch for all your travel receipts so they’re easy to locate at the end of the week for the purpose of scanning and emailing or mailing to your employer. (if you’re 1099, for tax purposes)

7.  Set up a calendar alert to remind you to log your time & file your expense receipts each week.

8.  Know the name and number to your employers IT Helpdesk in case you have problems with your company issued lap top.

9. Whenever possible do not wear a belt, difficult to remove shoes, hair pins, excessive jewelry, etc so that you can move through airport security quickly.  Make sure your laptop is housed in a safe but easy to manipulate bag, keep your pockets empty etc.

10. If you are single and live alone, make sure you have a neighbor or relative that can check on your place of residence in your absence.

11.  Provide neighbors and relatives the name and number of your hotel, along with your cell phone so they can easily contact you in case of an emergency.

12.  Have the number of your direct boss, a company co-worker and your direct report at the client hospital programmed into your cell phone, that way if your flight is delayed you will be able to alert people of your delay.

Substantial evidence shows that higher adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHR) can save our health care system money, save time for doctors and hospitals, and save lives.  Thanks to the Recovery Act and the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, we have seen great success and momentum as we’ve taken the first steps toward adoption of this critical technology: to date, over 43,000 providers have received $3.1 billion to help make the transition to electronic health records; the number of hospitals using EHRs has more than doubled in the last two years from 16 to 35 percent between 2009 and 2011; and 85 percent of hospitals now report that by 2015 they intend to take advantage of the incentive payments.

We have just announced the second stage of the three stage process.  This reflects our desire to create ambitious, but achievable, goals that enable eligible professionals and hospitals to make incremental progress in adopting and implementing electronic health records (EHRs).  The three stages are:

■Stage 1 (which began in 2011 and remains the starting point for all providers): “meaningful use” consists of transferring data to EHRs and being able to share information, including electronic copies and visit summaries for patients.

■Stage 2 (to be implemented in 2014 under the proposed rule): “meaningful use” includes standards such as online access for patients to their health information and electronic health information exchange between providers.

■Stage 3 (expected to be implemented in 2016): “meaningful use” includes demonstrating that the quality of health care has been improved.

Today’s proposed rules focus on using EHRs to improve health and health care while reducing the burden on physicians and hospitals where possible.

CMS’ proposed rule would specify the Stage 2 criteria that eligible providers must meet in order to qualify for Medicare and/or Medicaid EHR incentive payments.  It also would specify Medicare payment adjustments that, beginning in 2015, providers will face if they fail to demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology and to meet other program participation requirements.  In addition, as we announced in a November 2011 “We Can’t Wait” announcement, Stage 1 has been extended an additional year for providers who attested in 2011 – meaning that these providers will have to attest to Stage 2 in 2014, instead of in 2013.

The proposed rule announced by ONC identifies standards and criteria for the certification of EHR technology, so eligible professionals and hospitals can be sure that the systems they adopt are capable of performing the required functions to demonstrate either stage of meaningful use that would be in effect starting in 2014.

Together, these rules will encourage even more providers to participate and support more coordinated, patient-centered care.

Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

Marilyn Tavenner, Acting Administrator for the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services

Sheila Rogers, Founder and CEO

If HIMSS 2012 taught me one thing, it is that Epic is (still) epic in healthcare IT.

The Madison, Wisconsin-based Epic Systems simply defies the laws of gravity and business as it continues to soar, putting a strangle-hold on the HIT marketplace.  The company, like the legendary heroes in the tales written long ago, seems to have deity-like qualities in the minds of its clients.

From one of my conversations with a new client, the Epic software will allow a doctor to spend more time with his or her patient and less time doing paperwork.  The new system will provide faster community with patients, who will be able to go online for medication renewals, to send an email to their physician or to follow up on recommended readings from their doctor.  It will also give them access to their medical data no matter where they may be.  It also means that nothing will be handwritten any longer.  Physician orders—including prescribed medications—will be electronically entered.  For example, medication will have bar codes that match the patient’s wrist band to ensure patients get the correct medication.  All documentation within Epic will be electronic—and therefore legible to all physicians, nurses, and everyone else.

“These are three huge steps in the direction of improved quality and safety of care for our patients,” said my contact.  “As far as EMR goes, the EPIC system is by far the best there is.” 

The new technology needed to implement the change will begin arriving this month.  The system will begin the monumental task of training more than 7,000 physicians, nurses and support staff that will require it in April, through a training HQ that will be in operation for 18 hours a day, six days a week.  The main hospital will be the first site to go live with the new software in August, and the other three acute-care hospitals in the systems will be phased in after that.

“It will be a big change, but it’s well worth the effort”.

No wonder the market for Epic talent in Health IT is so tight.  With such “raving customers” as this, proclaiming the epic tales of Epic Systems in the halls at HIMSS, you can expect more good news to follow.

Sheila Rogers is Founder and CEO of HIT Perm Jobs.  She can be reached at 214-929-8959, or via email at sheila@hitpermjobs.com.