Aptium Oncology and NYU information systems collaboration featured in magazine article
Los Angeles, CA, November 1, 2006 - Wes Scruggs, Chief Information Officer of Aptium Oncology, recently wrote an article that describes the challenging but successful collaboration among multiple entities in developing a customized information systems solution for NYU Medical Center’s Clinical Cancer Center. The article, titled Multi-Entity Collaboration in Cancer Care, appears in the October issue of Advance for Health Information Executives.
“Getting together a team of information systems experts from NYU and vendors like IBM, Siemens, Varian and others to develop and implement a systems solution for a large facility in record time is a testament to what good business relations and team effort can achieve,” says Scruggs, noting that the team launched the system successfully in 90 days. Paul Conocenti, CIO at NYU Medical Center IT, adds, “The Aptium and NYU Medical Center IT teams seamlessly worked as one project team without organizational boundaries.”
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Multi-Entity Collaboration in Cancer Care
“Software implementation projects are challenging. Clinical system implementations are very challenging. And multi-entity clinical system implementations can be a career-limiting challenge,” noted Wes Scruggs, CIO of Aptium Oncology.
Aptium Oncology works with leading hospitals and physicians to design, build and manage hospital-based cancer centers. The Aptium network currently includes nine ambulatory cancer centers in New York, New Jersey, California and Florida.
In 2004, Aptium Oncology provided systems solutions to support the opening of the new 13-level, 85,000 square-foot NYU Medical Center’s Clinical Cancer Center on the east side of Manhattan. The NYU Clinical Cancer Center is the central outpatient setting for the NYU Cancer Institute, one of the leading cancer programs in the country. The Center provides medical, radiation and surgical oncology services, diagnostic radiology and a full array of support services including a dedicated on-site laboratory and pharmacy as well as pathology, psychosocial services and complementary therapies. Over 500 patients are seen in the Cancer Center every day.
Successfully implementing a customized systems solution for this project was a significant undertaking and required input and participation from a multitude of entities. Led by Aptium Oncology, the team included the NYU School of Medicine, NYU Medical Center Hospital Management, NYU Medical Center Information Technology, IBM, Siemens Medical Systems, Varian Medical Systems and others. The team had only 90 days to fully deploy all systems before the Center opened its doors to patients.
Aptium Oncology and NYU Medical Center utilized a number of successful project management techniques to deliver the project on time and on budget. The NYU Medical Center’s IT team hosted a weekly steering committee meeting to ensure full and open communication among all parties. During the final four weeks of the project, the frequency of meetings was increased to daily, and participation was expanded to include all Cancer Center managers. These meetings were effective for tracking progress and rapidly identifying issues that needed to be escalated to the more senior NYU Cancer Center Steering Committee.
Detailed process flows were developed and reviewed with line managers and staff to guarantee that system configurations mapped accurately to patient movement through the center; Aptium and NYU coordinated the integrated system testing but hospital line management “owned” the process. For example, Barbara Burch, laboratory manager at NYU Clinical Cancer Center, participated in the creation of the laboratory process flows and executing the integrated test scripts, and gave the final approval for go-live of the laboratory systems.
Scruggs commented, “We were able to assemble a high-functioning team that worked together effectively to meet deadlines, and deliver on daily tasks without becoming distracted.”
Paul Conocenti, CIO at NYU Medical Center IT, added, “The Aptium and NYU Medical Center IT teams seamlessly worked as one project team without organizational boundaries. This contributed to on-time project deliverables and efficient and effective interoperability solutions between Aptium and NYU Medical Center systems.”
Since opening in 2004, both Aptium’s and NYUrsquo;s software solutions have continued to be upgraded and expanded in a coordinated effort, managed via monthly Steering Committee meetings. According to Conocenti, “Aptium Oncology IT brings core services strengths and NYU Medical Center IT complements those strengths by building additional system solutions around the core. We coordinate our combined strengths to improve the care of the patient.”
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About NYU Medical Center
Located in the heart of New York City, NYU Medical Center is one of the nation’s premier centers of excellence in health care, biomedical research, and medical education. The mission of the NYU Cancer Institute is to decrease and eliminate cancer as a significant health problem throughout New York, the nation, and the world, by developing and maintaining excellent programs in patient care, research, education, and prevention.
About Aptium Oncology
Aptium Oncology has 25 years of experience in oncology service line consulting at leading medical institutions throughout the United States. Aptium Oncology is a pioneer in designing, building and managing comprehensive cancer centers with a steadfast vision to transform cancer care environments by bringing every necessary service to one central place. The intent of this single place is to help patients achieve longer, better lives. Aptium Oncology’s corporate headquarters is located in Los Angeles, Calif. For more information about our hospital service line consulting services, visit www.aptiumoncology.com.
