CarePoints

Carl Cox and Kyryll Keydanskyy are a bit of an unlikely pair.

With over fifty years of experience in the healthcare industry, Carl was a key player in early nurse call system innovation in the 1970s. Because he's seen how far healthcare technology has come since then, he has a firm grasp on what is already working well for caregivers and healthcare delivery organizations (HDOs). Kyryll, on the other hand, is of a younger generation — he sees HDOs moving toward a more hospitality-inspired model in the coming years.

As the Director of Engineering and Chief Product Officer of HatchMed, respectively, Carl and Kyryll are both committed to improving the usability and accessibility of consumer devices for patients in hospital settings.

Kyryll notes that while it can be tempting to rush into overhauling medical technology like nurse call systems, that level of disruption is often unnecessary and can even be detrimental to existing workflows.

That's why HatchMed is on a mission to effectively adapt familiar consumer devices for healthcare settings. Carl and Kyryll are facilitating communication between patients and caregivers by pioneering patient-focused tablet solutions, some of which allow patients to use their own devices to control their environment and communicate with nurses.

In this episode of CarePoints with Kenny Schiff, Carl and Kyryll discuss numerous exciting and innovative HatchMed technologies. With a laser focus on improving the patient experience and supporting caregivers, HatchMed is out to prove that innovation sometimes requires working with what's already in place, rather than uprooting existing structures and replacing them with entirely new systems.

Name: Carl Cox

What he does: Carl Cox is the Director of Engineering and Quality Control at HatchMed, with 50 years of design experience and 40 years of regulatory experience in the healthcare communication industry. Having spent much of this time with Chicago-based manufacturer Rauland-Borg, Carl began consulting in 2017, taking on HatchMed as a client before joining the company three years later in a full-time role.

Organization: HatchMed

Words of wisdom: "That's one of the areas that we're focusing on: being able to give patients the same easy-to-use and familiar-to-use devices they use at home but that they can operate inside the hospital."

Connect: LinkedIn

Name: Kyryll Keydanskyy

What he does: Since Kyryll Keydanskyy, a Ukraine native and UW graduate, first joined HatchMed 7 years ago, he has been focused on taking consumer devices and reengineering them for healthcare use. How do you transform something as ubiquitous and easy to use as an iPad into a medical device or take the patient's own phone and make it seamlessly control the nurse call system? Kyryll has created innovative hardware and software solutions to revolutionize these products for patients and care team members alike. A self-proclaimed tech fanboy, he is passionate about working alongside his design and engineering team to invent products that are intuitive to use, elegantly engineered, and most importantly, created to save both patients and care team members time at every step in their healthcare journey.

Organization: HatchMed

Words of wisdom: "Any new tech that we introduce to the hospitals needs to be balanced and integrated in a way that works with the existing systems and doesn't force the care teams to become IT people."

Connect: LinkedIn

Top takeaways from this episode

• Aim to enhance existing systems, rather than overhaul them. Instead of completely gutting existing systems that work well, HatchMed augments nurse call systems and facilitates communication between patients and caregivers. Not only is this strategy more cost-effective than more drastic options, but it also allows care teams to continue using technologies that have been working for them without needing to be retrained.

• Zero in on the "why" of implementing innovations. HDOs that are interested in implementing HatchMed technologies need to ask why they want or need an upgrade — this helps HDOs focus on the features that matter to staff and patients. "How do we save the nurses' time? And how do we get patients home sooner and, ideally, happy?" asks Kyryll. Ultimately, HatchMed has experienced great success with HDOs that are committed to providing exceptional care for their patients while lightening caregivers' mental and physical load.

• Don't be afraid to start small and expand from there. Kyryll emphasizes that new technology needs a champion, and that champion needs a concrete plan for tech implementation. He recommends starting by rolling out a handful of impactful features and expanding the scope of the project down the road. Problems arise when HDOs want "to do everything all at once," he says.

[00:00] Combining experience and fresh ideas: Carl Cox and Kyryll Keydanskyy share their professional backgrounds and how they came to work together on numerous HatchMed technologies.

[03:12] Balancing new tech with current systems: There's always going to be a drive to implement new tech, but an overhaul may not be the ideal solution. Carl and Kyryll are committed to helping hospitals integrate patient-friendly tech into their existing structures.

[05:06] Prioritizing the patient: Nurse call systems have come a long way since the 1970s. What hasn't progressed as rapidly or as steadily is communicative technologies that allow the patient to speak with their care team. That's where HatchMed comes in.

[08:02] Increasing access to actionable data: Improving the flow of information between patients and caregivers can pay off in many ways. HatchMed technologies not only better the patient experience but also save time for nurses and help patients transition from the hospital to home.

[09:20] Enhancing rather than overhauling: HatchMed is extending what traditional nurse call systems can do by empowering patients with configurable screens that facilitate communication with their care team.

[11:55] Focusing on data security: HatchMed's innovations streamline the patient experience via the patient's personal device or smartphone. This presents some unique challenges in terms of safeguarding sensitive data.

[17:50] Augmenting equals cost savings: Implementing improvements incrementally is more cost-effective than building a new tower.

[19:29] Providing a universal experience: HatchMed's interface is consistent from room to room, which offers a sense of continuity for patients and families.

[20:10] Identify your 'why': New technology is fun and flashy, but hospitals need to have a concrete plan regarding how and when technology will roll out. HatchMed has had success starting with small roll-outs and ramping up implementation down the line.

[22:10] Necessary structural components: In terms of infrastructure, a hospital needs to have an Ethernet drop or reliable Wi-Fi connection in order to use HatchMed's products.

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CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by Lone Star Communications is a series of conversations with his collaborators at Lone Star, customers, partners, and notable folks in the healthcare industry. For over 32 years, Lone Star Communications has been focused on transforming healthcare through innovation and empowering improved caregiver and patient experience.

Episode Description

In the newest episode of CarePoints, host Kenny Schiff interviews Jeff Richard, the new president of the Alairo Solutions Group, along with Justin Bailey, Lone Star's R&D Director and CTO. They discuss Lone Star's legacy in healthcare its investment in innovation and expanded consultative services, and how the newly integrated Alairo Solutions will use its A.I.-assisted fall prevention and alarm analytics platforms to build on that legacy. According to Justin and Jeff, Alairo will bring customers more and better services while maintaining continuity with the Lone Star brand.

Episode Summary

Kenny Schiff, Jeff Richard, and Justin Bailey discuss the evolution of Lone Star Communications and its focus on delivering innovative products and services to improve healthcare operations and metrics.

Jeff, who was previously a Lone Star customer, shares his vision for Alairo Solutions to build on Lone Star's legacy and provide augmented solutions and consulting services in the healthcare industry.

Justin explains that the new entity doesn't change the relationship with Lone Star customers, but rather offers additional products and services seamlessly. They also discuss the Alairo platform, which integrates different functionality modules to maximize value for end users.

Jeff highlights the focus on investment partners and the need to address healthcare challenges, primarily fall prevention, and getting Alairo out to the masses so it can prove its value in the clinical practice environment.

The episode concludes with a reminder of Lone Star's commitment to providing technology, services, and measurable results to its customers.

This Episode's Guests

Jeff Richard, Alairo

President of Alairo Solutions Group

Before being appointed President of Alairo Solutions, Jeff Richard was Lone Star Communications' CTO. A former customer of Lone Star, his 23 years of experience in the healthcare industry and as a business owner have left him with strong leadership skills combined with clinical and operational experience in building and leading teams.

Connect: LinkedIn

Justin Bailey, Lone Star Communications

As Lone Star Communications' R&D Director & CTO, Justin is responsible for leveraging new technologies to improve patient and caregiver experience. He has been with Lone Star since the late 1990s.

Connect: LinkedIn

Key Takeaways

★ As a natural extension of the Lone Star brand, Alairo's mission is to help customers get the most out of new and existing technology systems—excelling with nurse call but also capable of much more.

★ With Alairo, Lone Star is doubling down on its mission to improve the lives of patients and caregivers by offering expanded healthcare solutions and consulting and filling persistent gaps in clinical practice.

★ Alairo's products will be integrated seamlessly with Lone Star's other offerings, ensuring consistent relationships with customers.

★ Alairo's different functionality modules work together as a unified whole, complementing and augmenting not only the nurse call system but other clinical solutions in the environment.

★ With patient falls continuing to rise in U.S. hospitals, Alairo's innovative fall prevention technology will be given top priority.

★ Alairo's focus in the coming year will be on finding investment partners to help spread Alairo's reach in the clinical practice environment and provide value and positive outcomes for customers.

Chapters

[00:30] Introduction of Jeff and Justin, Alairo's Mission

[01:35] Lone Star's legacy and evolution

[03:15] Jeff's background and the opportunity to provide augmentative healthcare solutions

[05:20] A seamless transition for Lone Star customers

[06:05] The value of Lone Star's Professional Services Team

[06:55] Maintaining consistent customer relationships

[07:50] Alairo: a comprehensive platform for transforming healthcare through innovation

[08:50] Alairo's different functionality modules and The Grand Unified Theory of Healthcare

[09:55] Opportunities for Alairo, looking into the future

Connect with Lone Star Communications

☑️ Follow us on YouTube and LinkedIn.

☑️ Let us know what topics you would like to hear about on CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by emailing us at [email protected].

CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by Lone Star Communications is a series of conversations with his collaborators at Lone Star, customers, partners, and notable folks in the healthcare industry. For over 32 years, Lone Star Communications has been focused on transforming healthcare through innovation and empowering improved caregiver and patient experience.

Episode Description

In the latest episode of CarePoints, Kenny Schiff interviews Jenn Upton, co-founder of Mate, a circadian rhythm lighting company; and healthcare innovations specialist Cliff Switzer, of Lone Star Communications. The three discuss the background and inspiration behind Mate, the concept of circadian rhythm and its impact on sleep (and on the bottom line), the current lighting experience in hospitals, and the benefits of circadian rhythm lighting in healthcare and beyond.

Episode Summary

Kenny Schiff, Jenn Upton, and Cliff Switzer discuss the background and inspiration behind Mate, the concept of circadian rhythm and its impact on sleep, the current lighting experience in hospitals, and the benefits of circadian rhythm lighting in healthcare.

They also explore the reception and adoption of circadian rhythm lighting, the energy savings and cost reduction it offers, and the typical project process and success factors. A case study of the Methodist Innovation Lab is presented, and the expansion of circadian rhythm lighting to other healthcare settings and industries is discussed.

The episode concludes with a glimpse into Mate's future plans and how to learn more about the company's solutions.

This Episode's Guests

Jenn Upton, Mate

Co-founded Mate in 2016, using her control and automation background to bring a low-voltage, circadian rhythm lighting solution to hospitals and medical centers to promote wellness and restful sleep for patients.

Connect: LinkedIn

Cliff Switzer, Lone Star Communications

A healthcare innovation specialist for Lone Star Communications with over 27 years in the industry, his main focus is on building relationships with individuals by understanding their needs and connecting them to the right products or solutions.

Connect: LinkedIn

Key Takeaways

• The current lighting experience in hospitals often ignores circadian rhythm, resulting in poor sleep for patients and more stressful conditions for staff.

• Mate's circadian rhythm lighting can optimize sleep and wake cycles by mimicking the natural light patterns of the sun, leading to improved wellness and restful sleep.

• Along with its health benefits, circadian rhythm lighting offers significant energy savings and cost reduction for healthcare facilities, making it an attractive solution for both hospitals and the companies that build and retrofit them.

• The adoption of circadian rhythm lighting in healthcare is gaining traction, with innovation centers and clinicians recognizing its potential to improve patient outcomes and staff well-being.

• Mate's technology has applications beyond healthcare, including education facilities, senior living centers, and commercial buildings, where it can enhance productivity and well-being.

Chapters

[00:00] Introduction

[01:25] Background and Inspiration for Mate: Moving beyond traditional uses for LED technology and taking a deep dive into how LEDs can be optimized to mimic the sun and benefit both patients and hospitals.

[03:10] Understanding Circadian Rhythm and its Impact on Sleep: Regulated by the amount and quality of light, circadian rhythm tells our brains when to wake and when to sleep, and is especially important for hospital patients.

[05:10] Current Lighting Experience in Hospitals: The industry as a whole seems content with installing standard light fixtures with dimming capability but no temperature control—missing out on an important opportunity.

[07:00] More Than Just Health Benefits: Along with the wellness benefits it brings to healthcare, Mate's technology saves more than 60% in energy costs while reducing construction budgets.

[09:30] Monitoring Energy Usage: Mate's unique monitoring system allows hospitals to not only see energy use per light fixture but also when a light is nearing the end of its life cycle—giving staff time to ready a replacement.

[10:40] Cutting the Customer's Construction Budget: Because Mate's light fixtures are wired with low-voltage cabling, there are no conduit and electrical costs during construction. The same applies to retrofitting existing facilities—resulting in enormous savings.

[12:30] Benefits to Nursing Staff: With night shift workers facing a higher risk of health issues, hospital innovation centers are recognizing the clinical benefits of proper lighting and the resulting reduced stress levels—benefits that extend to all parts of a facility.

[14:00] Knowing What Installers Are Looking For: Mate's system was created in the field based on real user feedback, making it easy to install and, with its hardware auto-detect and reverse polarity protection, virtually foolproof.

[16:00] Case Study: Methodist Innovation Lab: Overhauling an entire facility with new light fixtures provided a world of difference, and was done safely and easily even without an electrician.

[19:40] Expanding Beyond Hospitals: Circadian rhythm lighting is also a good fit for education facilities, senior living centers, large-scale warehouses, factories, and commercial buildings.

[21:40] Future Plans for Growth and Innovation: Mate's partnership with Lone Star will continue to grow stronger, bringing wellness and energy savings to new facilities throughout 2024.

[22:30] Optimizing In-house Technology: Along with keeping its manufacturing and assembly operations in the US, Mate is proud of its continuing innovations in sustainability and inventory control.

[23:45] How to Learn More about Mate

Connect with Lone Star Communications

☑️ Follow us on YouTube and LinkedIn.

☑️ Let us know what topics you would like to hear about on CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by emailing us at [email protected].

CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by Lone Star Communications is a series of conversations with his collaborators at Lone Star, customers, partners, and notable folks in the healthcare industry. For over 32 years, Lone Star Communications has been focused on transforming healthcare through innovation and empowering improved caregiver and patient experience.

Episode Summary

What's the best way to leverage new AI-driven technological advances to improve patient care and safety? The answer is so straightforward that it's a shock more healthcare delivery organizations (HDOs) don't. But SaaS-based vision AI pioneer IntelliSee is on a mission to change that.

IntelliSee leverages existing camera systems across healthcare facilities and builds AI-driven hardware to detect real-time threats with an integrated automated alert system. But it's not all smooth sailing: "You'd be surprised at the number of healthcare facilities that do not have Internet Protocol (IP) cameras, or do not have working cameras," IntelliSee CCO Maureen Pajerski says.

IntelliSee aims to raise the standard of patient safety and security in some of the toughest work environments in the country — which often rate as more violent in terms of physical assaults than jails. The job of constantly monitoring HDOs is best fulfilled as a partnership between AI and humans.

And while IntelliSee is a young company, humanity is similarly new to facing the challenges of AI. "This space reminds me of the early internet days when there were hundreds of players all battling it out," Maureen says. "And it's a race to the customer — because whoever gets the best data gets a smarter and better platform."

Featured on the Episode

Name: Maureen Pajerski

What she does: As CCO of IoT solutions company IntelliSee, Maureen brings over two decades of experience in sales and marketing leadership to help power the pairing of advanced vision AI with existing security camera infrastructure.

Organization: IntelliSee

Words of wisdom: "If towards the end of my career, I can help prevent — or mitigate the damage of — just one single horrific active shooter event, it's all worth it. That mission is what has driven me. Additionally, AI is such a cool technology, and I firmly believe it's going to change our world the same way the Industrial Revolution changed it."

Connect: LinkedIn

Key Points

Top Takeaways from this Episode

• Like any technology, vision AI can be used for good or bad. People afraid of the so-called singularity (where AI supersedes human intelligence) frequently neglect the fact that most AI models exist in silos. Individual models — including language, knowledge, reasoning, and perception — fulfill different functions and serve different purposes. It's up to us to decide how to use specific models for desired ends. Broadly categorized in a perception model of AI, vision AI developers can easily leverage existing infrastructure to improve security.

• AI cameras will soon be everywhere — HDOs need to be proactive. Too many healthcare facilities lack IP (or even working) cameras, which already renders them a poor fit for the solution offered by IntelliSee. Many rely on outdated analog equipment, which is inadequate for workplaces that are frequently rated as more violent than jails in terms of physical assaults. Just as schools can't (and shouldn't) fight the fact that cameras are today an inevitable part of classrooms thanks to the number of devices present, HDOs should embrace the potential to increase patient care, security and safety with vision AI.

• Far from the be-all-and-end-all solution, AI is one single layer of security. Security is all about layers, Maureen emphasizes. She admits that while IntelliSee is a great, even necessary layer, it can still be fooled. AI is exponentially better than humans at doing the boring work of monitoring multiple cameras — which is impossible for humans at scale anyway. But it also doesn't understand object permanence like a human child can. AI is one part of a collaboration with human beings, and that partnership is the real changemaker.

Episode Insights

[00:00] I spy AI: As a young, well-funded company, IntelliSee leverages existing cameras for its SaaS solution — covering slips and falls all the way up to active shooter scenarios — because of the pre-existing infrastructure.

[04:09] Siloed models: Far from a single, superhuman entity, AI currently exists in the form of different models that perform various functions.

[06:40] IntelliSee ICP: Potential customers of IntelliSee are typically open to the public, need IP cameras and generally have a higher focus on the safety and security of their patients than more affluent healthcare settings.

[10:02] Layered security: When it comes to monitoring cameras, AI is king. But it's a layer of security — not the be-all and end-all.

[12:34] Integrative prerogative: IntelliSee is fundamentally an automatic alarm based on what cameras in healthcare settings see.

[14:02] AI hype and fears: All technology can be used for good or bad. ChatGPT simply amplified the mainstream's awareness of the dangers and drawbacks of AI-based technology.

[16:14] OEM and VAR partnerships: As an open integrations platform, IntelliSee's GTM is through the reseller. The hardest part about deployment, Maureen highlights, is identifying the cameras the customers want to monitor.

[18:28] Federated model guardrails: The company doesn't take video data from customer sites, and all communications are entirely by customer choice. IntelliSee's model is also only trained on security camera video footage for the sake of accuracy.

[20:59] Ambitious roadmap: The technology is evolving so quickly that growth opportunities for IntelliSee in the coming years pop up constantly, including crowd control and doing more with less.

[23:26] AI cameras will soon be everywhere: Hospitals behind the curve need to prepare for what's to come and start thinking proactively about how to create safer, more secure healthcare sites.

Connect with Lone Star Communications

☑️ Follow us on YouTube and LinkedIn.

☑️ Let us know what topics you would like to hear about on CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by emailing us at [email protected].

CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by Lone Star Communications is a series of conversations with his collaborators at Lone Star, customers, partners, and notable folks in the healthcare industry. For over 32 years, Lone Star Communications has been focused on transforming healthcare through innovation and empowering improved caregiver and patient experience.

Episode Summary

In today's world of ever-evolving healthcare needs, nurse leaders are being asked to juggle more responsibilities than ever before. So it makes sense that many of these busy professionals would hesitate to add another commitment, like membership in a professional organization, to their respective plates.

However, according to Drs. Susan Hernandez and Donna Montgomery, the benefits of joining a professional organization like the North Texas Organization for Nursing Leadership (NTONL) far outweigh any potential scheduling snafus or inconveniences. Many nurse leaders find that NTONL makes it easier and more enjoyable to meet their commitments.

Within a rapidly changing environment, NTONL is a forum for nurse leaders to promote compassionate, effective, and efficient healthcare. It's also a safe space for nurse leaders to network, troubleshoot difficult issues, and build each other up.

In this episode of CarePoints with Kenny Schiff, Drs. Hernandez and Montgomery discuss the many advantages associated with professional organizations in general and NTONL, specifically.

On the podcast, Drs. Hernandez and Montgomery talk about how NTONL promotes essential continuing education and training while connecting nurse leaders with community-specific support. They also emphasize the importance of creating judgment-free spaces in which nurse leaders can connect, address obstacles, and brainstorm solutions to complex problems.

As nurse leaders continue to manage myriad responsibilities in high-pressure environments, joining a professional organization like NTONL can ultimately help nurse leaders stay up-to-date educationally, get the support they need to thrive, and give back to their professions.

Featured on the Episode

Name: Dr. Susan Hernandez

What she does: Dr. Susan Hernandez, DNP, MBA, RN currently serves as the Health System Chief Nurse Executive for UT Southwestern Medical Center. She is the Past President of the North Texas Organization for Nursing Leadership (NTONL), where she is committed to developing and supporting leaders in nursing.

Organization: UT Southwestern Medical Center

Words of wisdom: "Give [NTONL] a shot. It's not extra work, and it's incredibly valuable. Share your ideas, your opinions, your thoughts, and your expertise with all of those who are already involved. It's worth the time, and it's a lot of fun."

Connect: LinkedIn

Name: Dr. Donna Montgomery

What she does: Dr. Donna Montgomery, DNP, MBA, RN is the Chief Clinical Informatics Officer for Lone Star Communications. She has spent over 35 years as a healthcare leader in varying roles including nursing management, IT management, product line development, process improvement, informatics, and executive leadership data.

Organization: Lone Star Communications, Inc.

Words of wisdom: "One of the things that we are really wanting to do in NTONL is encourage up-and-coming young leaders to come and join us. It'll be good for us, and we hope that it will be good for them."

Connect: LinkedIn

Key Points

Top takeaways from this episode

• Professional organizations facilitate essential continuing education. The healthcare environment is always changing and evolving; participating in a professional organization is one-way nurse leaders can ensure that they stay up-to-date with skills and technology. NTONL even conducts an annual internal needs assessment of nurse leaders, to ensure that their educational offerings are relevant to nursing administration and healthcare providers.

• Join a committee to get more out of membership, while giving back. NTONL has developed three distinct committees — Education, Communication, and Membership — to empower nurse leaders to give back to their nursing community in a meaningful way. The Education Committee plans and executes bimonthly membership meetings as well as the annual Fall Forum. The Communication Committee leverages social media to increase the visibility of nurse leaders. The Membership Committee supports chapter activities and networking events to encourage NTONL's recruitment and growth. There is truly a role for everyone.

• Diverse perspectives fuel advancement. Professional organizations bring together a unique and varied cross-section of nursing personnel to share ideas, information, and support. NTONL is committed to uplifting professionals in every career stage. NTONL is designed to foster the interchange of new knowledge and innovation in an accepting and understanding environment. Plus, sometimes, simply speaking with someone who genuinely understands the challenges of nursing can make all the difference.

Episode Insights

[01:04] Professional organization appreciation: Drs. Montgomery and Hernandez have both been well-served by the professional organizations that they have been part of, including NTONL.

[02:20] Connecting nurse leaders to communities: As a busy professional, Dr. Hernandez understandably had some reservations about adding another commitment to her plate. Once she joined NTONL, however, she benefitted immediately.

[03:42] Learn from leaders at any level: Continuing education through NTONL empowers nurse leaders to advance their skills and master new technologies. Educational sessions encourage participants to engage in open dialogue facilitating inter-generational collaboration.

[04:34] Become a board member to give back: Dr. Hernandez initially took an advisory board position for two reasons. She wanted to give back to her profession, and she was interested in learning and growing with a motivated group of people outside of her organization.

[05:46] Fostering a supportive environment: NTONL taps into the expertise of nurse leaders doing different jobs in a variety of settings. NTONL empowers nurse leaders to collaborate with colleagues with whom they rarely interact in their day-to-day jobs.

[08:50] Get more out of membership by joining a committee: Participating in a committee — like NTONL's Education, Communication, and Membership Committees — is a great way to support your profession while learning, growing, and having fun.

[10:10] Stop by an event or find NTONL online: Dr. Hernandez encourages interested nurse leaders to stop by an event to learn more about the organization. Get more information on the NTONL website, through their Facebook page, or on LinkedIn.

Connect with Lone Star Communications

☑️ Follow us on YouTube and LinkedIn.

☑️ Let us know what topics you would like to hear about on CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by emailing us at [email protected].

CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by Lone Star Communications is a series of conversations with his collaborators at Lone Star, customers, partners, and notable folks in the healthcare industry. For over 32 years, Lone Star Communications has been focused on transforming healthcare through innovation and empowering improved caregiver and patient experience.

Episode Summary

Is customer data secure and working for all parties? This is the question, whether realized or not, that every healthcare organization should be asking.

Cloud presents businesses in the healthcare space with unique opportunities, but also significant challenges. Back in the early 2010s, most businesses were concerned with acquiring and storing data — not securing it. In the wake of Amazon Web Services (AWS), early success came with competitors including Microsoft Azure, Oracle, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). The goal? To capitalize on the prospect of ultra-cheap data storage for organizations across the globe.

But security is now a top priority for businesses that recognize data is only valuable if it's secure. As the pace of innovation quickens, industries from fintech to healthcare are wondering if they're equipped to effectively deal with compliance. This applies to both the cloud and on-prem infrastructure — which have different capabilities, resources, and use cases but the same cybersecurity concerns.

Cloud providers are no strangers to these concerns, either. They know the implications of increasing business migration from on-prem to cloud-based infrastructure: more data to protect and secure in a precarious cyber landscape. For the healthcare industry, this means balancing the value of holding protected health information (PHI) — with the growing usage of platforms like Epic and Cerner — against potential business risks and liabilities.

The most critical thing providers can do is educate customers as much as possible on the issue, not just by filling out spreadsheet forms and questionnaires, but by having candid conversations. Prioritizing the human element and contextualizing these discussions within the ultimate mission to provide quality customer care is what will truly drive success.

Featured on the Episode

Name: Ali Allage

What he does: As CEO of BlueSteel Cybersecurity, Ali consults with companies on their cybersecurity postures, helping run compliance programs and supporting partners to better face and navigate the challenges of the modern cyber landscape.

Organization: BlueSteel Cybersecurity

Words of wisdom: "Being secure in the cloud doesn't mean that you're more secure on-prem: It just means that you have more of a focus on ensuring that your open ports [and] environment are completely locked down and making sure that access control … is thoroughly thought through."

Connect: LinkedIn | X, formerly known as Twitter | Ali's website

Name: Eric Thorsen

What he does: As CEO of ThorTech Solutions, a software architecture and IT automation consulting business, Eric's expertise lies in a range of technological applications including fintech and healthcare. ThorTech was early to the cloud computing game with involvement in election polling processes.

Organization: ThorTech Solutions

Words of wisdom: "AWS spent $8 billion dollars alone on cybersecurity in 2021 … These on-prem companies trying to compete with the might of Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, and Google is a tough sell. Who's going to be able to really attract the top talent and figure out how to secure hundreds of thousands of business workloads the best? It's very hard for on-prem companies to compete in that world."

Connect: LinkedIn | X, formerly known as Twitter

Name: Jeff Richard

What he does: Before becoming CTO at Lone Star, Jeff was a longtime player at Baylor Scott & White Health, the largest non-profit healthcare system in Texas.

Organization: Lone Star Communications, Inc.

Words of wisdom: "We weren't really looking at cybersecurity [when focused on storage challenges back in 2013]. … At the time, there weren't as many bad players in the market making cyber attacks. But as we've moved to Epic, Cerner, more user-focused applications [and] the cloud … [cybersecurity concerns] are coming to the forefront [with] the need to secure information in transit [and] shine a brighter light on it."

Connect: LinkedIn

Key Points

Top takeaways from this episode

• The key to successful cloud-powered healthcare is communicating the importance of organizational security posture. The rise of the cloud has facilitated unprecedented storage capabilities, while also prioritizing cybersecurity concerns for businesses. With a greater prevalence of both PHI-interacting user-focused applications and cyber threats, service providers must educate customers — while also respecting their wishes about how to handle their chosen solutions.

• How PHI is secured depends on the value proposition. Businesses looking to enhance their products need to weigh risks and liabilities against the value of holding confidential data which requires the utmost sensitivity. Measures like encrypting data in transit and assessing SaaS-based application data handling practices help respect this necessary privacy. For outcomes that could potentially save lives, detailed insight into transit, storage, accessibility, and interaction is critical.

• Meaningful customer conversations are critical to cloud and security success in the healthcare space and beyond. When businesses were worried about data acquisition and storage, security was a low priority, but it's now jumped to the top of the list. Unfortunately, current compliance questionnaires are largely misguided and frequently cause panic for both customers and vendors. But when all parties converge in meaningful conversations — like the ultimate mission of quality customer care — they can more effectively solve the very human challenges they face.

Episode Insights

[00:00] Cloud versus on-prem: Cybersecurity is largely location-agnostic, but there are some differences in capabilities, resources, and use cases between cloud-based and on-prem infrastructure.

[03:50] Reliability and security evolution: The inception of AWS — with GCP and Azure following hot on its trail —- marked a turning point for businesses, ramping up competition with a quicker pace of innovation.

[08:26] The customer view: In the early-to-mid 2010s Jeff, as a service provider, saw the possibilities of cloud-stored patient data. But security was a much lower priority concern than it is now.

[13:40] PHI priorities: Providers nervous about PHI need to know that bringing new applications into the healthcare space is fundamentally about balancing data value propositions and the liability and risks of holding that data.

[17:15] Collaboration, synthesis, result: It helps to view data — which must be properly tended to and protected through its lifecycle — as being on a journey.

[20:48] Goodbye, Excel: Improving the process means conversations to get on the same page instead of regurgitating information via a compliance spreadsheet.

[23:32] Cool it on compliance: Security assessments (with all their many controls) can put providers in a panic, which has a knock-on effect on developers before they've even built anything. Data security can take a lot of that fear away.

[26:28] Keep talking: Normalizing conversations around legacy technology and other business challenges is the key to finding more solutions together — even and especially if it's not common practice.

Connect with Lone Star Communications

☑️ Follow us on YouTube and LinkedIn

☑️ Let us know what topics you would like to hear about on CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by emailing us at [email protected].

CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by Lone Star Communications is a series of conversations with his collaborators at Lone Star, customers, partners, and notable folks in the healthcare industry.. For over 32 years, Lone Star Communications has been focused on transforming healthcare through innovation and empowering improved caregiver and patient experience.

Episode Summary

When is disruption a good thing?

An unlikely partnership at Lone Star Communications found the answer by assembling a whole department around it.

When technology integration specialist Brian Banks and healthcare innovations specialist Cliff Switzer came together to form what they later named the Department of Disruption (DoD), the aim was simple — but not quite clear or direct. "We were invited to join an innovation group," Cliff explains. "They basically handpicked the guys [within Lone Star] who think outside the box."

In this episode of CarePoints with Kenny Schiff, Brian and Cliff tell the inside story of how Lone Star took a desire to innovate and transformed it into a tangible solution that exceeded expectations. What was the bedrock of this process? Low code no code.

At the inception of the DoD, the department's remit was to pin down exactly what could disrupt the industry. But the DoD decided to turn the objective on its head: What if they became the disrupting force themselves?

Healthcare technicians need a large amount of up-to-date, accurate information on demand, typically in the form of a knowledge base library. Cliff demonstrated the power and unrivaled efficiency of this type of solution to Brian, and soon the two built a prototype to present to the DoD. The rest of the team was thrilled with the result.

Instead of technicians having to refer to parts, diagrams, and manuals on-site by logging into websites on laptops, they now have access to everything in a single app.

On the podcast, Brian and Cliff dive into how citizen development is nothing to be afraid of if it's executed well. They also share how creativity, lifelong learning, and brand power can unlock the potential of new AI tools to impact customers and transform businesses for the better.

Featured on the Episode

Name: Brian Banks

What he does: A Lone Star veteran of 17 years, Brian started in customer service and soon worked his way into R&D. He's currently a technology integration specialist within the R&D team. Brian is directly involved with fostering Lone Star's cyber security culture to perfectly position the company for the near future.

Organization: Lone Star Communications, Inc.

Words of wisdom: "A lot of times, people will not even venture out to try [to see possibilities for innovation]. But we['ve been given] the opportunity to display what could be created. More and more people will see that."

Connect: LinkedIn

Name: Cliff Switzer

What he does: An industry stalwart for almost three decades, Cliff grew Halco Life Safety Systems with a team of five to 65% market share before Lone Star acquired it in late 2015, then feeding his talent into the healthcare innovations specialist role. Day-to-day, Cliff communicates with healthcare providers about the technology they buy and use, for integration into Lone Star's systems.

Organization: Lone Star Communications, Inc.

Words of wisdom: "Every day is a different day, and it's pretty awesome to see this stuff go live in these facilities."

Connect: LinkedIn

Key Points

Top takeaways from this episode

• Innovation sometimes means (positive) disruption. When Brian and Cliff came together under the newly-founded Department of Disruption, their mission wasn't clear-cut. The general goal was innovation, but the path to achieving truly great developments is seldom a beaten one: You have to tread it yourself. The DoD landed on the idea of empowering the team from the inside and becoming deliberately disruptive and found the best way to achieve this was via a low code no code solution.

• Low code no code catalyzes further innovation. When technicians and other departments see what can be achieved with creativity and hard work, it stimulates their sense of what is possible. One minute you're comparing prototype work with another team's development processes, and the next you're adopting those processes for your team: creating and feeding a positive feedback loop.

• AI tools are out there — you just need to learn to apply them and get creative. Thanks to the rapid development of different AI and large language models from rudimentary to extremely useful tools, anyone can build — it just takes passion coupled with creativity and branding power. Look at new tech and figure out how to plug in and piece it together.

Episode Insights

[00:00] A meeting of the low code, no code minds: Brian Banks and Cliff Switzer share their professional backgrounds and how they came to work together on Lone Star's R&D project.

[02:07] Positive disruption can be innovation: A handpicked team at Lone Star innovated beyond expectation, but their success sprung from a disruptive mindset, encapsulated in the name: Department of Disruption.

[04:43] Why low code, no code?: Cliff was applying data analytics in customer-facing situations when he hit upon the need for a quicker customer feedback solution than his team had in place.

[09:05] Avoiding citizen developer danger: Both individuals and companies can benefit from citizen developers, and the drawbacks seem overblown by comparison. The key is to identify need, says Brian.

[11:35] Stimulating creativity: Once people witness the power of low code no code, this gets their own creative juices flowing for what's possible within their own teams.

[14:06] AI searchability is the future: Every business has its own use cases for different AI tools: For Lone Star, the most exciting prospect is in low code no code integration. Instead of technicians studying documents or diagrams, they're able to ask integrated chatbot questions and get an answer almost immediately.

[17:25] Harnessing AI requires lifelong learning: Just a short while ago, AI tools were simple and limited. Now, they're supercharged for multiple business use cases.

Connect with Lone Star Communications

☑️ Follow us on YouTube, LinkedIn and X, formerly known as Twitter.

☑️ Let us know what topics you would like to hear about on CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by emailing us at [email protected].

CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by Lone Star Communications aims to give listeners insight into how new technology drives healthcare solutions for providers across the country. Lone Star Communications is one team and family driven by a single purpose: to make life safety communication simple.

Episode Summary

It's not every day that healthcare technology providers can find an application for theoretical physics that might radically improve patient care and hospital outcomes.

But Lone Star Communications, Inc. Director of Research and Development Justin Bailey has done just that, laying out the Grand Unified Theory of Healthcare (GUTOH).

While Justin — by his admission — had his tongue firmly in cheek when he named his concept for the entire lifecycle of a hospital visit, its applications are deadly serious — and potentially revolutionary for healthcare technology providers.

Hot on the back of analytics-as-a-software (AaaS) platform CareSight joining the Lone Star Communications, Inc. family, Justin dives into how hospitals can best benefit from applying the GUTOH to their systems and processes with Lone Star Communications, Inc. Director of Analytics Kenny Schiff.

In his role, Justin is tasked with researching and evaluating new technologies that might prove beneficial to healthcare providers in improving the quality of patient care. He also focuses on tying systems together to help them work in a more cohesive, effective way than when separate. As such, a fundamental part of the GUTOH is taking a broader view of a hospital visit's lifecycle than just the nurse call system — historically, Lone Star Communications, Inc.'s primary focus. Systems from other healthcare technology providers, ambulance travel to the hospital and post-stay care should all factor into the equation.

The other part of GUTOH is ensuring that the well-known marketing process, "jobs to be done" (JTBD) underpins every action — from system through product and even ideology — and stakeholder perspective. Through customer and stakeholder interviews, healthcare technology providers can focus solely on the mission rather than getting distracted by new but unnecessary technology.

Featured on the Episode

Name: Justin Bailey

What he does: As Director of Research & Development at Lone Star Communications, Inc. Justin is responsible for both evaluating new technologies and tying systems together to provide the best possible patient care.

Organization: Lone Star Communications, Inc.

Words of wisdom: "What you're trying to get to is the actual job to be done, not what technology you're using to do the job — because the job itself never changes over time, but the technology does."

Connect: LinkedIn

Key Points

Top takeaways from this episode

• Look at the whole lifecycle of a hospital visit, not just its constituent parts. Familiarity with one system, such as a nurse call system, should never trump the overarching view of the whole. There are a multitude of systems both in and outside hospitals, including patients arriving there in ambulances and going home following hospital stays. What Justin refers to as "jobs to be done" informs this process, which looks at various system and product needs from all stakeholders' perspectives — even if they might be founded on ideologies.

• Look at and solve JTBD without being distracted by shiny, new, and unnecessary technology. Whether the objective is based on a system, product, or ideology, every perspective in the life cycle chain matters. From a systems standpoint, the life cycle and procurement matter as much as the end user view. By interviewing customers and stakeholders separately about what they're trying to do step by step, providers can establish the permanence of jobs to be done — alongside the impermanence of the technology to get those jobs done. Attractive technology may be nothing more than a distraction if it doesn't solve the problem.

• Systems that are tied together are better together than they are separate. Having recently joined Lone Star Communications, Inc., analytics-as-a-service (AaaS) platform CareSight is what Justin calls the "dark matter" of the GUTOH. This dark matter ties the whole system together and provides new possibilities — knowledge beyond what's going on within the four walls of a single hospital. CareSight empowers Lone Star to recommend programming processes because it has data from multiple hospitals.

Episode Insights

[00:00] Healthcare tech champions: Lone Star Communications, Inc. is dedicated to providing the very best healthcare technology for prime patient care.

[00:56] R + D = Magic: As Director of Research and Development for Lone Star, Justin's mission is twofold: Evaluate new technologies (the research) and tie systems together (the development).

[01:19] The grand unified theory of healthcare: Justin dubbed his concept of the full continuum of a hospital visit's lifecycle as an homage based on his love of physics and engineering.

[02:24] JTBD: There's theory and then there's practice. GUTOH doesn't just look at healthcare through the lens of the end user, but also from other standpoints like lifecycle support and procurement.

[03:32] Jobs don't change, tech does: Cool technology is alluring but can be unnecessary, distracting from the true goal of solving the problem to be solved — nothing more, nothing less.

[04:00] AaaS incorporation: Now part of the greater Lone Star Communications, Inc. family, CareSight is GUTOH's dark matter, tying everything together to give hospitals the outcomes they want.

Connect with Lone Star Communications

☑️ Follow us on YouTube and LinkedIn.

☑️ Let us know what topics you would like to hear about on CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by emailing us at [email protected].

CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by Lone Star Communications is a series of conversations with his collaborators at Lone Star, customers, partners, and notable folks in the healthcare industry. For over 32 years, Lone Star Communications has been focused on transforming healthcare through innovation and empowering improved caregiver and patient experience.

Episode Summary

Successful implementation of healthcare technology can be challenging. Not everyone is initially on board and solutions often require complex coordination between multiple moving parts: teams, departments, and key stakeholders.

Overcoming obstacles to effective healthcare delivery requires delicate finesse and an ability to bring stakeholders together. Those with a bird's eye view are best positioned to do this — like Lone Star Communications, Inc.'s Clinical Application Specialists.

Acting as a bridge between disparate medical and technological departments, informatics is the linchpin of successful healthcare tech implementations, says Lone Star Clinical Application Specialist Regina Wysocki.

Beyond the tried-and-true bastions of IT and facilities also lie the clinical and oft-overlooked biomedical departments.

IT takes a broad view of infrastructure and solution deployment, which is ideally suited for efficient delivery, albeit sometimes at the risk of neglecting the consequences and outcomes of those solutions. While clinicians rarely makes financial decisions about integrations, they're the end users with boots on the ground, and their perspective on pain points and optimal workflows is crucial for successful implementation.

Biomedical is the go-to when something isn't working properly, and so it's sometimes easy to overlook in calmer waters. Meanwhile, facilities used to be the only stakeholders with whom integrators would partner, while it now forms just part of a greater whole. The department is second to none in understanding the flow of healthcare providers.

Informatics acts as the connector between the technological and the medical, facilitating stronger communication. In particular, informatics must drive home the truth that no one perspective is any more important than another: All must work in harmony to achieve ideal implementation outcomes.

Featured on the Episode

Name: Regina Wysocki

What she does: Regina is an informatics clinical application specialist and thought leader for healthcare integration best practices. She's worked with critical stakeholders through complex healthcare implementation and digital transformation projects, including those at Houston Methodist and Texas Children's Hospital.

Organization: Lone Star Communications, Inc.

Words of Wisdom: "If you get the right information from the right clinical people at the beginning, it saves you time at the end. You don't have to go back and reprogram or change your training. It helps to have that voice at the table from the very beginning."

Connect: LinkedIn

Key Points

Top takeaways from this episode

• The financial decision-makers can't be the only voices in the room. For successful technological implementation, you must consult with physicians, technicians, unit secretaries, and nursing assistants — those with boots on the ground. These individuals sometimes have the best insight into optimal workflows and persistent pain points. It also means bringing in those who are most resistant from the outset.
• A robust clinical application specialist team is the secret to a successful implementation. It's a common scenario: Two different departments meet and members of one use jargon unfamiliar to the other (and vice versa). The solution to this frequent conundrum is to build a team that acts as a bridge — connecting disparate departments and diverging interests — to facilitate better communication for optimal outcomes.
• No one stakeholder is better than any other. All five key stakeholders — IT, clinical, biomedical, facilities and informatics — must work in tandem with one another for successful healthcare technology integrations and effective healthcare outcomes. Every stakeholder brings a different perspective that will ultimately impact these overall outcomes for end users and patients. Combining these perspectives into an overarching view results in better solution delivery and patient care: the desired end goal of all healthcare technology integrators.

Episode Insights

[00:00] Near and dear to the heart: Regina's background as an informatics clinical application specialist and healthcare technology thought leader, has involved working on implementation projects with a number of Texas-based healthcare providers.

[02:46] Top 5 Stakeholders: Those in the healthcare industry need to work with some key organizational areas in mind for a successful technology implementation.

[03:08] Clinical personnel priorities: Anyone interacting with a healthcare system must still be involved from the beginning (even if they don't make financial decisions). These key professionals help to address pain points and accurately optimize workflows.

[08:56] Setting sights on super users: Those who can grapple with and effectively explain tech to more resistant team members are a successful implementation's best friend — especially in larger work environments.

[11:41] IT-driven implementation: IT departments oversee and control timelines with a bird's eye view, which can make it difficult to find the right person. Dedicated project managers within hospitals can help facilitate more effective implementations — especially as one half of an effective partnership.

[15:20] Making the connection: Integrators like Lone Star can act as a bridge for those departments that otherwise wouldn't interact, like IT and clinical.

[20:54] Tech blindside: Those with their eyes on the prize don't always think about the consequences or how the solutions they're building will ultimately be used, which can carry significant investment risk. Mitigation requires informatics oversight.

[23:30] The biomedical angle: When things don't work properly, who are you going to call? Often overlooked when things are running smoothly, the biomedical team is a crucial component of well-functioning healthcare providers and seamless implementations.

[28:35] The old guard: Facilities was once the only stakeholder with whom integrators like Lone Star would've worked. Now, this department understands the flow of a hospital better than many.

[30:12] Get-to-know-yous: No one stakeholder is more important than another — all have their own expertise and area of focus. Early bridge-building between stakeholders is what matters most.

Connect with Lone Star Communications

Follow us on YouTube and LinkedIn.

Let us know what topics you would like to hear about on CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by emailing us at [email protected].

CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by Lone Star Communications is a series of conversations with his collaborators at Lone Star, customers, partners, and notable folks in the healthcare industry. For over 32 years, Lone Star Communications has been focused on transforming healthcare through innovation and empowering improved caregiver and patient experience.

Episode Summary

Navigating the complex landscape of healthcare technology can feel like playing a game of Double Jeopardy.

CarePoints, a new podcast series hosted by Kenny Schiff, will equip clinical directors, hospital administrators, and other stakeholders with insights to explore and actualize technology-driven solutions for improved outcomes.

Listen to the trailer to learn more about what you can expect from this dynamic series of conversations with healthcare industry thinkers, creators, and practitioners.

Meet Your Host

Kenny Schiff is a healthcare industry veteran, Kenny is the Founder of CareSight, a cloud-based patient care analytics company. In October 2022, CareSight was acquired by Lone Star Communications. Though healthcare colleagues often mistake him for an engineer, Kenny instead describes himself as an explainer teacher, translator, and problem solver. His interest in technology started early on and he has leveraged it as a way to support his musical pursuits.

Organization: Lone Star Communications, Inc.

Words of wisdom: "For me, the value of technology is not the 'cool factor,' not the bits and bytes. It's about what it can do for humanity and healthcare. It's about making patients safe and satisfied, helping to avoid adverse events and improving the work life of staff."

Connect: LinkedIn

Connect with Lone Star Communications

• Follow us on YouTube and LinkedIn.
• Let us know what topics you would like to hear about on CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by emailing us at [email protected].

CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by Lone Star Communications is a series of conversations with his collaborators at Lone Star, customers, partners, and notable folks in the healthcare industry.. For over 32 years, Lone Star Communications has been focused on transforming healthcare through innovation and empowering improved caregiver and patient experience.