Top Ten Signs Your Healthcare IT Organization is misaligned by Anticlue

Healthcare IT is very late to the alignment party. Some organizations are successfully aligned, many are not, and many more don't even know what to examine. IT and the business are siloed, but both groups don't realize the issue - sometimes until Joint Commission points it out in a survey.

In order to help diagnosis your organizations alignment issues, here are the top ten signs that your Healthcare IT organization is out of synch with the business.

1. IT is not viewed as a partner - This is displayed commonly at the top level by IT not being a part of the executive leadership team. The CFO may even have IT reporting to them. IT is more viewed as the excuse for projects not being delivered than the reason.


2. IT is the afterthought for business projects - The smoke signals of this problem can be when IT is included for engagement. Is it after the kick off meeting for implementation? Or is it at the kick off meeting? There is not a better smoke signal than having an IT staff member show up at a meeting, come back to their managers office explain the meeting, and then the manager talks with other leadership. The outcome is no one in IT being aware this initiative was even on the table.


3. Operational IT efforts are viewed as tactical, not strategic - This can be seen in various venues equipment is purchased by departments and not as an overall IT initiative. Maybe in these tight times all new equipment has been removed from IT's budget.


4. Technology decisions are made without IT - This can be seen in the acquisition of new products which suddenly show up at the data center door. Surprised that six sigma improvement faxing solution now contains an imaging index? Perhaps that the executive suite now mandates that the security password for smart phones never be.


5. The business doesn't follow key IT processes - This can be seen in who is crafting the work request and business case. It commonly falls to IT. Additionally there maybe some new capital projects which have an IT component that didn't go through IT planning. The more of these items you see, the more rampant your problem.


6. Lack of direction and commitment in existing committees - Does your clinical it transformation team exist? Do they meet? Are there goals aligned with the team member's performance? Has the IT governance group met within the last year? Be aware of these flags.


7. Consistent introduction of unplanned projects - Surprise, we need to get this one done. How many of those projects that were not staged, heck even requested, suddenly appear and need to be done right now. Hopefully, this isn't a daily occurrence for you, cause that's a big iceberg sign.


8. Reactionary decision making - Seem like your organization is always reacting and having problems just keeping the fires simmering? Is the team always reacting to everything thrown across the wall. Did you even have a chance to strategically plan something in the last month? Houston, it doesn't take showing up to work and your office in administration is now a conference room - you have signs of an alignment problem.


9. Project Scope Changes are a common occurrence - Have you heard a member of the IT leadership team say something similar to "We plan as we go, its rare to know what we are doing until it is near the end" Would the scope change documentation if it was done be greater in paper volume than the project documentation if it was done.


10. IT performance is based upon service objectives - Is IT measured by the business benefits project execution helps to realize? No, oh your group is measured by the fact that the desktop group fixed a urgent ticket within a day. Warning, Danger signals.

Hopefully not every item is showing up at your organization. If it is you are at the beginning point of the Healthcare IT credibility scale, and only have upwards to go. See there is good news!

Futher Reading:

• The 5 levels of Health Care IT Credibility
• Improving your Healtcare IT Credibility by growing your PMO

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