Interview with IT Manager Discusses Resilience of Small Care Facility During Pandemic Adjustments
North Valley Health Center Adapts to COVID-19 Challenges, Embraces Remote Flexibility
North Valley Health Center, a primary care facility located in rural Minnesota, has navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic with resilience and innovation. The past year has been hectic for the IT team, with big asks from leadership and collaborations with entities like CDW and other vendors.
Josh Benson, the IT manager at North Valley Health Center, has been at the helm of these adaptations. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the challenges that stakeholders will face and discussing the compromises that may need to be made to achieve remote flexibility.
In response to the pandemic, North Valley Health Center had to adapt its services, including implementing drive-through coronavirus testing. To offer drive-through testing, the health center altered an ambulance garage. For this initiative, they sought help from CDW for the implementation and from Ergotron for mobile carts.
The mobile carts have been essential for North Valley Health Center's drive-through testing and other adaptations to the pandemic. They have allowed the health center to provide services in a safe and efficient manner, without compromising on quality.
Communication was found to be incredibly important across multiple disciplines during the pandemic, and North Valley Health Center learned that it will be important going forward. The IT team involved nurses, medical staff, and lab technicians in figuring out solutions for workflow changes during the pandemic. This collaborative approach ensured that everyone's needs were considered, and the solutions implemented were effective and efficient.
Josh Benson, in a conversation with Keara Dowd, senior editor for BizTech, spoke about the challenges faced during the pandemic, the response from stakeholders, and how the past year has changed internal conversations with his team. He suggested that IT managers who want to implement similar flexibility should start by having conversations with stakeholders to understand their needs.
The collaboration between North Valley Health Center and entities like CDW during the pandemic has been crucial in adapting to the challenges presented by the pandemic. CDW provided equipment to North Valley Health Center free of charge when there was an issue with costly shipping. This support was invaluable in allowing the health center to provide essential services during a time of great need.
Looking ahead, North Valley Health Center's project may be repurposed or adapted to fit a larger need in the future. The IT team at North Valley Health Center has learned a lot from the past year about what they want to do going forward in terms of process. They have become better at asking for and receiving necessary help, and they understand the importance of flexibility and agility in the face of unexpected challenges.
In conclusion, North Valley Health Center's response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been a testament to their resilience and innovation. Their adaptations, such as enhanced telehealth services, integration of COVID-related data into electronic health records, and improved data sharing mechanisms, have led to lasting changes in their IT strategy focused on expanding virtual care, better data integration, and more agile response capabilities. As we move forward, it is clear that these adaptations will continue to be essential in ensuring the health and safety of our communities.
Technology played a crucial role in North Valley Health Center's adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling remote flexibility and the implementation of drive-through testing services. In partnership with entities like CDW, Ergotron, and others, the health center embraced innovative technologies, such as mobile carts and improved data sharing mechanisms, to maintain quality healthcare services amidst unprecedented challenges.
