Evergreen staff: building a tree of knowledge for continuous learning.

Healthcare institutions breathed a collective sigh of relief on January 1, when efforts made for remediation, testing, and contingency planning for the year 2000 finally paid off. Now that the technology has been improved to ensure compatibility, it is important to keep the momentum going to improve efficiency and increase productivity and patient satisfaction levels. One way to incorporate organizational priorities, goals, and strategy at the departmental level is to develop an education plan that stresses mastering fundamental skills. This article explores the components and role of an education plan and identifies the types of efforts that result in the greatest return. It concludes with a case study.

Information technology: opening the box.

If you thought managed care was a tough nut to crack, wait until you have to start making decisions about your organization's information technology (IT). Information systems are complex and expensive, they can take years to implement, and, once installed, they need costly and regular upgrades. But for a contemporary clinical organization to function, this technology is as essential as power and water. For many years, information technology was seen as a black box, impenetrable and beyond real understanding. If done with knowledge and care, however, cracking the box opens up possibilities, not ruin.