Finding good, qualified people to oversee your technology needs can be difficult for most anyone living in a rural community.
But when it comes to those charged with managing modern medical records and the many new computerized health care technologies now available, it can prove nearly impossible.
Not without paying what amounts to another doctor’s salary at the very least.
That’s why local hospital administrator Lance Smiga said he began investigating options, he told members of the Jackson County Hospital District board Thursday, and he believes he may have found a solution.
That solution comes in the form of a yearlong IT services contract with a firm called Blue Layer Innovative Technology Solutions, based in Lubbock, to serve as a sort of co-manager of the local hospital’s IT needs.
At present, the Edna hospital has an IT staff of just two who, especially when technology problems arise, can quickly become overwhelmed trying to keep up with everything, Smiga said. Hiring just one additional qualified employee could easily reach six figures for the county-funded hospital once benefits are factored into the equation.
IT services
Which is why Blue Layer has its appeal, Smiga said. By contracting with the company, the local hospital gains the expertise of not just one employee but a staff of 58 full-time IT professionals spanning a variety of specialties, from cybersecurity and advanced medical record systems to the latest high-tech precision surgical equipment.
“As our hospital continues to grow and all new technologies get introduced every day, this really seems like the best option for us moving forward,” Smiga said.
Ideally, Blue Layer will work in tandem with the hospital’s existing IT staff, providing both on-the-ground IT services at the local level and remote systems management and expertise, while also offering additional onsite assistance when needed.
And they can do so at a reasonable rate for the district as well, Smiga added.
Blue Layer’s service agreement will cost the hospital district about $10,000 a month, according to the contract approved Thursday. The agreement is renewable for up to three years, pending annual approval by the local board of directors.
In other business:
• The hospital district approved its policy for granting local tax abatements for various entities that fall under its taxing jurisdiction. No abatements are currently under consideration, but Thursday’s action establishes the guidelines the board must follow should one come before it.
• Hospital district directors received a construction update on ongoing renovation projects at the Edna and Ganado campuses.
• The board received its monthly ER report, showing 385 patients were treated in May, up from the same month last year and averaging 12.4 patients per day. Local EMS call volumes, although down slightly in May, continued to trend upward year over year.
