Logan: Teamwork, Customer Service Skills Crucial for HTM Professionals
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| Mary Logan |
What can we expect in the future for the healthcare technology management (HTM) profession? That was the question AAMI President Mary Logan tackled in her speech before attendees of the Spring MD Expo 2013 in Reston, VA, outside Washington, D.C.
The HTM profession faces many challenges, including an aging workforce, consolidation, and cost and quality pressures, Logan said Wednesday. To illustrate her first point, she polled the audience to see how many were considering retiring in the next five years, and a few hands went up. She then asked if there was someone in the pipeline to replace them: “I don't think so,” she said, answering her own question as a few “no” replies from the audience echoed her view.
She also pointed out the consolidation trend in many parts of the healthcare arena, from hospitals to medical device manufacturers. For example, U.S. nonprofit hospitals last year saw the highest consolidation activity since 2000, according to Nonprofit Hospital Consolidation, Integration and Alignment, a Fitch Ratings report released earlier this year. Adam Kates, director in Fitch's Public Finance group, said healthcare reform played a big role in this consolidation. This reality forces HTM professionals to demonstrate they are have the skills to adapt to this situation.
The third challenge facing the field is an “explosion of technology,” that has led to more recalls. As a result, hospitals feel more quality pressures, and HTM professionals need to help ensure patient safety, Logan said.
So, how can current and future HTM professionals adapt? Enhance your customer service skills, show you can work on a team, and demonstrate your ability to evolve and learn on the job, Logan said. One way to demonstrate the latter skill is “stackable certificates,” Logan said, meaning an HTM professional can obtain AAMI certification, training from Philips or GE, and other certificates to show his or her value to an employer.
She concluded that to succeed, an HTM professional must be visible—get out of the shop and make yourself and your needs known to the C-Suite. In addition, demonstrate your value by showing you can save money while improving quality and patient safety.
Posted: April 4, 2013