Welcome back to Optimum Healthcare IT’s “Center Stage” series, where we turn the spotlight on Optimum’s executive leaders. In this installment, we talk with Kelli Mangino, Vice President, Community Connect.
Our service line leaders have track records of service excellence in Healthcare IT and are passionate about their work. Our goal is to improve healthcare through technology, and these leaders are how we’re getting there.
We brought these leaders to our “Center Stage” to get their take on the future of their service lines and Healthcare IT as an industry.
Kelli Mangino has over 20 years of healthcare experience, including 17 years at Cleveland Clinic. Prior to the Cleveland Clinic, Ms. Mangino was employed at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio as a clinic business manager and was involved in the building and design of Epic Cadence (scheduling). Other positions ranged from Group Practice Management, Physician Billing Manager, Business Manager and Administration. She received her BBA from Kent State University and is a member of the College of Health Information Executives (CHIME).
Background at Optimum In August of 2016, Kelli Mangino and Jon Straffon joined Optimum Healthcare IT as Executive Directors of the Community Connect Program. They partner to oversee Community Connect Advisory and Consulting services, including but not limited to strategy, governance, contracting and pricing, sales and marketing, technical and application build and design, team structure, training and help desk.
Community Connect Community Connect enables Epic’s customers to extend a shared Electronic Health Record (EHR) to the community. This collaboration allows smaller organizations to access to a more integrated and robust EHR. As the needs for patient engagement, care coordination, and interoperability grow, extending the capabilities of the Epic EHR to community hospitals, clinics, and physician practices benefits both the community and the patient.
Question: What changes have had the greatest impact on Healthcare IT throughout your career?
Mangino: The ability for patients to manage their own health via EHR portals. They have access to their health trends such as labs and weight. They can request refills and communicate with their physician via a smartphone. As little as 10 years ago, patients would visit a provider, hopefully, take notes and go home to forget the plan. EHRs have changed the way children take care of their aging parents as well. And, because of the advancements we’ve made, the next generations demand immediate information.
Question: How has Community Connect impacted the Healthcare landscape?
Mangino: Community Connect has allowed small hospitals and private physician practices the ability to have access to a robust EMR that they could never afford on their own or even be eligible. One patient record provides continuity of care, especially for chronic disease management. Providers, hospitals, and nursing homes can now have all the data at their fingertips for better outcomes. It also reduces the number of duplicate tests.
Question: What advice would you give to healthcare organizations that are contemplating Community Connect?
Mangino: Offer Community Connect for the right reason – the continuity of care for your patients. Connect with the right partners such as private physicians that admit to your hospitals and smaller hospitals that may use your organization for specialty care. Decide what exactly is your motivation for Community Connect?
Question: Since Community Connect is an evolution of Epic, what’s next for Community Connect? What will the next evolution be?
Mangino: Accountable care organization, population health, and disease management all need discrete data. Community Connect will continue to be one of the main tools providing that meaningful data for a healthier society. I hope one day the stigma of sharing personal data will go away. Behavior health and addiction therapy are an important part of an individual’s overall well-being. Extending Community Connect to these types of specialties is important.
Optimum Healthcare IT has a dedicated Community Connect Advisory Services practice that leverages our knowledge, understanding, and experience with Connect methodologies and tools to strategically align the goals and processes of our clients and extend them into the community. Our Connect experts share lessons learned and best practices and will help you promote your Connect offering to the community, as well as fully implement once all design decisions are made.
Read more about our Community Connect practice here. And make sure to subscribe to our blog to get the latest in healthcare IT thought leadership, delivered right to your inbox. Check back for our next Center Stage feature in the coming weeks.
