When HCA’s Continental division in Denver wanted to update its physician sales tracking program, they knew the process required collaboration with a variety of internal users. One of those internal users was Mike Riley, vice president of sales for the division—who also was preparing to launch a new physician sales program.

“The existing system wasn’t customized and it was hospital specific,” says Riley. “We took a lot of time developing our database into a division-based product.” For his sales representatives, there were some important have-to-haves on the list, including the ability to:

• Schedule and track appointments with physicians
• Effective identify and communicate issues to the appropriate people in the organization
• Get feedback from the appropriate people to communicate back to physicians

However, the product needed to be truly “inclusionary,” and able to serve the needs of all users—beyond Sales. To ensure the system would be of value across the board, a task force was formed. The team consisted of representatives from each of the seven HCA hospitals in the Denver area, including staff from Sales, Operations, Development and HCA COOs.

Together, they listened to feedback from employees and created a list of desired components. The group then took their list to HCA’s director of IT and director of data systems, who worked with an outside vendor to tailor a program that would incorporate the new set of tracking tools.

Meantime, Riley called upon Allison McCarthy of Corporate Health Group to provide training on the new and improved system. The sales team was some of the first to test the software; they then became trainers themselves—designated as “super users” who helped others become familiar with the new system.

“By sitting down and understanding the capabilities of the system,” he says, “all the users in the division were better able to think of specific ways, in their own departments, where it would improve their efficiency.”

The system went live in December 2005. Today, the system is used on many levels, including as a tool for linking activity and compensation, for communicating physician concerns to front-line managers, and for identifying and trending themes from a division perspective.

For Riley’s sales team, it’s provided enhanced communication between HCA and its physicians, as well as among the internal users.

“It eliminates multiple calls,” enhances the resolution process and keeps everyone in sync, he says. “Now, we’re able to offer a more efficient relationship with the physician, which helps with the physician’s perception of HCA as a health system.”

The software has been integrated into some other systems within the division, including the credentialing database. Riley says they plan to integrate utilization data in the future. And HCA will offer quarterly training in order to enhance the system and make sure users continue to have the tools they need.

The value to Riley and his sales team is invaluable. “We couldn’t function without it, on so many levels. It allows us to document activity, enhance efficiency and easily communicate important issues.”

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