SOARIAN CLINICALS IMPLEMENTATIONS: QUICK TIPS
By Rich Mach
It sounds cliché but, proper planning is the key to successful project outcomes. This is
especially true when implementing new generation solutions such as the Siemens Soarian
Clinicals Solution. The decisions made, or not made, early on in the project can not only
impact the usability of the software, but severely impact the amount of time needed to
implement the solution. When starting the design and build, a number of different “Upload
Spreadsheets” will be in use, which are included in the install toolset, to load many of the
items into Soarian. In a few cases these spreadsheets can be used only once. In other
cases, they can be used repeatedly, but only for NEW DATA. Once an item is loaded into the
Soarian® system the only way it can be edited is per item. This is a significant reason why
proper upfront planning is so important to a Soarian® Clinicals project.
Health Care Units
Soarian® implementation decisions on how the Health Care Units (HCUs) are defined in the
system will impact every facet of the solution. They are the foundation on which everything
else is built. Yet, because they are easy to build and seem insignificant within the tool
set, it is easy to overlook their importance. It is important to take time to consider your
current organizational structure as it relates to the clinical solution. Previous experience
shows that it helps to create a file type tree to illustrate the organization. Once the HCU
current state is mapped, review it and look for areas that may be changed to help process
and business workflow. As this is done, do not forget to keep charging considerations in
mind. Often, how and where things are ordered impacts how and when they are charged.
Data Dictionary
Value the Data Dictionary before starting and, make sure to review what is currently in the
HIS system. For conversion reasons, include some items that may not be needed in the new
system. Enter current values into the Data Dictionary upload spreadsheet as they are in the
current system. Create a work group consisting of both clinical and IT staff who will
review these values to check their validity. It is a good idea to use the Soarian Data
Dictionary Starter Set Upload Spreadsheet as a basis for this. Make the necessary value set
additions to each data item in the spreadsheet. Remember, allowable values can be added to
a data item, but data items cannot be added to the spreadsheet. Use the Starter Set Upload
Spreadsheet only once, so make it as complete as possible. After the spreadsheet is used to
load data into Soarian, make all other Data Dictionary changes per item.
Service Catalog
The Service Catalog contains the information needed to create an individual order. It
includes the data used to link the results (findings) to the order and stores data needed to
generate an interface transaction to an ancillary system. This is loaded, initially, using
upload spreadsheets. The upload spreadsheets are provided by Siemens. A series of tabs are
used to collect a certain subset of data for each service. Macros then run in the background
and verify the data entered and carry some data forward to the next tab. Editing data
within the Upload Spreadsheet can be challenging and items may need to be changed on several
different tabs. A good idea is to alpha sort all the items prior to loading them into the
Upload Spreadsheet. If there is a duplicate service that needs to be entered by a different
department, usually for billing purposes, it is entered as a service in an Associated HCU.
Each test in the service master is going to be entered into an upload spreadsheet along
with all other data needed to generate an order and send a result. The upload spreadsheet
will then value the Soarian Service Catalog via a .scf file. As before, once an item is
loaded into the Service Catalog, it can only be changed by hand per item. Orders may not be
placed, interface transactions sent or results posted if this information is not entered
correctly. It is very important that everything is considered prior to valuing the
spreadsheet.
Data Validation and Organization
In order to make sure that values are correct before loading, use a couple of methods for
validating and organizing the data. First, load the data into a worksheet. Enter the data
pulled from the Service Master into this worksheet. Then, use this to hold the data that is
the most important. Compare data from disparate databases like the Service Master and the
CVE. Do not assume these databases are in sync. Use this worksheet as a way to document
what is being done and why. Entries in the comments section can be quite helpful. They may
also provide insight as to your thought process to a support person trying to fix an issue a
few years down the road.
Once the worksheet has been valued and there is a good idea of where and how the data is
going to be loaded, use a “Flat File” version of the Upload Spreadsheet to value all the
necessary fields and conduct an Upload Spreadsheet trial run.
The flat file is made up of over 180 columns. Each column represents a data element that
may need to be loaded into the Service Catalog. Each item in the flat file also corresponds
to an item in the upload spreadsheet. Once the data elements have been valued and sorted in
the flat file, they can easily be loaded into the upload spreadsheet. Use the flat file as
a final check prior to loading the Upload tool.
Considerations
Naming Convention
Decide on a naming convention early on and stick with it. The service name must be
unique within the service catalog. A good suggestion is the body site followed by the
test as the naming convention. An example might be: Ankle Left diagnostic x-ray or
Brain CT Scan with Contrast
Have your clinical staff review and approve the naming convention before the start of
valuing items in the upload tools.
Abbreviations
All abbreviations are limited to 16 characters and must be unique within the service
master. There are a number of disallowed characters. These include: ! @ # $ ^ & * _ -
+ = | \ / < > { } [ ]
Field Definitions
Siemens provides excellent documentation for the build process. Take the time to review
it prior to starting the build. It is imperative that there is an understanding the
impact of the values when entered into the spreadsheets. Sometimes the value may not
have the obvious meaning.
For Example:
Individually Orderable and Orderable.
Orderable means that a service may be entered as an add-on order.
Individually Orderable means it can be ordered by end users / clinicians.
As with most things, an HIS system can be installed two ways…efficiently or
inefficiently. Soarian® gives you the tools to install a new HIS system efficiently and
with little impact to the end user. The decision can be made to simply recreate what is in
the current system or with a little forethought and planning, create as system that truly
meets the needs of clinical users. The completion of the project will be more satisfying if
implementers take the time to look for areas where improvements are critical. The project
will be much more beneficial for all of the staff if a little upfront planning is used prior
to conducting any part of the build
Please contact VCS with any questions you may have at
vcs@getvitalized.com or (610) 444-1233.