The Importance of Clinical Input in Healthcare Technology

I joined CipherHealth as Chief Nursing Officer a few months ago. When I first met the CipherHealth team, I was struck by the passion and enthusiasm these brilliant minds had for healthcare and their patient communities. They recognized early on that they needed to partner with clinicians and ensure a software product and implementation that would fit the needs of the healthcare organization.

My journey as a young nurse began in the late 80s. I had the incredible opportunity to work for an amazing hospital system, Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Network (LVHHN) In Allentown PA. For almost twenty years, I worked with an amazing clinical team and was mentored by senior leaders who inspired me to create an environment of healing where staff felt supported and patients could feel the impact of truly patient-centered care.

While at LVHHN, I led a massive initiative specific to patient flow operations that would automate a previously manual process and centralize operations for a multi-campus health system. I remember sitting with the team from that software company and explaining my vision for the redesigned clinical workflow and applauding their willingness to see it through.

The result was stunning; Streamlined clinical workflows; transparency of information; Elimination of unnecessary redundancy; and suddenly actionable data. The results were immediate and powerful as we blended technology with clinical care delivery redesign. The lives of the patients we served were improved as they found it easier to access our health system and wait less time for treatment to begin.

When I decided to leave LVHHN and join the healthcare technology sector, it was an incredibly difficult decision, but I knew that technology companies needed clinical input to develop relevant products and implement them in a way that would achieve desired outcomes.

At CipherHealth, we strive to provide our patient communities with an innovative communication platform that will provide the patient with real-time feedback opportunities, immediate service recovery, and coordinated care – all on one platform. As a clinical leader, I am excited to see what the future of our products holds.

As I write this, I am smiling thinking of my early days as a young energetic nurse manager with my pager, clipboard, and colored pens. Times have changed and although I now have an iPad and a mobile phone, the mission remains the same – make sure patients are cared for and are given the best chance to heal. There is no greater calling. It is an honor to partner with you on this shared goal.

As CipherHealth’s Chief Nursing Officer, Lisa Romano, MSN, RN brings more than 25 years of experience in clinical practice, healthcare IT strategy, and healthcare operations to her current role. Prior to previous CNO roles, Lisa spent 19 years as a nurse and hospital administrator at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network in Allentown, PA, where she was responsible for all patient flow and transfer center operations as well as numerous quality and patient satisfaction initiatives. Lisa is passionate about improving the health of patients across the healthcare continuum.