Hello, everyone. Good afternoon—or good morning, depending on where you’re joining from. We’re so happy you’re here. Welcome to today’s Health Solutions webinar, hosted by Patagonia Health.
Today’s topic is How to Avoid Pitfalls in Health IT Contracting and Implementation. My name is Dayna Riddle, and I’ll be your moderator.
If you’re not familiar with the GoToWebinar platform, look for the communications box on the right side of your screen. All attendees will be muted throughout the presentation, but you can submit questions there at any time. We’ll address most of them toward the end.
If you’ve joined our webinars before, you’ll notice today’s format is a little different. Instead of one presenter, we’re fortunate to have three panelists with expertise in operational readiness, procurement, and implementation. Two are external subject-matter experts, and one—Don—is part of the Patagonia Health team. Together they’ll share their best tips for selecting, contracting, and implementing new health IT solutions.
To start, I’d love to hear how each of you got into the health IT space and what you do now for health organizations. Capri, let’s begin with you.
Capri Dye 1:56
Honestly, I think it was a fluke! The full story is on my website, but 20 years ago an organization approached me, and that’s how I ended up in healthcare. I never expected to work in this field, but two decades later, it’s still what keeps me engaged and motivated—helping clients at both the federal level and with private providers.
I now own a consulting firm that supports organizations in refining their business processes and digital strategies. A big part of my work is ensuring they implement solutions and use the tools they already have to their fullest potential.
Patagonia Health 2:47
Great—thank you, Capri. Darren, what about you?
Darren Xanthos 2:50
Like many people, I stumbled into this space. I started as a behavioral health clinician and I’m still a licensed social worker. Back then, we used pen and paper—or maybe Word if we were lucky. Eventually, I moved into managed care, implementing new clinical programs. That’s when I quickly realized that great ideas often hit roadblocks: you’d go to IT, and they’d say, “Sure, we can do that…in two and a half years.”
That pushed me to focus on bridging the gap between business, clinical needs, and technology. I now run my own consulting group, helping organizations integrate administrative, clinical, and financial operations—and ensuring that technology serves the business, not the other way around.
Patagonia Health 4:24
I love that—switching from Word to EHR must have been a big leap.
Darren Xanthos 4:31
It was very innovative at the time! Moving from WordPerfect to Word felt like a revolution.
Patagonia Health 4:35
That’s great. Don, let’s hear your story.
Don Sargent 4:39
Well, mine goes back even further. I started in healthcare IT in the early ’90s—back when forms were still carbon copies and electronic data interchange wasn’t yet standard. It was primarily about practice management and revenue cycle.
Since then, I’ve worked on the client-facing side in roles ranging from implementation consultant to account manager to service team leader. Today, I’m VP of Customer Experience here at Patagonia Health. My team manages implementations, projects, client support, and account management. It’s been a long journey, but a rewarding one, and I’m thrilled to join Darren and Capri for today’s discussion.
Patagonia Health 6:06
Thank you, Don. Let’s dive in. Capri, what advice would you give organizations that are planning to adopt new health technology? What can they do before they start shopping for solutions?
Advice Before Selecting Technology
Patagonia Health
Capri, what advice would you give organizations planning to adopt new health technology? What should they do before they start shopping for solutions?
Capri Dye
The first thing is to understand your “why.” What problem are you solving? Too often, organizations chase shiny new tech without being clear on what they actually need.
Do a self-assessment. What processes are working well? Where are the gaps? Also, look at what you already have—sometimes the solution is using your current system more effectively, not buying something new.
Finally, involve stakeholders early. That means clinicians, administrators, finance, IT—everyone who will be impacted. It’s much harder to build buy-in later if they aren’t part of the conversation from the start.
Common Pitfalls in Contracting
Patagonia Health
Darren, what are some common pitfalls you see during the contracting stage?
Darren Xanthos
One of the biggest mistakes is focusing only on cost. Of course budgets matter, but if you select a system that doesn’t meet your operational needs, you’ll pay for it later in lost efficiency and frustration.
Another pitfall is vague contracts. Make sure deliverables are clearly defined—things like implementation timelines, training, support, and upgrades. If it’s not written down, it’s not guaranteed.
And finally, organizations sometimes underestimate change management. The contract might cover the technology, but you also need to think about how your people will transition. What training will they get? Who’s responsible for reinforcing new workflows? That’s just as important as the software itself.
Tips for Implementation & Go-Live
Patagonia Health
Don, once the contract is signed, what are your best tips for a smooth implementation and go-live?
Don Sargent
Start with strong project management. Assign a dedicated project lead who has authority and time to make decisions. Without that, projects drift.
Second, set realistic expectations. Go-live isn’t the finish line—it’s the beginning of using the system in real life. There will be bumps, and that’s normal. Having a structured support plan in place makes all the difference.
Third, communicate constantly. Keep your staff updated, celebrate milestones, and provide hands-on training. The more prepared they feel, the smoother the go-live will be.
And one last thing: don’t try to customize everything on day one. Start with core functionality, then build out additional features once people are comfortable.
Closing Remarks
Patagonia Health
Thank you all for sharing your expertise. Before we wrap up, any final advice for organizations looking at new health IT systems?
Capri Dye
Stay focused on the problem you’re trying to solve. Technology should serve your mission, not distract from it.
Darren Xanthos
Think of it as a partnership. You’re not just buying software—you’re choosing a vendor you’ll work with for years. Make sure it’s a good fit culturally, not just technically.
Don Sargent
And remember, success is about people as much as technology. Invest in training, communication, and ongoing support. That’s how you get real value from your system.
Patagonia Health
Thank you, Capri, Darren, and Don, and thanks to all of you for joining today’s webinar.
