Inside CHIME: Solutions and Connections Made Accessible and Affordable

Inside CHIME - header

6.8.17
By Amy McDonald, CHIME Communications

CHIME Cooperative Member Services Program brings Foundation firms’ solutions to the needs of members.


We wanted to change who we were using for our security services and when we looked at the offered listings, CynergisTek rose to the top. They offered a program through CHIME with bundled services at a discount that didn’t require us to pick through options. It was a well put together program, but we were also allowed the flexibility to assemble according to our needs. The offering they had through the CHIME partnership was a really good foundational place for us to start that eliminated a lot of upfront questions. I think that knowing they have partnered with CHIME creates a beneficial level of trust.

-Brian Sterud, MBA, CHCIO, CIO at Faith Regional Health Services

 

Successful relationships begin with an introduction that leads to discovering something in common or shared. Through the Cooperative Member Services Program, CHIME introduces members with needs for various services to Foundation firms who will meet those needs at discounted rates or with special bundles available only to CHIME members. The program is one of several services provided by CHIME Technologies, a for-profit entity that supports innovations that benefit CHIME members and the industry.

CIO Brian Sterud is a case in point. As he considered security services for Faith Regional Health Services, he searched the Cooperative Member Services listings, and one firm, CynergisTek, quickly caught his eye. “They offered a program through CHIME that included bundled services at a discount. It was definitely a nice bundled service where we didn’t have to pick through options. Truly a well put together program, but we were also allowed the flexibility to make tweaks. They are now a critical partner for us,” said Sterud, whose health system is based in Norfolk, Nebraska.

One of the benefits of partnering through Cooperative Member Services is special pricing and packages that are offered exclusively to CHIME members by Foundation firms. Not only does the program save funds, but many of the bundled programs save time as well. As Sterud noted, the packages and bundles spare CIOs and their teams from having to sift through a firm’s offerings for what they need. Many are leading industry providers, and some welcome changes to existing packages to better serve their customers and to create a customized product.

In the search for solutions, Sterud, like all CIOs, wanted the best security for sensitive patient information and health records across the servers at Faith Regional. For him, knowing the firm he was partnering with had goals that aligned with CHIME’s vision of the future of healthcare meant they would be willing to meet needs and overcome obstacles as they develop, throughout the implementation process and beyond. “I think that knowing (CynergisTek) has partnered with CHIME creates a level of trust that helps you, and adds another level of scrutiny, in the search process, and when we partner with them, we can know they are a trusted partner,” Sterud said.

With the peace of mind that comes from secured information at an affordable price, Sterud was pleased with the transaction between Faith Regional and CynergisTek, “They are able to augment what talent we have here and allow us to leverage their skills without Faith Regional having to hire new people, a nice partnership.” he said.

Sterud highly recommends Cooperative Member Services and encourages members to become involved and use it. Firm participants can work directly with CIOs to learn the finer points of their needs as the industry evolves, and healthcare organizations have unique access to preferential pricings on a wide array of services. Through CHIME’s Cooperative Member Services Program, new relationships are within reach, ready to overcome today’s challenges with innovative solutions for tomorrow.

More Inside CHIME Volume 2, No. 12: