BURLINGTON, VT -- Today, Fletcher Allen announced that ten full-time employees lost their jobs as a result of their positions being eliminated in the organization's Information Services Department. The affected positions included programmers, software analysts, and a project manager.

Staff affected by this reduction will be offered severance packages, which will include support through outplacement services. Fletcher Allen will make every effort to help them transition to other employment.

This reduction is the result of changes in the way Information Services relates to other departments. Departments in which Information Services projects will reside are now participating in the project's ownership to a greater degree as these projects are designed and implemented.  Shared ownership means a sharing of responsibility and accountability for developing and implementing a project.

For example, implementation of the enterprise-wide picture archival communication system (ePACS), is being led by representatives in the clinical departments most involved in this project, rather than by Information Services staff. The ePACS system will allow radiology images and related information to be stored and shared with other providers throughout the institution using a secure computer system, improving the efficiency and quality of care provided to patients.

"Technological advancements in healthcare information technology are becoming so tightly integrated with clinical and business work flow that users need to be much more engaged in the process," said John K. Evans, Fletcher Allen's chief technology officer. "It results in a broader interdisciplinary approach to project implementation.

"Today's action does not lessen Fletcher Allen's commitment to health information technology as a strategic asset," Evans continued. "The institution remains committed to health information technology and its role as a vital resource in the effort to improve the efficiency and quality of the care we provide to our patients."