Be careful about getting tangled

Be careful about getting tangled

“We had done a lot to tangle ourselves up.” - Bridget Walsh, Chief Operating Officer at Emergency Nurses Association

In a discussion at AMS Fest this week, this is how Bridget Walsh characterized what their AMS of 17+ years looked like as they worked to move from their legacy system to a new one.

I love this quote for two reasons:

  1. The use of the word "tangle." It's very descriptive of what many AMSes look like after years of use.
  2. The ownership of the entanglement ("We had done a lot..."). Data management systems don't just tangle themselves. They become tangled for many reasons including neglect, staff turnover, outdated/ineffective business rules, and lack of documentation.

Seventeen years in one system is a very good run, so ENA should be proud of that. But I appreciated Bridget's acknowledgment of ENA's need to "untangle" where they were as they moved to a new system.

So what are you doing to make sure your AMS doesn't get too tangled up?

Wes's Wednesday Wisdom Archives

A Data Integrity Report…for Reports!

July 29, 2019

I’ve written elsewhere about the value of data integrity reports. But one of the most […]

Simple rules for complex systems

July 28, 2019

Simple rules for complex systems I first heard the phrase “simple rules for complex systems” […]

Accentuate the positive

July 24, 2019

Accentuate the positive I’ve written before about the importance of database public relationsand celebrating success. I’ll add […]

Annual dues vs. anniversary dues

July 10, 2019

Annual dues vs. anniversary dues I served as director of membership for several years at […]

A change of systems requires a change of mindset

July 8, 2019

Every AMS vendor will tell you that the toughest part of implementing a new system […]

It doesn’t have to be optimal to be beneficial

June 26, 2019

It doesn’t have to be optimal to be beneficial I’m a big fan of the […]

Look for small wins

June 19, 2019

Look for small wins One of the toughest things about system implementation is simply how […]

Are you closing the loop?

June 12, 2019

Are you closing the loop? If your association does a call for presentations for any […]

Declare victory and move on

June 5, 2019

Declare victory and move on The law of diminishing returns is the point at which the […]

Clean as you go

March 28, 2019

Clean As You Go A good cook or baker knows that, when working in the […]

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top