An Inside Look At Net Health Systems, Inc.

Today’s Wound Clinic recently had the opportunity to interview Patrick Colletti, President/Board Director of Net Health Systems, Inc. Net Health Systems are the creators of the WoundExpert® Software for Wound Management.

TWC: What should our readers know first and foremost about Net Health Systems, Inc.?
PC: Net Health is a fast growing healthcare software company that delivers industry-leading solutions to improve documentation and reporting for wound care professionals. Our goal is to enable wound care professionals to make informed decisions with better (and more readily available) information, and ultimately spend more time with patients. We’ve made this a part of the DNA of our company since launching the WoundExpert software in 2001 and the wound care industry has responded. Today there are 12,000 wound care professionals that use our software systems throughout the United States, performing over 2 million patient visits each year. Net Health’s momentum is steadily increasing with the significant number of HOPDs moving towards electronic medical records (EMRs) and integration with the underlying hospital information systems. Our growth has permitted us to invest in ongoing research and development, resulting in continuous improvement of the WoundExpert software.

TWC: How were you first introduced to the segment of wound care and why do you enjoy working in this area?
PC: My first experience came in the 1990s as a result of interactions with vascular surgeons involved with a limb salvage program in Pittsburgh, a foot and ankle clinic, and several long-term care (LTC) facilities. The common denominator was that they all required a solution for documenting wound care and measuring outcomes. Individually they were performing quality wound care but were seeking ways to understand, illustrate, and compare their wound healing.

TWC: What are some of the company’s biggest accomplishments thus far? What are some of your key products that clearly distinguish your brand?
PC: While the company is considered successful in terms of growth, market size, and smiling clients, the accomplishments we treasure most are the communications we receive from clients. When clients thank us for helping to make their Joint Commission visit much easier, the joy that is felt is unprecedented. By having comprehensive physician and clinic documentation, regulatory and reimbursement components all combined in the WoundExpert software they are able to focus their attention on things more important than the minutia of data. I also hear many stories about (and have seen many) patients who were encouraged by pictorial reports illustrating their wound healing; and that feels terrific.

TWC: Please describe the mission/vision of your company and how your personal vision of success fits with the company’s goals?
PC: I believe we are here to grow personally, professionally, and in our community. Growth is a part of our company’s core values, which every visitor to our Pittsburgh headquarters will see when visiting. Bob Dylan said it best, “He who is not busy being born is busy dying,” which I interpret to mean that if you are not full of life and growing, you are, essentially, dying. We have turned that into a motivating goal as a company to make sure we are constantly improving. I cannot grow if I am not challenging myself and we cannot grow as an organization there is not challenge at hand and inevitably, no growth. By the same token, Net Health both corporately and individually is designed for community. Net Health fosters and encourages community as an essential element of developing culture. In our experience, this creates engagement and engagement is a major difference maker.

TWC: Looking ahead, what are some incentives or products Net Health Systems is working on?
PC: Net Health is currently working to be the first (and only) wound care software company to achieve EHR Certification and enable our hospital partners to demonstrate HITECH’s Meaningful Use standard. In addition to free quarterly updates that include clinical and regulatory improvements, the company will release an integrated voice recognition system for physicians through a partnership with M*Modal (Pittsburgh, Pa), who we view as the finest voice recognition technology in the market. In addition, in April we will release a seamless integration to auto-populate KCI V.A.C.® Therapy (San Antonio, Tex) authorization, and directly connect to KCI for rapid processing. As 2010 progresses, Net Health will release the wound care industry’s first Patient Portal allowing patients to securely schedule appointments, view wound progress, and upload medical data to their preferred Personal Health Record.

For more information on Net Health Systems, Inc. visit www.woundexpert.com