Electronic health records: getting it right first time
Electronic health records (EHRs) are hardly new; the goal of digitizing patient health records dates prior to the emergence of the Internet. In the US, however, the government’s investment of nearly $20 billon for the “meaningful use” of EHRs as part of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, has placed new urgency on adoption. While the precise requirements for meaningful use have yet to crystallize, healthcare providers must master the basics of getting implementation right. With the first wave of HITECH deadlines fast approaching, providers do not have time to make implementation mistakes. Any delays will results in wasted time, lost incentive money and resistance to future adoption of technology.
SUMMARY
Impact
Ovum view
Key messages
EHR IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES ARE LARGELY FAMILIAR
Resemblance to vertical industry enterprise applications
Learn from other industries
Core implementation steps
Establishing the business case
Mobilizing the players
Codifying requirements
Planning and scoping the project
Vendor selection
Keeping control of implementation
PLANNING AND PROMOTING EHR IMPLEMENTATION
Getting the economics of EHRs right
Establish the business case
Cost-benefit statements are challenging
Define the value proposition
Get a good handle on costs
People
Systems integration
Mobilizing support in healthcare organizations
Get early buy-in
The goal is viral acceptance
SCOPING THE PROJECT
Know your starting point
Don’t boil the ocean
Implement in phases
Use the value proposition to keep projects within scope
TECHNOLOGY IS THE LAST, NOT THE FIRST STEP
Take a people, process, and technology approach to planning
People: find a champion
Process: improve workflows
Technology: the final step
COMMON EHR DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES
To customize or not to customize?
Standardize terminology
Assume that the goalposts are constantly moving
Architecture is pivotal
The user interface should resemble what people already use on the Internet
The back-end architecture should leave legacy systems intact
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
Implementation checklist
Establish the business case
Mobilizing the players
Codifying requirements
Planning and scoping the project
Vendor selection
Keeping control of implementation
APPENDIX
Ask the analyst
Further reading
Methodology
Impact
Ovum view
Key messages
EHR IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES ARE LARGELY FAMILIAR
Resemblance to vertical industry enterprise applications
Learn from other industries
Core implementation steps
Establishing the business case
Mobilizing the players
Codifying requirements
Planning and scoping the project
Vendor selection
Keeping control of implementation
PLANNING AND PROMOTING EHR IMPLEMENTATION
Getting the economics of EHRs right
Establish the business case
Cost-benefit statements are challenging
Define the value proposition
Get a good handle on costs
People
Systems integration
Mobilizing support in healthcare organizations
Get early buy-in
The goal is viral acceptance
SCOPING THE PROJECT
Know your starting point
Don’t boil the ocean
Implement in phases
Use the value proposition to keep projects within scope
TECHNOLOGY IS THE LAST, NOT THE FIRST STEP
Take a people, process, and technology approach to planning
People: find a champion
Process: improve workflows
Technology: the final step
COMMON EHR DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES
To customize or not to customize?
Standardize terminology
Assume that the goalposts are constantly moving
Architecture is pivotal
The user interface should resemble what people already use on the Internet
The back-end architecture should leave legacy systems intact
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
Implementation checklist
Establish the business case
Mobilizing the players
Codifying requirements
Planning and scoping the project
Vendor selection
Keeping control of implementation
APPENDIX
Ask the analyst
Further reading
Methodology
