Challenges and Forces Driving Adoption of Health Information Technology and Electronic Healthcare Records

Challenges and Forces Driving Adoption

Of Health Information Technology and

Electronic Healthcare Records

Michael D. Paquin, FHIMSS

www.mdpgrp.com

In this segment on Electronic Healthcare records, being sponsored by Physicians Office Resource, we will look at:

 EHR Selection: A quick guide

 There is a “right” way and a wrong way to conduct a successful ambulatory EHR selection process.  The challenge today:  too many organizations have following the “wrong” approach towards EHR selection.  With a 73% EHR failure rate[1], how can an effective EHR selection process enhance the success rate and insure “meaningful use” by 2011/12?  Let’s start by looking at the results of 97 “successful” EHR implementation - thus, a positive EHR selection process.

1. Determine your needs:  Before you purchase anything, you should understand what you “need”.  Don’t rely on the vendor to tell you what you need or what another provider purchased.  There are 5 levels of EHR products[2] – if you need level 2, don’t buy a level 5 product.  But if you want to meet the new ARRA stimulus package, you will “need” a level 4 or 5 EHR product.  Finally, do you want to maintain or replace your current PM Product?  The answers to these questions will help reduce the number of potential vendors from 400 down to 20.
2. Match your needs to the vendors:  This is the hardest tasks since every vendor states that they can meet your current and future needs, even if they can’t.  Get help from 3^rd party independent studies and certifications from CCHIT, AAFP, AC Group, and KLAS.
3. 3.    Create demonstration Scripts:  Provide the EHR vendor with a demonstration script based on your practice, your workflow, and your policies.    The vendors will only show you want they can perform and will ignore the functionality that they cannot provide.  Make them follow your script. 
4. 4.    Pricing Comparisons:   Create a 5-year total cost model designed to include “all” costs, not just software costs.  Traditionally, software costs represent 18% of the total 5 year costs. 
5. 5.    Check References:  Call other providers in the same specialty 
6. Check EHR Vendor Company Viability:  Will the vendor still be in business 2 years from now?
7. Negotiate the contract:  The standard EHR vendor contract requires 40-90 changes to insure that the practice is protected.
8. Implementation Plan:  Make sure an implementation plan is part of your EHR selection process and the final contract.

If all else fails, look for 3^rd party independent help from individuals who have gone through the EHR selection process in the past.

[1]   April, 2009 Digital Medical Office of the Future Report, AC Group, Inc.

[2]   April, 2009 Digital Medical Office of the Future Report, AC Group, Inc.