Bedrock Principles for Adopting EMR
Source: FacilityCare – December 2010
By: Ron Wince, Guidon Performance Solutions
The American health system is on the cusp of radical change – much of which will last for decades. Every aspect of the health care system as we know it will be impacted as patients, providers, payers and government agencies grapple with the complexity of health reform, from reimbursement and payment reform for payers to mandates on measurement and reporting of care outcomes for providers. Yet one of the most significant changes on the horizon for care providers is the head-long race underway to adopt Electronic Medical Records (EMRs).
With a small carrot in the form of incentives and a correspondingly big stick in the form of penalties for failing to use EMRs in a “meaningful” way, the federal government has all but made sure that electronic records will become a reality for everyone And this will be far sooner than most organizations would have preferred – or may be prepared for. But as the reality sets in, organizations large and small are rapidly assessing current EMR technology or ramping up to purchase and incorporate EMRs into their practices – pushing, pulling or dragging their organizations into world of technology as quickly as possible.
As can be expected with anything of this scale and scope, advice is coming from every corner. Much like Sarbanes Oxley, or Y2k before, the volume of information and number of organizations offering advice or entering the EMR market is growing exponentially – often increasing the complexity health care leaders face in choosing the correct path to electronify records and processes. With pressure to rapidly adopt EMR technology or the face the consequences, CEO’s and their leadership teams are grappling with how to navigate complicated and unknown terrain and avoid undue risks.
For all the complexity that adopting EMRs presents to health care providers,how can these institutions make the correct choices and avoid the pitfalls that come with adopting new technologies. By remaining grounded in four basic principles and allowing these four to serve as their compass, leadership teams can make the choices that will work best for their organization. The principles are:
- Purpose – stay true to the core purpose of the organization. By revisiting this frequently throughout the decision process and by continually reinforcing the mission and purpose of the organization throughout the implementation the leadership, physicians and staff will remain aligned and engaged.
- Patients – despite all the rhetoric about technology and bringing health care into the 21st century the overarching reason for adopting an EMR has and always should be to provide better care for patients. Often in the heat of the moment constituents might tend to lose sight of this all important fact.
- Processes – outcomes in health care are the direct result of the people and processes who deliver the care. EMRs must result in the processes in the delivery of care being far more effective and far more efficient than before
- People – the best technology and the most well thought out processes are only as good as the physicians and staff who orchestrate them. People who will use any new technology must be included in the entire process – from decision to deployment.
Now with these four principles in mind, it becomes much easier to develop the technology, tools, tactics and human resources which will result in an effective implementation. Regardless of how big or small the provider is or the planned pace of implementation, these guideposts will serve the entire organization. Consider the following:
-
Patient – an organization that is patient centered will make decisions from the perspective of those it cares for first. A few questions to ask:
- How will we communicate with patients after the EMR goes live?
- Will we be easier to do business with or will we force our reason for being to have to adjust to our new technology?
- Can we build into the system the ability for patients to better communicate with us and participate in the coordination of their own care?
- Will the hiccups which come with the implementation become our patient’s problem?
- Will the vendors we select understand our view of the patient and help us avoid making bad choices?
-
Purpose – staying true to the purpose may be the most difficult to grasp. Often technology is seen as a “bolt-on” to what is already being done. A few questions we can ask:
- Will technology be just a cost that is unrelated to our core mission or can we make sure the new EMR enables us to better fulfill our mission?
- Can new technology helps us become more innovative in the way we deliver care – now and in the future?
- Is it possible for us to be good stewards of our financial resources while we spend the required capital?
- Can this technology become a channel for us to better serve and communicate with our community?
-
Process – this is likely the easiest of the four – mostly because many hospitals already have the resources or capabilities at their disposal. A few critical questions:
- How can we leverage our CI team or management engineers in a new capacity – to help define innovative ways for us to provide care in the future?
- Can we get the entire organization involved in defining the processes which will be captured in the new EMR?
- Will meeting new transparency and reporting requirements be facilitated by understanding our processes better?
- Can we redesign our processes to better add value from the patient perspective – not from our functional mind-set?
-
People – the benefits of engaging physicians, staff, administration and business partners are almost too many to count. Some questions which might help:
- If we engage physicians in the decisions, design and implementation can we solidify our relationships and improve satisfaction?
- Can we avoid making the staff and physicians work around a poorly designed system if we engage them from day one?
- How many access technologies should we incorporate – tablet, PDA, keyboard, voice recognition, etc?
Without question there is a daunting task ahead for providers as they move forward with adopting EMRs. However, a few simple principles understood at the beginning and maintained throughout the project can overcome many of the challenges organizations face. Distilling a complex undertaking down to four critical themes can serve as the “true north” often lost in large scale technology programs. Maintain a laser focus on these four and keep them top- of- mind throughout the journey. The result? Health care leaders will emerge with not only a successful implementation but a system that will serve as the foundation for effective 21st century health care.
All contents © 2011 FacilityCare. All Rights Reserved.
Related Links
Guidon Business Process Management Services
Healthcare Industry Solutions
Contact Guidon
Contact us or call us at 1.866.986.4414 or 480.986.4414 (for international callers) for more information regarding how a Guidon solution can help your organization.
RSS
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter