Use of Project Management in EMR Implementations

Use of Project Management in EMR Implementations

Posted by & filed under Health Informatics.

EMR migrations can have a great long-term effect on a medical network when done properly. From an administrative standpoint, EMR can cut costs, increase productivity, and foster happiness among patients.

Unfortunately, EMR migration can also cause serious cost overages and headaches when managed poorly. The success of an EMR migration rests on successful project management.

Regardless of the tools and software used there are basic principles to help you along the way. Use this guide to avoid the pitfalls:

Plan Ahead by Defining Success in Project Management

While some hospitals and medical networks have been using EMR as far back as the 1970s, it has taken years to perfect implementations. Before a hospital network can reap the benefits of EMR in informatics, they need to get the implementation down.

Each hospital network or physicians network has unique needs. In addition, with HIPAA laws, the needs for EMR compliance have shifted over time.

The first step in project management for EMR is to be clear about success. This will lead to individual goals by team, designee, and filter the due dates working backward.

Clear Lines of Responsibility

Part of determining success for an EMR migration is being aware of the responsibilities of every department. An implementation of this magnitude will alter processes for every facet of your hospital network.

Mitigating the disruption and planning for positive results requires identifying that impact. This means taking into account:

  • Communications
  • Finance
  • Scheduling
  • Operations
  • Technology
  • Vendor Management
  • Quality Assurance/Quality Control
  • Compliance

Regular Communication

Communication leads the list of requirements. Without regular check-ins and milestones, any project management task is doomed to failure.

The biggest obstacles to successful project management are a lack of clarity, measurement, and designees.

Part of the project should be evaluating the implementation carefully throughout. This avoids surprises and allows the team to mitigate issues as they arise.

Regular communications should be planned and unplanned. Unless team members are encouraged to identify issues immediately they may allow work slippages to occur.

Clear Deliverables

Every task in the project should have a responsible party as well as a due date. As the project goals are set then each milestone can be created.

These milestones should be clear deliverables to ensure responsible parties know what they need to provide and when. Only by spelling out the requirements can a project management lead expect timely results.

One of the best ways to create clear deliverables is spending time up front to define them with each team member. Their buy-in, support, and expertise will create a more fluid transition.

Get Expert Help

There is no substitute for experience and perspective. While many hospital teams have internal experts, it is unlikely they are well schooled in multiple implementations.

When using project management software and resources it is wise to get the benefit of a trusted advisor. CIS Consulting can help.

With over 25 years of experience in the healthcare informatics industry, CIS consulting can offer the help and support you need. We can create a successful implementation with regular check-ins all along the way.

Make sure your EMR implementation is a success. Contact us to learn more about our services.