Process optimization can go a long way in executing a large-scale EHR implementation for healthcare organization, but at the end of the day, what we’re really talking about are tools. Wielding the tools? People. You cannot overlook the importance of human resources when it comes to project planning for technical implementations. And while this might seem like Health IT Biz Ops 101, what we often see overlooked is making sure you don’t just have stellar people on deck, but that you have the right people in the right positions.

When managing an integration project for healthcare IT (or otherwise), you’re essentially serving as the glue that holds everything together. You’re responsible for client satisfaction and communication, corralling project resources -- including vendors, contractors, developers, and more -- and keeping an eye on both the scope and the budget the ensure no unpleasant surprises upon delivery (or as a barrier to, in some cases). Best practices for project management can somewhat vary by industry, but there are a few key tips for healthcare IT integration efforts that can help a PM stand out from the crowd and encourage future SOWs from a given client.

Ken Bradberry, CPHIMS - Senior VP & CTO at The HCI Group explores the future of cloud technologies and how Epic can be integrated into strategic cloud computing services.

In today’s healthcare organizations, cloud services have become a strategic alternative to traditional application delivery. Cloud computing isn’t anything new to IT, and it now has the potential to change how healthcare organizations deliver cost effective, quality driven services to their patients. Considering the ever-increasing costs of keeping the lights on spending for IT, healthcare providers have no choice but to embrace the cloud in some form. This transformation is being driven by several forces, but the most basic are to cut costs and improve the quality of care.

When a new EHR implementation is imminent for a health system or organization, we often see the proverbial troops preparing for healthcare technology that will basically replace existing tools and replicate current workflows. The C-Suite may have their well-defined list of expected ROI from the endeavor, but unless the same level of rigor is coming from the very staff who will daily use the Electronic Health Record, it’s our experience that many organizations end up swapping one tech vendor for another with little net gain (initially). The collective goal must be embracing change -- on the positive side -- to encourage buzz, buy-in, and better workflows on the other side of the project.

There are many healthcare IT solutions and tools available these days that promise to deliver value and make lives easier for many players within a large health system or healthcare organization. A primary strategy for improving care delivery and cost containment is automating healthcare decisions and processes whenever possible. This cuts down on inefficiency and allows for standards to take root, especially when quality metrics are at stake. If you’re considering a new technology implementation for your health organization and plan to take advantage of automation opportunities and “widgets,” the most important planning you can do is develop solid workflows for the systems you aim to optimize.

When implementing complex health IT systems like EpicCare or Care Everywhere, it’s vital to ensure that the training materials queued up to serve end users are appropriate for busy clinical users. No one wants to pour through dense, hefty training guides that resemble textbooks...and read almost as painfully. While EHR and health IT solution vendors like Epic provide some off-the-shelf materials to facilitate end user training, we find that our health system clients often do well to incorporate their own “flavor” of training materials to suit their staff optimally. Incorporating internal branding is one thing, but streamlining the content of training guides (in whatever medium) is key for delivering materials that will aid in adoption while minimizing confusion and downtime associated with Epic implementation.

No one likes to be the person at the table who is constantly talking about trimming project requirements. Call them a buzz kill, but it’s important that someone (ideally multiple people) on a healthcare integration project is willing to play the “bad guy” by keeping scope top of mind. This is especially valuable when making critical decisions as third-party dependencies slip or unresponsive resources put the timeline at risk. Knowing what steps are vital to delivering the Minimum Viable Product (M.V.P.) is one of the best ways that technology partners supporting an integration project can encourage forward momentum where it counts.

With the myriad of healthcare IT solutions and services available in the current market, being a CIO and/or CTO can be very stressful. On the one hand, you’ve got lots of products and services to choose from, many of which are priced competitively to survive an oft saturated market. But on the other hand, there is so much noise in this space that it can be difficult to ascertain who offers the best value, what you really need, and who isn’t going to promise the world and deliver dismal results. Afterall, your budget is likely one of the biggest in your healthcare organization, so you’ve got to be prudent when choosing a healthcare IT partner and deciding which IT Managed Services are needed to make your health system thrive.

When a health system has made the (wise) decision to opt for an integrated EHR system to maximize efficiency, operational performance, and care capacity, it’s not enough to simply push through efforts with an assumption that the benefits will naturally follow. Rather, we’ve seen that the best laid plans never really come to fruition unless project sponsors account for the whole lifecycle of an EHR implementation. That doesn’t end with Go-Live or sign off, but extends to the months and even years beyond roll-out. Until a new EHR system is humming along and gaining traction with the optimal workflows, the ROI -- financial and otherwise -- will continue to be a mirage. Including a Clinical Service Desk into your health organization’s implementation plan will go a long way in helping you realize those benefits sooner than later.

For many CTOs, HITRUST served to finally bring definition and practical guidelines that were lacking in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Best practices regarding the protection of PHI via physical and electronic mechanisms were largely defined by a collective understanding of how to interpret HIPAA rules, but the lack of explicit instruction left room for inconsistent implementation and, worse, gaps subject to breach. But one of the unfortunate side effects of this enhanced level of detail is the introduction of guidelines that render the user experience impractical...to put it mildly.