The Biggest mistake some Health IT Executives will make this year

Now that the Interim Final Rule for "Meaningful Use" has been published and the reporting requirements are clearer, what is the biggest mistake one can make this year? Go out there, buy and implement an EHR solution! No, I didn't wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Nor was there any "extra something" in my coffee! Let me explain.
The basic premise of "meaningful use" is to achieve two things.
1. Improve Quality of Care
2. Reduce Cost of Care.

Now, there will be some EHR solutions out there that will satisfy your government mandated reporting requirements. The question is, will that help reduce the cost of care or improve quality of care? The answer is a resounding NO! Why? The EHR solution, web-based or otherwise, is only going to add another silo of data in your organization. It's not going to show you the "correlation" between "Central Line infection rates" and the cost of care. It's not going to show you the correlation between "Average waiting time" and loss of revenue associated with patients leaving without being seen. Nor will it be able to historically report on the "Percentage of patients given smoking cessation counseling" and how that has improved "quality of care".

So, blindly implementing an EHR slution is only going to add another department that you have to manage. Another silo, collecting data, without producing any "meaningful use" for your organization.

So, while you are in the process of evaluating EHR software, consider the TCO and ROI for those investments. Consider how you can leverage the data being generated to add profitability to the business. Consider how you can leverage your existing data and add some "real intelligence" to the business.

Buying an EHR - What you need to know

I have been asked many a time as to how to make the decision of buying an EHR system. I love cars, so I am going to talk about cars for a while! You may ask what car buying has to do with EHR buying. Read on!

Tool vs. Product vs. Solution
So you are in the market for a "fuel-efficient" car that can take your kids to soccer practice and be good enough to take you to work and shopping and you are proud to show your co-workers. You don't come back from that shopping trip with a spanner, do you? Nor do you buy just any car that is on the lot and walk away. Well, let's look at the evaluation criteria you employed in buying the car. A spanner is a "tool" that may have been used in the building of a car. The car itself is the "product". The "solution" was a fully loaded car (or minivan) with third row seating, fuel-efficient, loaded with fuel, registered with the state and a jazzy thing that you are proud to show your co-workers the next day!

So, let's break it down:
Criteria #1: Identify the need (you "needed" a new car which is why you were in the market)
Criteria #2: Choose the product ( Had to have a steering wheel, tires, doors, third row seating, fuel efficient etc.) that satisfied the need.
Criteria #3: Is the product green "certified"?
Criteria $4: Can I show it to my co-workers and not be ashamed?

Let's apply the same concept to EHR buying. There are several "tools" in the market. They might be "certified" tools. There might be several "products" in the market. They too, might be "certified". But the question you have to ask yourself is, is that "solution" going to fit my "need".

Criteria #1: So, identify your "need" first. Why are you buying the EHR? Compliance with ARRA? Want to make your practice more efficient? Reduce your costs?
Criteria #2: Choose the product. Can your practice run on it? What additional "functionality" do you need? Is it suited for the way you conduct your day to day business?
Criteria #3: Is it certified? (This question arises if your primary reason for adopting an EHR system is compliance and getting some of the stimulus funds)
Criteria #4: Well, this doesn't apply to EHR buying, but you can tout yourself to be on the "bleeding edge" (pun intended) of technology and show everyone how cool you are :)