The Path to Paperless

The Five "P"s of the EMR Process

Part 2: On Planning, Purchase and Plunge

By Peter J. Polack, MD, FACS

I like to break the entire EMR implementation process into "The Five Ps" — purpose, people, planning, purchase and, finally, the plunge. In part 1, I discussed the importance of knowing the "purpose" of your EMR implementation and having the right "people" to drive the initiative. This month, I'll cover planning, purchase and taking the plunge.

Planning

Have your key people involved from the beginning, before you buy anything. The primary role of the EMR committee is to plan out the project and implement it. This includes creating a "wish list" for the EMR software and a short list of vendors, assessing both the infrastructure needs of the practice and the skill set needs of the employees, and advising the principals on major decisions.

► Set a realistic deadline to go live and use dynamic planning tools such as a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to keep your project on track — hire or consult with a project manager (www.pmi.org) to assist you.
► Use mind-mapping software to map out all the aspects of your EMR project — you can purchase robust software such as MindManager or use a more basic free one online
► During your planning stages, break down your current workflow (how a patient flows through a visit, from check-in to check-out) and your workflow processes (each step involved in an actual patient exam). How can they be more efficient? How can an EMR system streamline your processes? Knowing this now can actually help you decide which EMR system is a good fit for your practice.
► Plan out a training schedule — getting your staff trained on both basic computer skills and your new EMR system will take time. Don't let it disrupt your practice. Allow time either during the day when the schedule is light or after hours. And don't forget to test those skills prior to your "go live" day.

Purchase

Don't make a brash call on your EMR system. Utilize the information gathered by your EMR committee or IT consultant to make a well-informed decision.

The major purchases you will need to make, besides the EMR software, include: network hardware, network software, switches/hubs/routers and network cabling.

In general, your EMR software should be the last thing you acquire. Make sure that both your local network (within your office) and wide-area network (between office locations) are up to speed before you go live with EMR.

Spend wisely but don't skimp on critical equipment. And beware of consumer-level technology such as wireless devices. The money you think you are saving will cost you in the end.

Plunge

Set a hard deadline for launch or it will never happen, but keep your project flexible so it is not easily derailed. Although we had some legitimate reasons for delaying our own launch (two hurricanes back-toback and the arrival of new partners), we were guilty of putting things off until we set the date in stone.

More Information on "Five Ps"

For additional information, go to www.EMRImplementationPlan.com or call 1-877-821-9605 for a free audio CD, transcript and mind map of the "Five Ps." The only charge will be for postage and handling. OM

Peter J. Polack, MD, FACS, is co-managing partner for Ocala Eye, a multisubspecialty ophthalmology practice located in Ocala, Fla. He is also founder of Emedikon, an online practice management resource for physicians and administrators.