Why Leadership is Critical for Successful EHR Implementation
If you purchase an EHR system expecting to make tons of money without any additional work, you are setting yourself and your practice up for failure. EHR implementation is more likely to succeed if all staff involved can participate. Everyone in your practice plays a role in the implementation process, although some roles have more responsibility than others.
Leadership
While the quality of your EHR technology is critical, people are the key to successful implementation and meaningful use of an EHR system. Success starts at the top with good leadership. A successful EHR implementation needs three types of leaders: a physician advocate, a CEO, and a project manager.
Physician Advocate
The physician advocate should be a well-respected clinician within your practice who is a great communicator and an enthusiastic supporter of the EHR system. They should be the driving force behind your practice’s motivation and passion for change. With the full support of the CEOand the rest of your practice’s senior management team, the physician advocate should be able to successfully lead implementation.
CEO
In a small practice the CEO and the physician advocate may be the same person. This often helps facilitate success with EHR implementation. In a larger practice, the CEO will need to be an unwavering supporter of the physician advocate with every mis-step and small triumph. They will help provide all needed resources and help remove any obstacles that hinder the implementation process.
Project Manager
The project manager plays a critical role in the EHR implementation outcome. Ideally, the project manager will have past experience managingEHR implementation. It is important to assign the project manager role to a trained and skilled person, experienced in managing complex information technology (IT) projects with overlapping timelines and multiple stakeholders. Large practices will need to hire or move someone to a full-time project manager role, while a smaller practice will most likely split this role between the office manager and an implementation manager assigned by the EHR vendor.
Learn More About EHR Systems
A practice’s participants and leadership are a critical key to successful EHR implementation. If you need more information about EHR systems and how they may improve the quality of health care for your practice, contact e-MDs, a leading provider of electronic medical record software.
e-MDs offers a host of affordable, certified EHR solutions for physicians and facilities looking to modernize or enhance their services with the latest electronic health records technology. e-MDs is committed to providing affordable and integrated EHR and Practice Management Software solutions, including clinical, financial and document management modules designed to automate medical practice processes and chart management – delivering the clinical tools needed to succeed in today’s health care environment. You can find additional detailed information about all the different services and benefits an EHR system has to offer your practice by contacting a representative right now at 1.888.344.9836 or sales@e-mds.com.
Ethan Luke. EHR – e-MDs powerful software can help manage your EHR.