As a healthcare provider, moving from one electronic medical record to another can be a frightening and sometimes daunting task. Providers rely on electronic medical record systems for efficiency, documentation, compliance and billing. Introducing a new electronic medical record into a practice is a complex process.
The decision to move to a new electronic medical record often stems from the need for better feature/functionality, improved cost and/or increased interoperability. Or perhaps your current vendor has failed to deliver on the commitments made in the contract. Regardless the underlying need, switching electronic medical records is a resource-intensive undertaking that impacts clinical and administrative operations.
This whitepaper provides a roadmap for healthcare providers to follow that will help ensure a smooth migration.
System Integration
Your new electronic medical record must integrate seamlessly with other healthcare technologies including third-party integrations and customized APIs.
Training & Business Continuity
The design of an effective training model must include the need to ensure that team members can continue to focus on their day jobs. The implementation of a new electronic medical record can easily pull key business and clinical resources away from critical business functions.
Workflow Optimization
Too often providers struggle with adapting their existing workflows to maximize the efficiencies a new electronic medical record can provide. Take the opportunity to re-design your operational workflows to take advantage of what a new electronic medical record can provide.
Vendor Selection & Cost
Electronic medical record vendors are sometimes better at the sales process than implementation and support. Features and deliverables discussed during the initial demos can fail to materialize after the contract is signed. Prior to executing on an electronic medical record agreement, define the specific language, service level agreements and support standards that are critical and have those added to the agreement. In addition, seek the advice of an attorney to avoid any hidden fees in the agreement.
Data Migration & Integrity
Data migration is one of the most critical and often undervalued aspects of an electronic medical record transition. While your new vendor will likely offer a transactional service to move your data to the new electronic medical record, the full ownership of this task including the quality of the data, rests with the provider. If your current electronic medical record contains errant data, then that data will be set up in the new one.
To prevent this from happening, providers should:
- Audit service codes and fees against contracts to ensure accuracy. Old codes should be removed
- Close patient records that are no longer active
- Clean up your Credentialing Data!
Good data is essential for a sound Credentialing process that ensures compliance, patient safety and financial stability. The successful integration of a new electronic medical record relies on establishing a firm data foundation.
Providers frequently overlook the need to clean up their Credentialing Data when implementing a new electronic medical record.
Accurate Credentialing Data is the foundation of any solid revenue cycle and there is no better time to audit this data, procure a credentialing software or outsource the function to a reputable vendor.