Three Simple Rules for Adopting an EHR System

Beyond the fact that regulatory requirements are starting to trend towards electronic health records (EHRs), there are many other reasons adopting an EHR system makes sense for an ambulatory surgery center (ASC).

EHRs help lower facility and operational costs. In addition to eliminating the need for chart rooms and storage, they also free-up valuable staff so they no longer have to physically prepare charts for procedures.

A well-managed EHR system can also help implement a standard workflow that can be continuous, regardless of staff turn over. Therefore staff departures will not disrupt the workflow/system.  It also helps decrease ramp-up time for new staff. The biggest benefit to implementing an EHR system is the ability to deliver higher quality care. EHRs provide more accurate monitoring of patient count and medical requirements while providing centers the ability to enforce their own clinical policies and procedures.

Yet despite the many benefits EHRs offer, widespread adoption remains slow within the ASC community. Many ASCs are reluctant to move forward for fear of implementations that are non-conducive to an ASC workflow.

Following are some important rules we recommend centers consider before adopting an EHR system.

1. Understand your Requirements

When it comes to EHR systems, one size does not fit all.  Look for a vendor that specializes in the ASC industry.

Your EHR system needs to establish a workflow set that can be adapted to accommodate the day-to-day operations and the requirements of an ASC environment. Systems designed specifically for a physician practice or hospital will rarely meet the case management process demands of an ASC facility.

For example; because ASCs often have multiple specialties, workflows can vary. The requirements and standards for the various procedures are different; therefore it is important to deploy a system that will adapt to each facility specialty. At a more granular scale, you might want to have workflows specific to surgeons, case types, or procedures.

The application also needs to be measured against the impact it will have on your contracted labor. The biggest single point of failure for EHRs in surgery centers is contractors who don’t honor the process; this can disrupt your workflow and negatively affect your ROI. Therefore it is important to anticipate and be prepared for resistance by identifying and implementing a technology that will work with you to make this a successful process. This can be as simple as implementing a solution that has multiple data input styles which can be tailored to have a similar look and feel to ensure quick and easy adoption.

2. Do your Vendor Homework
When choosing a vendor, make sure they have adequate company resources. Typical benchmarks to consider include the length of service, client list and number of systems they have installed.  This information will help you determine the adoption rate of a particular technology and ensure the vendor has the level of experience required to meet your needs.

Inquire about the technology. Older, antiquated technology may be slow to adapt to changes, therefore unable to meet regulatory, compliance or other types of standards that will ultimately be set.  Additionally, your EHR system should provide you with the option to purchase only those components you require now, with the ability to build-in additional functionalities as needed. Down the road, for instance, you may want to allow for systems that provide patient access to their medical records. The offering is ideal if you want to extend your system to include the ability for patients to contribute to and/or validate their medical records.

Understanding the interoperability of your vendor’s system is also important.  For example, does the vendor’s system address management as well as clinical requirements, or will they be interfaced? A unified solution is more desirable because there is less stress on upgrades.

Obviously there isn’t one solution that manages every aspect of a facility, however when you’re considering IT, the fewer interfaces the better.

3. Demand ROI Accuracy.
Make sure the ROI analysis was designed specifically for ASCs.  An ROI analysis constructed to validate the existence of an EHR within a hospital setting or a practice will not provide an accurate analysis for ASC facilities.

Additionally, because surgery centers need to carefully measure material and labor costs against software investment costs, look for a vendor that provides more than a basic ROI template. Although these templates are helpful, they should not be the only resource for measuring and validating the system purchase. A solid ROI offering will not only seek third-party validation or council, it should also be tailored to the specific ROI analysis of the surgery center. Lastly, don’t be afraid to speak with other facilities; peer reviews can be very valuable.

In closing, finding the right EHR system should not be a painful process as long as you do your homework and understand your requirements.  Nor does it require an overnight transition.

Patrick Doyle is vice president of sales for SourceMedical, a provider of outpatient information solutions and services for ambulatory surgery centers, specialty hospitals and rehabilitation clinics nationwide. Contact Doyle at Patrick.Doyle@sourcemed.net. To learn more about SourceMedical click HERE.

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