Provider services and solutions

Health Information Technology: Electronic health records

The challenge

Quality, cost-effective care and a sustainable healthcare delivery system are goals attainable only through industry-wide use of electronic health records (EHRs). EHRs let providers unclog administrative bottlenecks. Streamline interactions with other healthcare stakeholders. Smooth workflows. Deliver a satisfying patient experience and-most important-improve patient outcomes. EHRs also support lower staff turnover, better claims management, the ability to treat more patients, competitive advantage and a healthier bottom line.

President Obama understands that EHRs enable healthcare reform. His administration is working methodically to remove impediments to their widespread adoption. Providing new regulations. Proposals for interoperability standards. Money. The administration’s stimulus package allocates more than $36 billion for incentive payments to providers who "meaningfully use" electronic health records (EHRs). Physicians and hospitals who adopt EHRs on schedule can earn (through Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements) substantial compensation up to nearly $44,000 for each physician and $6 million for an average 500-bed hospital. The processes and technology you put in place to support EHRs also enable you to develop profitable new service offerings. Like delivering diagnostic, treatment, and prevention packages tailored to individual patients.

The maxim that nothing worthwhile is ever easy certainly holds true for EHRs. The transition from paper-based to digital processes is challenging. You can ease the transition by choosing your system wisely, training your staff, and introducing the new technology in gradual phases to staff and patients.

How we can help you

• The transition from manual processes and paper-based records to EHRs can produce anxiety for clinicians, staff, and administrators. You should anticipate impediments to change and address them proactively. We have specialists focused on providing IT/process integration, project/program management, vendor management, value realization assistance, and technical as well as clinical knowledge and experience. We can identify and quantify potential benefits of electronic health records to build a case to leadership for adopting EHRs. We can ease the transition to EHRs with staff training and change management programs. We can determine your organization’s specific IT needs and help you select the best products to meet them.
• The sooner you get your EHR system up and running, the sooner it will deliver its promised rewards. Do it in time to take advantage of stimulus package incentives for early adopters. We can help you progress swiftly and confidently toward your "go live" date for a fully functioning EHR. We can recommend vendors, oversee implementation, and drive compliance with government regulations. We can develop customized timelines and milestones for implementation, training, and deployment. We can help you form alliances with payers and other providers to hasten the adoption of an interoperable EHR system among alliance participants.
• You must build privacy and security into your EHR implementation from the beginning. We can help secure your patient data from internal and external misuse or theft. We can recommend solutions that will enable your patients to securely access their own data. We can help you develop plans to share data across multiple platforms without compromising its integrity and security.

Common services include

• Helping select a system (e.g., EHR and application packages such as a CIS and ERP) suited to your mission and to enhance your services and revenue
• Accelerating EHR planning and implementation
• Assisting in interviewing system vendors to help you select the most cost-effective EHR solution
• Execution reviews and value realization assistance