Should we optimize our EHR or replace it? Answering the question is not easy and may come with a serious financial commitment. Here are four questions to ask when considering EHR replacement, from a report by ECG Management Consultants' Healthcare IT Division.
1. When should optimization be the solution for an underperforming EHR? According to ECG, sometimes an underperforming EHR isn't actually underperforming. Rather, the technology is misunderstood, not correctly used or hasn't yet been accepted and integrated into organizational workflow.
2. What does system optimization mean for the organization? In order for optimization to be a good option, ECG says organizations must have a good relationship with their vendor and be confident the technology is the right fit for the organization. Optimization means addressing areas of inadequate EHR utilization within the organization to improve the use of the technology.
3. When is EHR replacement a better idea than optimization? When a relationship with an EHR vendor lacks trust or is unstable, it's time to switch projects. Another sign: The majority of clinicians are also showing reluctance to participate in optimization, they might know more about the true front-line operation of the technology. Finally, organizational shift — an acquisition or merger — that changes the scale of an operation may necessitate replacement, according to the report.
4. How can organizations ensure they will only have to replace an EHR once? Doing a thorough analysis of potential vendors and identifying factors that caused the first EHR to be a mismatch can help prevent another EHR switch. Create or supplement processes for identifying performance issues, and invest in discovering what functionality end-users and the organization as a whole need to meet both strategic and daily goals, according to the report.
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