As an industry, health care is heading into a cycle during which hundreds, if not thousands, of health care provider organizations — including hospitals, health systems and medical practices — will replace or significantly upgrade their health care information technology systems.
The reason is twofold. First, IT systems installed 10 to 15 years ago are coming to the end of their usefulness in terms of serving providers' clinical and financial information needs in the new data-driven health care world. Second, providers increasingly are dissatisfied with the usability of their IT systems when compared with the ease of use of technology in other industries and in the personal lives of their users.
To wit, 27% of medical practices surveyed by KLAS research say they are considering replacing their current EHR systems.
A separate survey by the Premier Health Alliance of 127 hospital and health system c-suite executives found that 41% are not satisfied with their current EHR system, and 49% of the respondents said their biggest capital investment in the next year will be for health care IT upgrades.
Regardless of the reason for upgrading or replacing health IT systems, health care providers can take three steps to make either transition as smooth and successful as possible.
Anticipate your future information needs
Some people compare a health IT system upgrade to upgrading your smartphone. On some level, that's a fair comparison, given all that smartphones can do now. If you want a better smartphone, you can upgrade in two or three years. If you want a better health IT system, though, you'll need to wait much longer. On average, hospitals or health systems replace their health IT systems about every 17 years. It's a little shorter timeframe in the ambulatory care space. That makes upgrading or replacing your health IT system more like buying a new house than buying a new smartphone. Like buying a new house, in which you anticipate your space needs for the next decade or two, providers must do the same with their health IT systems. They must anticipate their information needs for the next decade or two. Will the system be able to collect, analyze and report the data I need as a health care provider to be successful clinically and financially two years from now, three years from now, six years from now, 10 years from now?
Focus on usability of upgrade or replacement
Most health IT systems have the technical capabilities to collect, analyze and report the clinical and financial information health care providers need now and in the future. The differentiator is how easy they are and will be to use. Providers looking to upgrade or replace their health IT system must focus on usability. Is the upgrade easier to use? Is it faster? Is it more intuitive? At many health care institutions, caregivers use a fraction of the features offered by most health IT systems. Caregivers avoid features that are slow, cumbersome or complicated. Think of the features you use on your smartphone, tablet or laptop. Now think of the features you don't use. Usability often is the difference, and it's no different with health IT systems. But with health IT systems, not using certain features can have dramatic clinical and financial consequences. If an upgrade or replacement makes your health IT system easier to use, more people are going to use it, and that will produce more actionable information to improve the health of patients and the business health of the organization.
Budget for training after the go-live
Whether it's an upgrade or a total replacement, health care provider organizations often underestimate the time and money it will take to train staff to effectively use new health IT systems. Organizations will budget the money and time for upfront training as part of the initial installation process. They have the system set up. They have the people trained. They're ready to go live. And then they turn it on. The real opportunity to learn how to best use the upgrade or new system and all its respective features comes after the go-live. The optimization after the go-live is what makes or breaks the system's ability to collect, analyze and report data now and 10 years from now. It's what makes or breaks the system's usability for staff. Providers must budget time and money for ongoing training that loops in feedback from users on how to improve the experience and system capabilities. Only in that way will a provider optimize the performance of its health IT upgrade or replacement without needing to buy additional features, hiring additional staff or waiting for the next version of the system to come out.
By taking these three steps — anticipating future data needs, focusing on usability and budgeting for ongoing training — health care provider organizations can make their health IT system upgrade or replacement experience pleasant and successful for their staffs and, ultimately, for patients.
Michael Blackman, M.D., is chief medical officer at McKesson Enterprise Information Solutions. Learn more about McKesson's Better Health 2020 initiative to promote the strategic use of IT solutions to improve the health status of patients and the business health of companies and organizations serving the industry.
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