We are pleased to introduce our newest blogger, Andrea Morgan. Andrea is the founder and President of AndreaKnowsEMR.com As an EpicCare Ambulatory Certified technical trainer and consultant with over 15 years of pharmaceutical and EMR training experience, her areas of expertise include project management, curriculum development, and instructor led training as well as providing support to multiple medical specialties before, during and after EMR implementations.
The implementation of an electronic medical records system impacts the providers fundamental ability to make money. We have to be cognizant of this as we make decisions that will impact that business. It isn’t enough to say that software is user-friendly or intuitive and that productivity will return to normal *eventually* when the real costs of losing productivity can be jobs and practice stability.
I’m not advocating learning about billing per se, but about all the things that impact a provider’s financials – staff costs, office space, insurance, licensing, pretzels in the break room – for the purpose of looking at the EMR as a tool to support the existing functions and have as little negative impact as possible.
I recently read a great book by Dr. Steven Hacker, The Medical Entrepreneur that goes into great detail about the business aspects of setting up a medical practice. This book provides excellent depth of knowledge for a topic that is often overlooked by consultants and even by providers.
When assessing EMR solutions, very often providers want to know the bottom line – how much will it cost, how long will it take, how frustrated will I be – and while those answers may be (relatively) easy to come up with, they may not encompass the business costs on a holistic (as opposed to strictly fiscal) level.
For consultants, I think this book will give excellent insight on how to best support the practice during the implementation process. Understanding how the business of medicine works can only improve the level of analysis, quality of solutions and empathy that you will be able to provide to client.
Welcome Andrea!
As always you are spot on! Thanks for the book reference, as well.
Jonena
Posted by: Jonena Relth | 12/08/2011 at 05:36 PM
Thanks for the welcome, I look forward to being *transformative*!
Posted by: Andrea Morgan | 12/09/2011 at 07:35 AM
Great post! I am definitely going to check out that book, looks interesting!
Posted by: Electronic Medical Records | 12/15/2011 at 09:33 AM
Thanks so much! Hopefully people will give some thought to the things I mention as implementations are being planned.
The book is great and Dr. Hacker is active on social media as well.
Posted by: Andrea Morgan | 12/15/2011 at 10:42 AM
I think this book will give excellent insight on how to best support the practice during the implementation process.
http://www.automateandvalidate.com
Posted by: sanjayadashd | 10/15/2012 at 05:11 AM
Validation checks that the product design satisfies or fits the intended usage (high-level checking), i.e., the software meets the user requirement. This is done through dynamic testing and other forms of review.
Posted by: ranjits | 11/05/2012 at 02:06 AM
I think this book will give excellent insight on how to best support the practice during the implementation process.
Posted by: Rajibyadev123 | 12/14/2012 at 06:33 AM