Technology

Why we implemented EHR into our Satellite practice first

Starting with our smaller offices helped prepare us for the big changeover.

Ronald J. Purnell, MBA, COE, Waterville, Maine

Implementing an EHR system can be challenging and, at times, frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be. At Eye Care of Maine, my colleagues and I operate two satellite practices and one main clinic. We decided to phase in our EHR implementation process by starting in our smallest satellite practice first and later moving to the larger practices. As a result, we were able to implement EHR efficiently and quickly.

Here are a few steps that made initiating EHR implementation at our satellite office a success.

Develop a core team

The first step in implementing an EHR in a satellite practice is developing a core team of staff who are tech-savvy, positive, and genuinely excited about EHR. When assembling a team, involve a staff member from each area of the practice, including medical records, billing, front desk and technicians, as well as physicians since EHR systems affect all areas of the practice.

Designate a super user

While we were implementing EHR, we designated a team member, called a “super user,” who would stand in the hallway and be readily available to technicians or physicians who were in the examination rooms entering patients’ data. “Super users” are the individuals who helped customize the system and, therefore, have an in-depth knowledge of how it operates. If a staff member needed assistance, he or she could feel confident knowing a “super user” would be just outside the door to assist him or her. As staff became more comfortable with the EHR, the “super user” would no longer stand outside the door, but instead be available in the office and later, only by cell phone.

Allot enough time and money

Satellite practices often fail in implementing an EHR because they don’t allot enough time and money to see implementation through to completion. The EHR vendor can introduce the practice to other practices that have a similar size and makeup. Contact a member of that practice for guidance. Ask:

￭ What was needed for implementation?

￭ How much did it cost?

￭ How long did it take?

￭ Would they have done anything differently?

Evaluate product requirements

It is important to choose a system/vendor that meets your satellite practice’s specific needs. We realized we wanted a narrative that was clear and succinct for our team. We wanted something easy to read for anyone requesting a record or sending a record for a consultation. We also wanted a highly customizable exam. Based on these requirements, we chose our vendor (ManagementPlus).

Set a Goal

Don’t select an EHR based on whether it is visually appealing. Choose an EHR based on your ultimate goal, considering your vision for your practice and how you want it to operate in the future. For instance, we wanted to implement EHR in time to receive the majority of our PQRS funds, and we wanted to phase in our product.

Gradual rollout

To that end, we began EHR implementation in our smallest satellite office by using it on the last new patient each day. New patients rarely have records to review, so we only needed to input what the patient presented for on that day. If it took us an hour to examine the last patient of the day, we would end our workday later, but we would avoid creating a backlog in the practice. We then moved on to utilizing EHR for the last couple of new patients of the day, increasing the number of patients until we were utilizing EHR for all new patients.

After we completed EHR records for all new patients, we moved on to transferring established patients by starting with the last patient of the day and adding on as we became more comfortable with the process. We quickly started to build momentum. After we implemented EHR in the satellite practice, we were able to determine a time frame for implementation in other practices.

As a result, the central office did not require much training from the satellite office team.

Smaller scale

By implementing EHR in our satellite practice first, we were able to eliminate the fear and challenges of our main clinic. This method of implementation has worked well for us and allowed us to phase in our implementation at a smaller scale and gradually move to our larger practices. The results have exceeded our expectations. OP

Ronald J. Purnell, MBA, COE is the administrator and compliance officer at Eye Care of Maine in Waterville. Mr. Purnell has no financial interest in the products or companies mentioned herein. He can be reached at (207) 873-2731; rpurnell@maine2020.com.