Charting the course to meaningful use in uncertain times

According a recent Accenture study, roughly 50% of US hospitals are at risk of not meeting federal requirements for meaningful use guidelines. Most of the CIOs polled agree that their health systems have underestimated the time and cost it takes to implement EMR and clinical decision support systems. With Medicare-based penalties on deck for those that do not meet the MU criteria there's a lot of frenetic activity occurring to make sure systems are implemented quickly.

To highlight the importance of not only implementing the necessary technology but also of training and creating a culture and atmosphere that embraces the changes to an electronic system, Accenture notes that, "change management is as critical to success as information technology and execution."

Though government mandates and imposed fines for not meeting guidelines can help spur action through the "conform or else" mantra, encouraging adoption and facilitating an actual desire to use technology among the users is just as important as as the system itself.

Additionally, hospitals have seen up to an 80% increase in IT expenses while implementing an EMR system. While this may seem like an immensely cost-driven initiative, the flipside is far worse (loss of potential funding, government fines, lack of communicability and interoperability).

In an area fraught with so much apprehension from end users, such high chances for not meeting conformity requirements and such high potential for cost increases, it only makes sense to partner with a company that provides not only the necessary drug data to meet your needs but the level of service and support to assist you in getting up and running in a minimal amount of time, translating to lower costs for your clients.

As an EMR vendor, don't do yourself (and your clients) a disservice. Take a look at Lexicomp.

Comments for Charting the course to meaningful use in uncertain times

Thursday, February 17, 2011 by David Wilkof:: Matt,
You are correct that issue of Meaningful Use and integration into EMRs, EHRs, and clinical decision support systems is very important at this time.
Thursday, February 17, 2011 by David Wilkof:: Matt your comments about Meaningful Use are spot on and very timely. And so much could be said about the integration of drug information and drug databases into EMRs and EHRs.