Dr. Bruce R. Nadro, director of the Department of Anesthesiology, Oak Brook Medical Management
It has been just over a year since Oak Brook Medical Management made its move to the cloud and things couldn't be better. Previously a paper-based facility, Oak Brook wanted to get rid of the redundancy and costs associated with relying on paper to manage its clinical and financial operations. With regulatory requirements trending toward electronic health records (EHRs), it was time to make the move. After weighing the costs of owning and managing an EHR system versus deploying a cloud-based system, the benefits of the cloud were abundantly clear.
Leveraging the cloud, the surgical center avoided hefty upfront fees for acquiring business and clinical software and replaced them with manageable monthly fees that are based on Oak Brook's usage. Expensive software upgrades and ongoing maintenance are not an issue. Furthermore, information stored in the cloud is the responsibility of the provider, not Oak Brook. Therefore, redundant back-ups, data encryption, security and any HIPAA-related issues are the provider's responsibility. Gone are the fears of losing data as a result of computer malfunctions and crashes.
The benefits of deploying an EHR system in the cloud are plenty. With careful consideration and preparation, you too can have success. To help you select a cloud provider, here are some of the criteria Oak Brook used when evaluating vendors:
1. Consider your hardware needs. Do you really need to spend $1,500 on tablets/laptops or are there areas within your facility where some desktop systems will work well? Did you know that not every scanner or printer works with every EHR system? Before purchasing these items, ask your vendor for an approved list of items that will work with their system.
2. Realize the importance of service and support. While e-mail tech support is important, the ability to talk to a live person is essential. This is especially true during the set-up stage. Having a responsive service and support team was essential to meeting the desired go-live date. To ensure quality service and support, inquire with other centers about their experiences with a particular vendor.
3. Identify down spots. Access to your system must be constant. Therefore, it is important you work with your Internet provider in advance of your go-live date to ensure all down spots (where you lose access to WiFi) are resolved.
4. Make sure your cloud provider and Internet provider are one and the same. In the event there is a problem with the software or the Internet, it is very helpful that your cloud provider and Internet provider are the same. Reducing the number of vendors you work with will help eliminate the "blame game."
5. Inquire about customization. In the move to electronic charts, it was important for Oak Brook to maintain continuity with their paper records. Customization played a key role. When speaking with vendors, inquire about any additional charges as the fees can be high depending on which vendor you choose. SourceMedical provided Oak Brook with a generic chart and allotted a certain number of hours for customization at no charge. With careful planning, Oak Brook was able to tailor the charts without incurring additional fees. The vendor even looked at what would work and what wouldn't and tailored the system accordingly before the go-live data.
6. Understand the interoperability of your vendor's system/application. For example, does the vendor's system address management as well as clinical requirements, or will they be interfaced? A unified solution is more desirable because there is less stress on upgrades. While there is no single solution that manages every aspect of a facility, when you consider IT, the fewer interfaces the better.
7. Ask about integration with additional services. When considering vendors, inquire about additional services that integrate into their cloud-based management systems. For example, if you are considering bringing (or keeping) your billing process in-house, cloud-based technology that integrates with your current billing management system is most desirable.
8. Hold off on the add-ons. One of the advantages of cloud computing is immediate access to software at virtually any time. While there are a host of software add-ons available, it is important that facility staff take the time to get to know their system, understand what is needed, and how they will benefit from the add-on. Otherwise, you risk overwhelming staff with too many features which they will be unlikely to use to their fullest potential (if at all). For example, having deployed SourceMedical's Vision OnDemand cloud-based electronic health record (EHR) system just over a year ago, we continue to build upon the system. After conducting a thorough analysis, the staff at Oak Brook realized they could save an estimated 60 percent on transcription fee-related costs each quarter by bringing the process online with the Op Notes add-on.
9. Inquire about the longevity of the vendor. Be diligent in your research before you select a vendor. Simply asking a neighbor what vendor they use is not enough. Has the vendor been in business for a long time? Do they have a proven track record? Do they have resources to maintain longevity? These are just some of the questions you will want to ask.
Oak Brook's experience with cloud computing has been extremely positive, making the move from paper to electronic documentation both easy and cost-effective. Leveraging the cloud, the surgical center's staff was able to implement the necessary tools to automate Oak Brook's entire spectrum of patient and payor transactions. In addition to lower, predictable monthly expenses, Oak Brook benefits from a significant reduction in manual tasks and an increase in staff productivity. With the right vendor as your partner, you too can enjoy the many benefits the cloud has to offer.
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