Reducing the Risks of an EHR Rollout

By Robert Tennant (Managing Associate) 

And Tina Wardrop (Vice President) of Health Directions

Nationwide, hospitals aggressively are acquiring physicians and creating tighter affiliations with physician groups. Building a strong physician network is always difficult, but the challenge is even greater when it is combined with an electronic health record rollout — a necessary move that will allow the partners to share information and take advantage of new payment initiatives.

Implementing a new ambulatory EHR system often will disrupt practice workflow, impair physician productivity and affect physician income. But when a hospital is providing the system, cultural and political issues come into play that can damage or kill relationships. For many hospitals, the EHR rollout creates a physician backlash just when the integration strategy is getting off the ground.

How can a hospital mitigate the risks of implementing an ambulatory EHR system? The following seven steps will help minimize conflict, contain costs and increase your chance of a successful rollout.