WHITE PAPER To Meaningful Use and Beyond How FrontRange HEAT EMR Change Management helps healthcare organizations do more than just comply
WHITE PAPER 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... 03 1. WHAT IS FRONTRANGE HEAT EMR CHANGE MANAGEMENT?... 04 2. WHAT IS MEANINGFUL USE?... 06 3. EMR DEPLOYMENT... 08 4. EMR ADOPTION... 10 5. CONCLUSION... 12
WHITE PAPER 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Numerous pieces of legislation, including the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009 and the Affordable Care Act (also known as ObamaCare) are spurring the rapid adoption of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) solutions at healthcare organizations nationwide. Mere adoption of EMR solutions is not enough to achieve compliance. Healthcare facilities must demonstrate that they have achieved Meaningful Use of EMR technology. Time is running out, and the penalties for non-compliance could be financially devastating. To achieve Meaningful Use of EMR technology, healthcare organizations must look beyond implementation strategies. They must adopt a more holistic approach a Change Management strategy that will ensure their EMR solutions are properly utilized companywide, and that the advantages of EMR are fully realized. This white paper examines the benefits of one such Change Management solution: FrontRange HEAT EMR Change Management, and demonstrates how it can help healthcare organizations of all sizes not only comply with the law, but achieve the full operational and financial benefits of an optimized, efficient EMR solution.
WHITE PAPER 4 1. WHAT IS FRONTRANGE HEAT EMR CHANGE MANAGEMENT? The Ultimate Change Management Solution For more than 20 years, FrontRange has focused exclusively on developing software that improves the efficiency and value of IT and healthcare organizations. That s why FrontRange is the global leader in Hybrid IT Service Management (ITSM) solutions for organizations of all sizes. With its HEAT EMR Change Management solution, FrontRange is the only ITSM provider in the world that delivers Service Management software with fully integrated Voice, Workflow Automation and Client Management capabilities onpremise and in the cloud, enabling healthcare organizations to deliver world-class service while maximizing operational efficiencies with reduced cost and complexity. From Deployment to Adoption to Meaningful Use HEAT EMR Change Management helps healthcare facilities go beyond software deployment, guiding them on the path to Meaningful Use of EMR technology. In the next section, we ll explore the definition of Meaningful Use, and show how HEAT EMR Change Management delivers on the promise of EMR. HEAT EMR Change Management Capabilities Flexible Deployment Options. HEAT EMR Change Management is fast to deploy with product capabilities and combinations that fit your needs. We offer customers unmatched product choices with flexible deployment options On-Premise, Cloud or as a Hybrid combining On-Premise and Cloud with the ability to move seamlessly from one to the other. Basic to Advanced EMR Change Management Capabilities. Whether your organization needs basic EMR Change Management capabilities or the most advanced capabilities, the integrated HEAT solution has what you need. Some vendors will not take the time to understand your requirements and sell you a product that is simply not fit-for-purpose. With FrontRange HEAT solutions, we have the broadest set of EMR Change Management capabilities that map to your specific requirements. Integrated Client Management. The HEAT EMR Change Management solution integrates service management and client management capabilities, so you can easily request a service or change, automatically approve the request, plan for appropriate remediation measures, automatically deploy the changes to the end users, monitor compliance and service level agreements, and control your services portfolio on an ongoing basis to ensure enhanced service quality and customer satisfaction. Voice Automation. We also deliver advanced Voice capabilities for increased automation and improved employee and customer communications. Platform as a Service (PaaS). In addition to IT applications, the HEAT solution also addresses other areas by using our Service Management Platform. For example, we have customers deploying our PaaS across other functional areas including: Customer Service, HR, Facilities, Operations and others.
WHITE PAPER 5 PaaS Customer Service ON-PREMISE HYBRID CLOUD HR Service Management Applications Client Management Facilities HEAT Service Management Platform Voice & Workflow Automation Other Figure 1: HEAT Service Management Platform
WHITE PAPER 6 2. WHAT IS MEANINGFUL USE? Meaningful Use Defined To achieve compliance with the HITECH Act and the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare), healthcare facilities must go beyond implementation of EMR solutions. They must be able to demonstrate that their company is making Meaningful Use of those solutions. But what exactly does Meaningful Use entail? Meaningful Use is defined as the use of EMR solutions in ways that can be measured significantly in quality and quantity. The main components of Meaningful Use are: - The use of a certified EMR technology in a meaningful manner, such as e-prescribing. - The use of certified EMR technology for electronic exchange of health information to improve quality of health care - The use of certified EMR technology to submit clinical quality and other measures. The detailed definition of Meaningful Use is to be rolled out in 3 stages over a period of time until 2015. At this time, only Stage 1 has been clearly defined. Meaningful Use Phase 1 Core Requirements The core requirements for Meaningful Use Phase 1 are: 1. Use computerized order entry for medication orders. 2. Implement drug-drug, drug-allergy checks. 3. Generate and transmit permissible prescriptions electronically. 4. Record demographics. 5. Maintain an up-to-date problem list of current and active diagnoses. 6. Maintain active medication list. 7. Maintain active medication allergy list. 8. Record and chart changes in vital signs. 9. Record smoking status for patients 13 years old or older. 10. Implement one clinical decision support rule. 11. Report ambulatory quality measures to CMS or the States. 12. Provide patients with an electronic copy of their health information upon request. 13. Provide clinical summaries to patients for each office visit. 14. Capability to exchange key clinical information electronically among providers and patient authorized entities. 15. Protect electronic health information (privacy & security)
WHITE PAPER 7 Meaningful Use Through Change Management Successful EMR transitions require a Change Management strategy one that takes into account both the technology and the people who will be using it. Unlike competitors, HEAT EMR Change Management offers both the robust software and the expertise needed to plot the course from implementation to Meaningful Use. Quotes From FrontRange Clients In terms of ease of use; all the features were very intuitive with virtually no training, a user can be up and running. The technical users and Subject Matter Experts were very interested in the workflow generator, and the power and flexibility it offered the team in managing their Change and Release processes, as well as building additional functionality into the existing implementation. There was a lot of excitement from the user community about HEAT EMR Change Management everyone was extremely positive and pumped to start using the new system. We are now very much ahead of the curve, and as a Healthcare organization we are over the hump as far as getting to ithe maturity phase of being ready to implement the Change and Release management system, with a fully functioning process and workflow to handle Healthcare initiatives and government programs/mandates. EMR ADOPTION MEANINGFUL USE COMPLIANCE EMR CHANGE MANAGEMENT Figure 2: Key IT Strategic Requirements
WHITE PAPER 8 3. EMR DEPLOYMENT Simpler, Smarter EMR Deployment As we ve discussed, mere implementation of EMR solutions will not satisfy the requirements of current legislation. Implementation is still a vital step, however, one which if handled improperly could cause the entire EMR transition to fail. Implementing an EMR solution can be a formidable challenge. Without buy-in or proper planning, the process could result in massive productivity losses for physicians and staff, not to mention a reduction of patients seen. In most cases, EMR failure is evidenced by an increase in costs that can far exceed any monetary benefit that could have otherwise been obtained through federal stimulus incentive programs. Achieving a successful EMR implementation requires careful consideration of the people, processes and the right technology. Setting the right strategy, picking the right software, managing the implementation, providing ongoing support and maintenance, and finding the best way to pay for it are all parts of bringing your healthcare organization to the new technology-enabled reality. Figure 3: HEAT EMR Change Management
WHITE PAPER 9 HEAT EMR Change Management Deployment Benefits During the deployment phase, the staff is concerned with the initial costs, budgeting, analyzing workflows, and reviewing options of the EMR system. The HEAT EMR Change Management solution provides proven methodology and workflow that can manage and document these changes, allowing the staff to quickly move through deployment phases without the interruptions of unplanned or unexpected outcomes. HEAT EMR Change Management decreases the overall time and effort spent on an EMR deployment by reducing: Complaints about the system. Support and updates by external vendors. Time to deployment of critical updates. Time to adoption of care providers and administrative staff. Number of service request phone calls. Number of status update calls from end-users. Slipped dates and targets for application and upgrade deployments. Errors and critical outages. Transfers and miscommunications between departments.
WHITE PAPER 10 HEAT EMR Change Management Business Value The HEAT EMR Change Management solution is the most: Flexible - Standardize on a single service management solution with fit-for-purpose cloud and on-premise deployment models that allow for the use of both operating and capital expense budgets (including a hybrid option that leverages both). Advanced - The most advanced service automation solution in the world with fully integrated voice and workflow automation capabilities that enhances efficiency and reduces service resolution costs by up to 70%. Complete - With end-to-end, integrated client management capabilities that enable the standardization of business processes across the enterprise and improve the mean time to repair (MTTR) by up to 75%. Why Change Management? The transition from paper records to digital is not an easy one. A fully-realized Change Management strategy can help ease the process, providing: Enhanced security and privacy Robust access controls Internal and external IT support Advanced reporting Full lifecycle management Workflow automation Future-proof technology Figure 4: EMR Change Management Business Value
WHITE PAPER 11 4. EMR ADOPTION Achieving Full EMR Adoption Once an EMR solution is implemented, steps must be taken to ensure company-wide adoption of the new software and solutions. HEAT EMR Change Management makes the adoption process simpler, thanks to an easy-to-use interface, robust features, and intuitive commands that even novice users will master in no time. HEAT EMR Change Management Difference The HEAT EMR Change Management solution provides unique functionality with a consistent interface and workflow automation that supports the adoption and ongoing maintenance of an EMR solution. The interface is an easy to use, quickly adopted solution that allows a broad range of busy users both within the healthcare practice, as well as those without, to quickly pick up the intended use and functionality of the software with minimal training. The workflow automation capabilities are ready for standards based deployments. By utilizing the state of the art Visual Workflow Editor, customizations can be quickly developed to support specific processes required by an individual healthcare provider. Full scale adoption of EMR solutions happens in two phases the operations phase, in which EMR first becomes operational and employee use begins, and the maintenance phase, in which ongoing improvements, adjustments, and updates are made to the system. EMR Operations Phase The operations phase of the EMR system can be improved by utilizing HEAT EMR Change Management solution to enforce adherence to compliance and security requirements by managing in-process changes to systems reporting. These Change Management enforcements can secure patient records during the transition from paper to electronic format, defining the information to be shared, and defining external vendor access to health records. EMR Maintenance Phase The maintenance phase of the EMR system can be enhanced with the HEAT EMR Change Management solution by helping staff deal with the ongoing changes that will be required by new government mandates as well as leveling the understanding and communication as changes in staff require quick uptake by new employees. In this phase issue resolution is a critical aspect to keeping caregivers and staff focused on the goals of providing premium care and service and not being distracted by systems.
WHITE PAPER 12 HEAT EMR Change Management Process Lifecycle With the HEAT EMR Change Management solution, you can easily discover EMR software and hardware assets, request an EMR service or change, automatically approve and authorize the request, plan for appropriate remediation measures, automatically deploy the EMR changes to the end users, monitor compliance and service level agreements, and control your EMR on an ongoing basis to ensure enhanced service quality and customer satisfaction. Figure 5: HEAT EMR Change Management Process Lifecycle
WHITE PAPER 13 5. CONCLUSION Typical EMR solutions do not provide the level of automation, functionality, ease-of-use, and service required for successful EMR adoption. FrontRange HEAT EMR Change Management is different. It allows healthcare organizations to go beyond deployment, beyond compliance, and beyond software, establishing a holistic Change Management solution that will benefit the business today, tomorrow, and for years to come. The promise of EMR of streamlined workflows, cost savings, and enhanced patient care is not easily realized. But with HEAT EMR Change Management, that promise is closer to reality than ever before. More Information Copyright 2013 FrontRange Solutions USA Inc. FrontRange Solutions products, brands and trademarks are property of FrontRange Solutions USA Inc. and/or its affiliates. Other products, brands and trademarks are property of their respective owners/companies. Corporate Headquarters FrontRange Solutions Inc. 490 N. McCarthy Blvd. Milpitas, CA 95035 USA T: +1 800.776.7889 and +1 408.601.2800 W: www.frontrange.com