Step One

Select a solid EMR service provider

The first step is to choose an EMR provider that will meet the goals of your organization including meeting requirements for Meaningful Use EMR and EMR Stimulus incentives.

Electronic medical records and patient safety is another important area to consider. An experienced EMR consultant will advise your organization on an electronic medical records implementation schedule that helps you most efficiently in the transition process.

Your vendor should offer onsite EMR Training and long term assistance along with thorough documentation and specific operational recommendations tailored to your organization’s needs.

Review your own organizational needs and resources to match the capabilities of the CCHIT certified EMR System you eventually select.

Step Two

Designate an EMR Implementation Manager

The project manager along with a surrounding team representing various sectors of the organization’s staff should be placed in charge of the implementation process.

The EMR project manager and his team should frequently remind the medical and office staff of the ultimate benefits of implementing an EMR system in terms of increased work efficiency and lessened work stress.

Step Three

Complete an EMR Implementation Workflow Analysis

Every job and task should be analyzed and ideas formulated for enhanced efficiency within the new system.

Every place where electronic records can feasibly take the place of paper should be noted. A transition plan should be in place for gradually eliminating old procedures that can be replaced by efficient EMR data management tasks.

Step Four

Choose your Hardware Configuration

The options vary concerning the selection of hardware, which will support the EMR software platform you choose.

The safest decision is to have in place well known manufacturers’ brands with excellent warranties to serve as the infrastructure of your successful electronic medical record implementation.

Step Five

Configure your EMR Software

The EMR software should be customizable to your practice environment with the ability to protect patient safety by limiting access to certain portions of a patient’s record to only the necessary users.

The security advantage of an EMR platform is that proper restrictions on the visibility and use of a patient’s medical history and information can be easily implemented and enforced.