IT Implementation & Project Management
ECG provides talented resources to lead or augment your implementation team in achieving successful installations of application software for practice management, electronic medical records/clinical information, hospital information, data warehouses/decision support, Enterprise Master Patient Index (EMPI), accounting, and administrative systems. Typical roles or projects include:
- Project oversight and quality assurance.
- Project management.
- System configuration.
- System integration.
- Operations improvement.
- System and processes testing.
- End-user training.
We have experience implementing solutions from the leading healthcare IT vendors, including:
- Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
- eClinicalWorks.
- Epic Systems Corporation.
- GE Healthcare (formerly IDX Systems Corporation).
- McKesson Corporation.
- NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, Inc.
Project Management
IT projects in healthcare are often characterized as large, complex, costly initiatives that are integral to an organization operating in an efficient and cost-effective manner. These projects require the coordination of multiple, concurrent processes; numerous human and fiscal resources; and cutting-edge technologies. Steps and specifications must be tightly coordinated and monitored in order to achieve the desired outcome and not inadvertently waste time, effort, and valuable resources.
ECG provides project management services designed to assist you in achieving desired results from your IT initiatives through:
- Defining project scope and objectives.
- Defining project requirements, tasks, and outcomes (deliverables).
- Determining and allocating resources.
- Setting timelines and milestones.
- Creating issues-tracking and change management processes.
- Defining budgetary management and accountability.
- Assessing project risk and monitoring the quality of project outcomes.
- Determining and identifying needs and mechanisms for communicating critical information.
Selected Projects
Assisting with implementation of the full Epic integrated suite of applications for a 150-physician network. Expand Minimize
The objective of this engagement was to assist a health system’s 150-physician provider network with implementation of a new integrated information system and to identify and implement specific operational improvements in the areas of front office procedures, billing, medical records, and managed care. The system implemented was the integrated suite from Epic Systems Corporation and included Cadence, Resolute, Tapestry, EpicCare, and EpicWeb. Specific accomplishments included: (1) facilitating a multidisciplinary team to plan and install the new information system at various practice locations; (2) evaluating current practice operations to develop baseline data and compare it to relevant industry benchmarks; (3) identifying and implementing staffing and work flow efficiencies gained from installing the integrated practice management system; and (4) performing post-go-live operational assessments to ensure implementation of recommended work flows, identify potential backlogs, determine whether staffing levels are adequate, and assess staff proficiency on the new information system. This project resulted in successful implementation of the Epic applications in all practice locations, along with enhanced work flows and optimized staffing models.
Assisting a faculty practice plan with implementation of a new professional fee billing system and centralized business office. Expand Minimize
In this engagement we assisted the faculty practice plan of a large academic medical center in creating a professional fee billing services corporation. Our role encompassed all aspects of organizational design, business planning, and staff recruitment, including: (1) assisting in facilities planning; (2) overseeing the implementation of a professional fee billing system; (3) assisting in the design and development of policies and procedures; and (4) providing a process to evaluate the requirements of each clinical department to ensure a smooth transition to the new billing service. The result of this assignment was a significant aggregate increase in collections across all departments.
Assisting a staff-model health plan with implementing an electronic medical record (EMR) system. Expand Minimize
ECG assisted a 900-physician healthcare organization and health plan in implementing an EMR system. Activities included supporting the project sponsors, manager, and leads in making appropriate decisions and in developing a successful strategy for vendor management. As part of this engagement, we prepared and implemented a strategy to evaluate the benefit provided by internally developed clinical point solutions (CPSs) and identified recommendations to ensure that the EMR incorporates key functionality required by CPS users. We also assisted the client in identifying a logical rollout strategy.
Assisting a federally qualified community health center in system implementation and associated work flow revisions. Expand Minimize
We assisted the implementation team of a federally qualified community health center in developing and documenting revised work flows for clinic operations in anticipation of a conversion to a practice management system. ECG guided the implementation team and assisted the assigned client implementation coordinator in on-site work sessions. Our focus was to ensure that the necessary analysis and effort were directed on preparing for the sessions and that they were adequately structured. Our approach was to lend our experience and knowledge to the process, while effectively utilizing client resources.
