Healthcare IT Consulting

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.

Products Implemented: Cadence, Resolute, Tapestry, EpicCare, and EpicWeb.

ECG's role was to transition HIM staff functions for the clinic sites from paper-based charts to the EpicCare EMR. Specific tasks included: (1) developing a process for abstracting clinical information from paper records into the EMR to create an initial baseline electronic patient record; (2) creating operating work flows and procedures for all HIM functions within the new EMR environment; and (3) assisting with training existing HIM staff in the processes of filing ongoing paper-based information received in the clinics electronically into the new medical record system. This assignment resulted in the development of work flows and procedures for creating an initial electronic patient record within each clinic site and managing the continued flow of new information into and out of that record. The project also resulted in the development of a formal plan for transitioning staff through skills enhancement initiatives to their new roles and responsibilities.

Products Implemented: EpicCare.

We assisted the professional fee billing office for a large academic medical center in developing an interface to gather patient demographic, insurance, and guarantor information from the hospital Cerner admission/discharge/transfer (ADT) and registration system (Patient Account Manager, or PAM). Our role in the project encompassed: (1) upgrading the interface from HL7 2.2 to HL7 2.3; (2) developing a data cross-map between the sending and receiving systems; (3) monitoring the interface development; and (4) providing an appropriate test plan and assisting in issue resolution. As a result of this assignment, the practice management system (Epic Resolute) is able to receive information from the hospital ADT system (Cerner Access Management).

Products Implemented: Resolute and Epic-Cerner registration interface.

The organization was developed as a cooperative application service provider model with a common platform and central systems administration serving a statewide group of public health and community health centers. We assisted our client with negotiating and executing a software license, services, and support agreement with Epic Systems Corporation for practice management software and related implementation and support services. In addition, we assisted the client’s staff with preliminary planning activities to facilitate a quick project start once the agreement was executed. We continued our assistance throughout implementation, providing project management advice and analytical support to work flow redesign meetings, interface design and development, work group facilitation, and overall planning and project coordination.

Products Implemented: Prelude, Cadence, Resolute, Identity, and Clarity.

We assisted the implementation team of a community health center in developing and documenting revised work flows for clinic operations in anticipation of a conversion to Epic’s practice management suite. 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.

Products Implemented: Prelude, Cadence, Resolute, and Clarity.

ECG assisted a management services organization (MSO) in evaluating and prioritizing the components of its contract to acquire the EpicCare EMR solution to complement the Epic practice management applications already implemented. We advised the MSO leadership as it initiated negotiations with a vendor, then evaluated the completeness of the vendor’s proposal and provided an opinion on the reasonableness of license fees relative to those of other products generally available in the market. In addition, we conducted a preliminary planning session with executives and presented the full scope of considerations for the successful implementation of an EMR.

Products Implemented: Prelude, Resolute, and Cadence; EpicCare under consideration.

We assisted a large faculty practice organization and its associated primary care network plan for the implementation of Epic’s patient accounting system, Resolute. The objective of this assignment was to develop a business plan for implementation of Resolute under a pilot model for approval by the management committee. The business plan encompassed operational considerations, costs, benefits, and strategies associated with implementation of the patient accounting system and a segmented billing operation to provide billing services for the primary care network. Major project activities included: (1) confirming pricing for license fees, interfaces, and implementation services; (2) facilitating meetings to establish the scope of the implementation and to evaluate the vendor’s market base in academic medical centers; (3) preparing a plan for system implementation and the development of billing office operations; and (4) developing budget projections for both capital and operating budgets. The outcomes of this engagement included a business plan used to secure management committee approval and an implementation plan that targeted production usage of Resolute for the primary care clinics within 1 year.

Products Implemented: Resolute to complement Prelude, Cadence, and EpicCare already in use.