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E M R
R E A D E R
S U R V E Y
has been the cost. You have to budget carefully once you find the system that best suits your needs. One survey respondent lamented "the
total cost of hardware, software, upgrades/maintenance and training"
was more than expected when it was finally toted up. Get vendors to
quote all pricing — so you don't buy the hardware and find out it
doesn't come with the software installed, or you get the software only
to find out training costs extra.
The teaching itself is another area where we ran into trouble —
some people just don't want to change. As a manager, I find it's important to stay in close contact with those who are using and to give
recognition for a job well done. You'll get better growth and sense of
ownership with a staff who are rewarded and appreciated on a job
well done, than by leaving them in the cold, trying to meet unrealistic
expectations. You should also have someone on the ground in each
area to lead implementation, survey respondents noted.
"You need someone on staff who is computer-literate enough to
work through small glitches and help take the mystery out of the
little black boxes, especially for the less computer savvy," says
Mark Poulson, RN, MBA, nurse manager at Northside
Gastroenterology Endoscopy Center in Indianapolis.
Embrace and enjoy
My philosophy is that "change is inevitable; growth is optional." When
it comes to implementing EMR, you may as well choose to work with
F E B R U A R Y 2013 | O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
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