ORLANDO — Achieving the coveted “meaningful use” designation is a voyage of self-discovery for healthcare providers that requires dedication, perseverance, patience and unswerving commitment from the entire leadership team, say information officers who have been through the process.
Concord (NH) Hospital CIO Deane Morrison and CMIO Joel Berman, MD, will share their journey toward “meaningful use” with HIMSS11 attendees on Monday, Feb. 21, with their Education Session 52, “Beyond Adoption: A 10-Step Plan to Achieve Meaningful Use,” from 12:15-1:15 p.m. in Room 307A.
In discussing its plan to meet ARRA requirements for “meaningful use,” the Concord information officers will describe how to get the most out of every IT implementation involved in the process. Even so, Berman contends that achieving “meaningful use” requires more than just IT tools.
“While HIT is a necessary component of this value proposition, it is not sufficient,” Berman said. “Other essential factors include unwavering senior administrative support, engaged clinical champions, dedicated physician and nurse informaticists, effective change management, familiarity with lean principles and practices, enlistment of patients, and commitment to rapid cycle improvement tools and techniques. Eighty percent of the challenges are about people, processes, psychology, and sociology; only 20 percent are about technology.”
One of the biggest challenges the Concord staff faced, Berman said, was understanding the meaning of the 850-plus page Interim Final Rule, which he called “Talmudic in its prolixity and susceptible to varying interpretations.” Much of the ambiguity was clarified in the Final Rule, he said, though certain details remain nebulous.
This session is being taped and attendees can order copies from HIMSS.