| | March 20178UTLOOK Healthcare Tech At it Alone: 15 Tips to Keep In Mind when Implementing an EMRBy Dan Waltz, VP & CIO, MidMichigan HealthIN MY OPINIONOne very important decision when considering an EMR implementation is whether or not to use a third party system integrator to run the project. The decision to use a system integrator can add as much as 20 percent to the overall implementation costs. I have been involved in leadership roles with a system integrator at a major academic medical center and "going alone" at a regional health care system. There are many benefits of using a system integrator under certain situation. One size does not fit all. There are several factors that must be in place in order to have a successful "go alone" strategy. They include:1. Strong C-Level management support engagement2. Good employee engagement prior to the project implementation 3. A stable work force4. A capable and experienced internal project director5. Strong IT leadership and processes6. A commitment to hire a mostly internal project team and pull them completely out of operations7. A commitment to training8. Tools for project management, status, testing and many others9. A commitment to the vendors project methodology10. Strong clinical engagement, participation and leadership 11. Ability to slow or freeze the pace of changes to the existing EMR and other applications services12. A very strong infrastructure and Integration team13. Testing resources and methodologies exist in the current organization14. Ability to internally execute a change management planDan Waltz
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