EMR implementation not just IT manager's responsibility

IT managers shouldn't be the only ones shouldering the workload when it comes to implementing electronic medical records, says a new meaningful use guide released by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME). In fact, the responsibility for such efforts should fall primarily (and equally) on CEOs and COOs, as well as medical and nursing officers, maintains the guide's authors, according to an InformationWeek piece. 

"Conducting gap analysis is not merely determining what technology is or is not in place," the guide says. "[I]t also involves assessment of corporate readiness for change, and requires a plan of action to assess people and processes to find out if they can adopt technology and adapt to change." 

Texas Health Resources CIO Ed Marx, who lead a webinar discussion on the guide, agreed with that assessment and described how he believes his role should become more limited in such situations. "I do what I can to remain in the background, but engaged," he said, according to InformationWeek. "I want to see the rest of the C-suite leading, with them being the face of the project, not IT. 

"If you are in a situation where your model is IT-centric, or where the C-suite is not engaged, you need to blow it up." 

The guide, called "The CIO's Guide to Implementing EHRs in the HITECH Era," includes advice compiled from 170 CHIME members about their implementation experiences, reports iHealthBeat. 

For more information:
- here's the guide
- read the InformationWeek article
- check out the iHealthBeat piece