Why You should Use a Consultant to aid in the
Installation of a Healthcare Information System
Healthcare Information Systems (HIS) are a complex yet flexible resource. It is up to the users or healthcare organization to define how they want the system to work. Many times the installation personnel provided by the vendor have never worked in a variety of hospitals. They cannot offer the possible alternatives on how to set up the system, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative. They can lack the knowledge and experience one attains only through direct interaction in a different healthcare organizations. This means that it is up to the hospital to tell them how the organization wants to utilize their HIS. The result is that instead of improving the operation, oftentimes, the system replaces manual procedures and nothing is optimized.
To begin, the vendor’s system is driven by parameters that describe the hospital and the many dictionaries or tables that drive the system in a particular way. The vendor installation people just train the super users of the hospital how to define the parameters and set up the dictionaries. One of the most common complaints is the vendor will not tell you the “WHYS,” they just tell you the “HOWS”. Many hospitals will find themselves changing the dictionaries after they gain experience and learn the “WHYS” because this set up no longer suits the definition of how the organization operates. Of course this results in a loss of time and money, and leaves users frustrated.
A consultant is there to guide you through the installation process. All of the “WHYS” are explained prior to installation allowing for a conversation of what best suits the definitions and vision of the healthcare organization.
Second, most HIS systems are integrated and a change in one module will affect the operation of other modules. The vendor’s specialist is typically only knowledgeable in their respective areas or modules. They do not have the expertise to know how their areas integrate with other modules being implemented. This often results in errors between departments and loss of time and money by hospital staff to find and correct these errors. Inteck’s consultants have the knowledge and experience gained through working at a hospital to know how all modules should be integrated. Having this edge can save the hospital from the headache of rework.
Third, the vendor’s system can be customized to optimize a hospital’s operating processes. The vendor’s specialist may lack the skill from hospital experience to understand the environment in which the system will be used. Using knowledgeable consultants, such as Inteck, results in obtaining the experience in configuring the system for many different environments. Thus, they can advise the hospital on its alternatives to obtain maximum benefit.
Finally, the vendor’s specialist assigned to a hospital’s implementation has simultaneous responsibilities to other projects/implementations across the country. For that reason, the vendor’s specialist may confuse your hospital with the others and provide conflicting information rather than help you resolve your problems or questions. When you choose Inteck we focus our staff on your hospital’s installation and will be with your hospital until the system is working correctly.