Streamlining The Path To Meaningful Use Stage 2 Attestation
The Client
The Facility
- 126 Licensed Beds
- Not-for-profit, acute-care community hospital
Results
- Achieved Meaningful Use Stage 2 requirements
- Rapidly deployed methodology to meet accelerated timeline
- Targeted MEDITECH clinical and technology expertise
- Customized, innovative Point and Click technology
- Adopted comprehensive MEDITECH training support for physicians and ancillary staff
- Created a cost saving staffing model with minimum implementation consultants
- Strong ROI
The Challenge
Ohio Valley Hospital had used the MEDITECH EHR platform for more than 20 years, but hadn’t taken advantage of its full potential. The hospital was behind on system updates and training. On top of that, it faced looming Meaningful Use Stage 2 requirements. While the hospital had attempted to go-live with CPOE, like many community hospitals, it didn’t have the resources to finish the project or the expertise to overcome adoption challenges. OVH completed a Meaningful Use assessment in fall 2014, which detailed outstanding requirements, but it had not yet defined a path forward to addressing technology and knowledge gaps. With a large portion of the work unfinished, and a go-live date of September 30, 2015, time was running out.
OVH needed a partner with deep MEDITECH MAGIC experience and a proven history of helping hospitals meet their Meaningful Use requirements under a tight deadline. This partner would not only need to optimize the technology and software, but also develop a training plan for both IT and the ancillary staff in order to meet Meaningful Use Stage 2 objectives and additional stages.
How We Helped
CereCore partnered with Ohio Valley Hospital and dispatched a team of MEDITECH clinical and technology experts to develop and implement an accelerated action plan to meet Meaningful Use Stage 2 requirements. CereCore used rapid build methodologies to implement required MEDITECH functionality, designed new workflows and offered specialized training support to hospital physicians and staff.
The plan included four main components:
- Core Services. CereCore implemented computerized physician order entry (CPOE) for the inpatient setting. This included revising lab and radiology dictionaries; building an interfacing microbiology module and admission order sets; as well as working with pharmacy to streamline and clarify orderable drugs. CereCore provided Point and Click technology in conjunction with CPOE deployment, and optimized processes, training plans and materials for key modules, including medication reconciliation.
- Innovative Technology Solutions and Automated Methodologies. CereCore deployed Point and Click customization, an intuitive, user-friendly system designed to reduce and simplify the order entry process and allow physicians and clinicians the ability to “click” orders using the mouse. Point and Click was a critical component in helping OVH optimize order entry processes and improve physician and clinician satisfaction.
- Customized Workflows, Training and Support. CereCore collaborated with OVH to work with super users across the hospital to better understand and incorporate specific workflows as CPOE was being deployed. CereCore also provided an on the ground, training program that focused on the different application suites within MEDITECH. Training was aimed at staff members from multiple areas of the organization, including clinical, patient accounting and HIM. Additionally, CereCore brought in trainers with clinical backgrounds, including an ED specialist. During the go-live phase, CereCore provided additional support to ensure success.
- Rapid Response Team for Emerging Challenges. CereCore’s MEDITECH team quickly mobilized extra staff and resources throughout the project as unexpected issues occurred. For example, as OVH was nearing completion with its MEDITECH updates, it needed additional manpower to update pharmacy dictionaries and meet a fast approaching deadline. CereCore pulled together a team of experts who worked 200 hours to complete the project.
The Results
Ohio Valley Hospital met all the criteria outlined by the Modified Meaningful Use Stage 2 requirements for the 90-day reporting period. This positioned the organization for a successful attestation and helped it avoid more than $1 million in potential penalties.
With pertinent MEDITECH updates complete, the community hospital has paved the way to begin preparation for Meaningful Use Stage 3. OVH leaders, pleased with the outcome, say collaborating with CereCore enabled the hospital to meet critical, time sensitive IT goals.
