EMR Success Stories - Houston Neurology Associates

Location

Houston, Texas

Number of EMR Users

Twelve (12) physicians (including PAs), and twenty-two (22) clinical and support staff.

EMR Adoption Story

By its own admission, HNA was "way behind in its adoption of technology." HNS had investigated more and better use of information technology over the past three years, but it made little progress. A new Office Manager was instrumental in getting the ball rolling. Paula Armstrong, HNA's Office Manager, comments further.

"When I assumed the role of Office Manager, HNA was basically technology adverse. We had e-mail, which no on used, but we had no sysstems that supported our core business, delivering quality healthcare services. I came from another practice group that was at the opposite extreme in terms of technology adoption. Honestly, I think the fact that I had a track record of success with technology at my prior employer was what finally opened the eyes of the HNA principals."

"Since 2007, HNA has adopted lots of modern technology. We bought an EMR/PM system in early 2009, and now it's a major success. We had our share of training and useability issues, including some individuals who strongly resisted the project. I'm happy to say now, though, that everyone is a believer and user. Our EBIT grew 30% in 2009, due in large part to our adoption of an EMR/PM system and the more efficient deployment of existing resources."

Were We to Do It Over Again

"In terms of EMR, we did exactly what the experts discourage. We did a tiny amount of research on EMR systems, and then we called in vendors to conduct demos. Huge mistake. We actually signed on to buy one system, and in the process of implementation, we realized we had made the wrong choice. Clearly, we made the wrong choice. Fortunately, our vendor was willing to refund our license fees, but we didn't recover service fees that we incurred in the process, or the cost of wasted internal resources. My advice to others is to realize that EMR/PM systems are very specialized. There are lots of good vendors and systems out there, but you have to spend the time necessary to find the system that meets your needs. Research, and research some more. Determine what your particular needs are before you reach out to vendors for anything, including system demos."

RESOURCES