Integrated Electronic Medical Record Systems: Critical Success Factors for Implementation

Integrated Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems are becoming an essential part of the fabric of modern healthcare. EMR systems have evolved from pure record-keeping to an integrated, enterprise-wide system that holds the promise of accurate, real time access to patient healthcare data. EMR systems can provide healthcare administrators and clinicians with the information necessary to improve patient care and lower costs. Little research has been done to identify critical success factors for EMR systems implementation. In this paper we treat EMR systems as a type of enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and address EMR implementation issues by drawing on theory and empirical research from both the healthcare information systems and ERP literatures. A theoretical model and propositions are offered, bolstered by data gleaned through structured interviews with health care professionals. Important success factors discussed include planning, consultants, project management, process redesign and the need for a project champion.

[1]  K. Trimmer,et al.  ERP implementation in rural health care. , 2002, Journal of management in medicine.

[2]  Elizabeth J. Davidson,et al.  Bridging the IT Adoption Gap for Small Physician Practices: An Action Research Study on Electronic Health Records , 2006, Inf. Syst. Manag..

[3]  F. Girosi,et al.  Promoting health information technology: is there a case for more-aggressive government action? , 2005, Health affairs.

[4]  Wullianallur Raghupathi,et al.  Health care information systems , 1997, CACM.

[5]  R C Coile,et al.  E-health: reinventing healthcare in the information age. , 2000, Journal of healthcare management / American College of Healthcare Executives.

[6]  Mike Chiasson,et al.  Contextual influences on technology use mediation: a comparative analysis of electronic medical record systems , 2005, Eur. J. Inf. Syst..

[7]  Gerald G. Grant,et al.  Strategic alignment and enterprise systems implementation: the case of Metalco , 2003, J. Inf. Technol..

[8]  Rachel Robinson.  A prescription for change: Physicians' perceptions of moving to an electronic health record , 2011 .

[9]  Guy Paré,et al.  Implementing clinical information systems: a multiple-case study within a US hospital , 2002, Health services management research.

[10]  Harry Boer,et al.  ERP implementation: An integrated process of radical change and continuous learning , 2003 .

[11]  JoAnne Yates,et al.  Shaping Electronic Communication: The Metastructuring of Technology in the Context of Use , 1995 .

[12]  Robyn Tamblyn,et al.  Review Paper: The Impact of Electronic Health Records on Time Efficiency of Physicians and Nurses: A Systematic Review , 2005, J. Am. Medical Informatics Assoc..

[13]  Suzanne Rivard,et al.  A Multilevel Model of Resistance to Information Technology Implementation , 2005, MIS Q..

[14]  Qingxiong Ma,et al.  The Role of Internet Self-Efficacy in the Acceptance of Web-Based Electronic Medical Records , 2005, J. Organ. End User Comput..

[15]  Graeme G. Shanks,et al.  A model of ERP project implementation , 2000, J. Inf. Technol..

[16]  C L Neumann,et al.  Achieving success: assessing the role of and building a business case for technology in healthcare. , 1999, Frontiers of health services management.

[17]  Eric W. Ford,et al.  Predicting the adoption of electronic health records by physicians: when will health care be paperless? , 2006, Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA.

[18]  Michael D. Myers,et al.  The qualitative interview in IS research: Examining the craft , 2007, Inf. Organ..

[19]  Fred D. Davis.  Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and User Acceptance of Information Technology , 1989, MIS Q..

[20]  Jeanne W. Ross,et al.  Learning to Implement Enterprise Systems: An Exploratory Study of the Dialectics of Change , 2002, J. Manag. Inf. Syst..

[21]  Viswanath Venkatesh,et al.  User acceptance of information technology : a unified view , 1998 .

[22]  Ben Light,et al.  A Case Study of a Fast Track SAP R/3 Implementation at Guilbert , 1999, Electron. Mark..

[23]  J. Martin Corbett,et al.  ERP implementation: a compilation and analysis of critical success factors , 2007, Bus. Process. Manag. J..

[24]  S. Shortell,et al.  Implementation of electronic medical records in hospitals: two case studies. , 2007, Health policy.

[25]  Albert Y.T. Sun,et al.  Achievement assessment for enterprise resource planning (ERP) system implementations based on critical success factors (CSFs) , 2005 .

[26]  Mary Sumner,et al.  Risk factors in enterprise-wide/ERP projects , 2000, J. Inf. Technol..

[27]  Brian D. Janz,et al.  Information Systems and Healthcare XVI: Physician Adoption of Electronic Medical Records: Applying the UTAUT Model in a Healthcare Context , 2007, Commun. Assoc. Inf. Syst..

[28]  E. Rogers,et al.  Diffusion of innovations , 1964, Encyclopedia of Sport Management.

[29]  Deborah Compeau,et al.  Computer Self-Efficacy: Development of a Measure and Initial Test , 1995, MIS Q..

[30]  Joanne D. Valerius.  The Electronic Health Record: What Every Information Manager Should Know Records are a vital part of the patient care environment. Secure, accurate records are necessary, although increasingly challenging, as they migrate to an electronic environment. , 2007 .

[31]  Robin C. Meili,et al.  Can electronic medical record systems transform health care? Potential health benefits, savings, and costs. , 2005, Health affairs.

[32]  Frédéric Adam,et al.  Lessons from enterprise resource planning implementations in Ireland – towards smaller and shorter ERP projects , 2000, J. Inf. Technol..

[33]  Davide Aloini,et al.  Risk management in ERP project introduction: Review of the literature , 2007, Inf. Manag..

[34]  Rosemarie Nelson.  Connecting the Providers in Your Healthcare Community: One Step at a Time , 2005, Frontiers of health services management.

[35]  Prasad Bingi,et al.  Critical Issues Affecting an ERP Implementation , 1999, Inf. Syst. Manag..

[36]  C. K. Barsukiewicz,et al.  Electronic medical records: are physicians ready? , 1999, Journal of healthcare management / American College of Healthcare Executives.

[37]  Samuel B. Williams,et al.  ASSOCIATION FOR COMPUTING MACHINERY , 2000 .

[38]  Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah,et al.  ERP Implementation: Chief Information Officers' Perceptions of Critical Success Factors , 2003, Int. J. Hum. Comput. Interact..

[39]  Injazz J. Chen,et al.  Planning for ERP systems: analysis and future trend , 2001, Bus. Process. Manag. J..

[40]  ETA S. BERNER,et al.  Review Paper: Will the Wave Finally Break? A Brief View of the Adoption of Electronic Medical Records in the United States , 2004, J. Am. Medical Informatics Assoc..