Post date: Jan 28, 2011 2:38:09 PM
Information Week in the article Health Systems Underestimate EMR Costs reports on an Accenture study "Secrets of Success on the EMR Journey to Meaningful Use: Leading Hospital CIOs Reveal Key Lessons Learned".
Accenture found:
1 EMR must be a strategic initiative.
2 Implentation time and costs double the estimate
3 IT operating costs spike (80%) during transition
4 Shortage of qualified health IT professionals
5 Nearly 50% increase in IT staff
6. Create culture for adoption
These huge increase in costs are considered a financial failure even if the clinical implementation proceeds smoothly. These findings sound oddly enough like outcomes of the typical ERP implementation.