As medical practitioners are preparing to transition from paper
patient records to an electronic format, many are considering the cost of this
conversion. Many organizations believe that finding the right system is the key
to their success. And that is partially true. I agree that knowing which
software to use is an integral part of this process. However, the other key
component of the EMR mandate is ensuring that your team is ready for the
transition. The people who will be responsible for inputting and
utilizing the data from the system must be equipped with the skills needed to
effectively function using the new system. Obviously, the
appropriate training at different levels will be required to ensure a successful
transition.
Based on my
research, the costs associated with the EMR conversion vary by the size of
the practice and the type of system chosen. In some cases, the cost of
training, technical support, licensing, etc., are almost as high as the price of
the software. As a result, this conversion may incorporate a
significant outlay of capital. It is no surprise that physicians
and medical facilities are searching for ways to make this conversion less
costly.
How to
Reduce Your Cost
If you are ready to
begin your EMR conversion, but you are still struggling with the cost,
consider Florida’s workforce
grants. These grants may be
used to reduce your cost for the EMR adoption and implementation. The
Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) grant assists Florida
businesses with improving the job-related skills of their
employees. Why does this matter to you? If
you plan to implement the EMR format (whether you are required under the mandate
or not), you can essentially reduce your training costs by 50 - 75% (up
to a maximum of $50,000).
Incumbent
Worker Training (IWT) Grant at Work
I am working with a
client that is currently in the process of their EMR conversion. They learned
that the training cost was a significant part of their software
purchase. Ultimately, they were looking at different avenues for reducing these
costs. Because under the IWT
grant, this type of training was considered to be a "skills upgrade" the client
was awarded a grant in the amount of $43,750.
Now you may be
thinking, "I hope my training costs are not that significant!"
And, depending on the size of your team, it may not be. However, if you haven't begun
researching your EMR software, now is probably a good time to start. A part of
your research should include finding out what portion of the software cost will
be allocated to training. It doesn't matter if
your training cost is $50,000 or $8,000. Recouping a portion of that cost will
be beneficial to you.
In my next post, I
will provide more details about the IWT program requirements. Please feel free
to ask questions.
