How to Initiate a Chiropractic EHR Implementation Plan

Implementing an electronic health record system for your practice is an ambitious project that offers chances for transformative change in how you provide chiropractic care. But it can also be nerve-wracking. EHR installations are a major IT initiative, requiring substantial investments of time and money. Things can go wrong.

Remember the mantra of project management: plan the work and work the plan. Just like building a house, having a project plan in place is critical to the success of your EHR installation.

But just the idea of creating the plan can seem as overwhelming as the implementation itself. It can leave you seeking answers on how to initiate an EHR implementation plan in the first place. Where do you even start?

The answer lies in first principles: develop a strategic objective, build a project team, gather requirements, establish a budget, and seek a vendor partner, and you’ll be on your way.

Of course, that’s easier said than done, and it may require sharpening your business and project management skills to go with your clinical capabilities. But stick to the basics, and you will be able to get your system online in a timely, stress-free manner.

How to Initiate an EHR Implementation Plan

EHR systems offer chiropractors the opportunity to build a better practice, reducing time spent on administrative tasks to focus on patient care. These systems can point you toward a more profitable, streamlined operation.

But you can’t realize those benefits until the system is properly installed. Here are a few tips on how to initiate an EHR implementation plan and get your team and your practice ready.

Develop a strategic objective

It’s important to remember that technology is a means to an end, not a solution in itself. You need to know your why: what are your goals? What improvements do you want your EHR system to provide?

Developing a clear strategic objective will help point you in the direction of success, starting with identifying vendors with systems that fit the size of your practice. You don’t want to buy more capability than you need, but you also want to think about the ability of the system to grow with your practice and incorporate future applications.

Keep coming back to your strategic objective throughout the project, especially when you experience difficulties. The goal will point you to the right answer.

Build a team and establish requirements

As a chiropractor, you already operate with minimal staff. But your team will make or break the success of your installation. Their voices need to be heard, and they need a role in planning and implementation. Form a project team made up of people who are most familiar with your processes and can help you map them to the capabilities of the EHR.

Having a process outlined will serve you well once you select your vendor and begin working together toward a full-on implementation plan. It will help suggest questions to ask and give you a sense of whether you have the right fit.

Select a vendor

With the requirements and workflows as defined by your team, it’s time to engage with potential vendors. This is a big investment, so it is imperative to get more than one quote. Consider several vendors.

The requirements that you have mapped out may provide enough specificity to enable you to develop and publish an RFI/RFP so vendors will come to you. Check with others in the industry for ideas on how to distribute the RFP to get initial quotes.

The requirements document will help you determine which respondents have the capabilities you are looking for and merit further discussion. Once your vendor is chosen, you can build a full-fledged implementation plan, taking into consideration factors such as schedule and budget.

Emphasize good communication

More important than anything is the need to communicate—over-communicate, even. That goes not just for your project team but also for everyone in your office, as well as patients at the appropriate time.

Let your people and patients know what to expect. The implementation of an EHR provides the potential for profound change. Success will depend on how well your team is informed and inspired to take this journey with you. Keeping them in the loop is vital.

How ChiroSpring Can Help

ChiroSpring has developed an EHR platform designed to fit the unique aspects of a chiropractor’s practice in staffing, patient flow, recordkeeping, and other practice management functions.

The ChiroSpring app combines practice management and EHR functionality in one cloud-based package. The app will serve as the backbone of your practice and offers advances in security, workflow, and productivity.

The goal is to help you provide enhanced levels of care more efficiently, while growing patient satisfaction and profitability. The application provides everything that you need, from online scheduling modules, appointment reminders, online intake, SOAP notes, and integrations to billing applications.

ChiroSpring recognizes that chiropractic practitioners don’t have large IT teams to fall back on for implementation planning and execution. With more than 1,000 installations covering over 3,500 users, it will provide you with the best practices to take you from pre-implementation to implementation and post-installation evaluation.

ChiroSpring is an all-in-one practice management and EHR system built specifically for chiropractors to help them regain face-time with patients, spend less time on back-office tasks, maintain a limited staff, and save operational costs.

To see how ChiroSpring can help you simplify how you manage your practice, reach out to one of our specialists today!