Signing the contract and thinking about implementation

We were getting to the final nuts and bolts of the contract. Our IT lead had kept us informed via email. At the meeting, we went over a couple of points on the contract offer, with the regional manager from myNightingale; it looked like we were going to sign.

We went over the Scope of Work document, which we each had to fill. Most of what we had to write in there was impossible for us to understand. Our IT lead had asked the OntarioMD specialist what we needed to write in, and just dictated this at the meeting. That is the only way this document is going to get completed.

We were also thinking about implementation. The company had emailed us a description of how they were planning to implement:

1. workflow analysis: they send people to each office. They talk to the physicians and staff and find out what happens in the office
2. training and implementation plan: this tells us how we will do

• billing,
• scheduling,
• training for staff (course is mostly standardized, but can be customized--although I'm not sure how exactly this can be customized)
• EMR training for physicians
• IT assessment for practices and the hospital (what machines go in, wiring, etc)
• decide on wired or wireless network

3. buy and install the hardware
4. start training

• 2 sessions on practice management (billing, scheduling)
• 2 sessions on EMR
• each session is 4 hours

The hardware needs to go in at least a month before you "go live" (start using the software). This is to make sure it is properly installed and tested. Training needs to happen after hardware is installed, and shortly before going live. We each have an on-site trainer from the company for the first half day that we go live to help out. They suggest booking lightly for the first week.

We were going to start using the billing and scheduling (or "practice management") software first. Then, we were going to go back for the two EMR training sessions, and have the physicians start using the EMR a month after the staff starts. This is called a "staged implementation".

We now had to go back to our practices and talk to our non-FHN partners, as they needed to decide if they were going to use the same software. It was October.

Michelle