July 24, 2014 -- Just seven months after implementing 6.0, Critical Access Hospital Memorial Health Care Systems (Seward, NE) achieved HIMSS Stage 6, proving hospitals with limited resources can be IT leaders when they have a dedicated staff and the right EHR.
“We had a clear vision from the very beginning and decided that ultimately, we wanted to be an innovation leader, not a follower,” says Director of IT Mark Criner. “Thanks to great C-level support, along with our MEDITECH partnership, we’re reaching our goals.”
Criner understands the importance of first impressions when it comes to implementing new technology. So, to start things off on the right foot, he challenged his staff to organize formal training for clinicians and communicate frequently with other departments.
According to Criner, their efforts have paid off in terms of patient safety and process improvements; but the most exciting change is with the providers’ workflow, thanks to the MHCS physician champions who garnered their buy-in.
“All 10 physicians on staff, plus their weekend coverage, are ordering electronically,” says Criner. “Now that we’ve set our sights on Stage 2 of Meaningful Use and HIMSS Stage 7, that’s a big move in the right direction.”