Are Physician IT Champions Necessary to Achieve Successful Adoption of EMRs?
Posted Oct 30 2008 3:21pm
In a profession that is time-pressured, struggling to provide care to a growing number of elderly patients with complex and co-morbid diseases and physicians who are under increasing pressure to change their patterns of practice and adopt new tools and technologies, how does one achieve success? Healthcare is like a Freightliner truck running down the highway at 100km per hour with a cadre of engineers trying simultaneously change the transmission without stopping or slowing the truck. This is not easy.
Similarly, one of the critical determinants for success in the adoption of technology based solutions is physician adoption. To this end, identifying and supporting physician IT champtions is an important part of this process. Canada Health Infoway is about to embark upon a national physician peer-to-peer network strategy to identify and support physician IT champions. But who are these clinicians, why do they get involved and how do they influence their peers?
An article in Health Data Management (2004) explores the issue of physician IT champions. Although the article is written from the perspective of the US, it is still relevant in Canada.
"The catalysts for I.T. progress often are physician I.T. champions who, sometimes reluctantly, sometimes fearfully, put their reputations on the line to guide an implementation before, during and after software is installed. The reason that some have decided to advocate I.T. is simple-someone has to do it.
The success of I.T. implementations hinges on whether doctors will accept new technology. And most will not listen to anyone else but a peer. "You can ask physicians to look up results on a computer, but if you're trying to install an electronic record or order entry system, you must have a physician I.T. champion-it's not worth it to even try without one," says Melinda Costin, vice president of implementation services at Houston-based HealthLink Inc., a consulting firm. "Doctors follow no one. But they will listen to their peers."
But who in their right mind would volunteer for such a role? With all the risks involved, it's a fair question. Ironically, physician I.T. champions often aren't the techno-geeks who would seem to be a natural fit for the job. Many are "Average Joe" practitioners who, through one experience or another, have become convinced that information technology is critical to the future of their organization-and profession. Link: Health Data Management
Are you a physician IT champion? What would stimulate you to become a physician champion or leader? How important are physician champions at the practice level or at the community/regional level as a catalyst to facilitate adoption?
To add your thoughts, click on the 'Comments' link
In a profession that is time-pressured, struggling to provide care to a growing number of elderly patients with complex and co-morbid diseases and physicians who are under increasing pressure to change their patterns of practice and adopt new tools and technologies, how does one achieve success? Healthcare is like a Freightliner truck running down the highway at 100km per hour with a cadre of engineers trying simultaneously change the transmission without stopping or slowing the truck. This is not easy.
Similarly, one of the critical determinants for success in the adoption of technology based solutions is physician adoption. To this end, identifying and supporting physician IT champtions is an important part of this process. Canada Health Infoway is about to embark upon a national physician peer-to-peer network strategy to identify and support physician IT champions. But who are these clinicians, why do they get involved and how do they influence their peers?
An article in Health Data Management (2004) explores the issue of physician IT champions. Although the article is written from the perspective of the US, it is still relevant in Canada.
Are you a physician IT champion? What would stimulate you to become a physician champion or leader? How important are physician champions at the practice level or at the community/regional level as a catalyst to facilitate adoption?
To add your thoughts, click on the 'Comments' link