In the rush to follow ARRA’s final meaningful use marching orders, many healthcare providers have been swallowing their fiscal tongues. While the overall incentive pie sounds HUGE, respective slices may only account for 20% or less of EHR-implementation costs. With MU-compliance project costs estimated at $80,000 - $100,000, a CFO – after sharpening a pencil – might plunge it into the organization’s CIO – or its D.C. politicians.

At first blush, the numbers don’t add up and the chasm between project expense and incentive reimbursement might make the less hearty healthcare administrator swoon. But McKinsey’s authors’ assessment, prognosis, and prescription clearly demonstrate the long-term efficiencies and profit of implementing EHR.

The report’s lessons - establish unequivocal governance of the project, streamline decision-making, simplify IT architecture, and embrace mega-project management capability – dovetail with VCS’s mission and best-practices. So, we’re feeling pretty good after reading McKinsey.

You can too. Here’s the report. 

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