Bill Childs’ Corollary - “Physicians must have everything they need to know when they need to know it, wherever they are when they need it, and on whatever device they have at hand” is substantive advice for any enterprise seeking successful embrace of EHR and is self-evident in its simplicity. After all, while clinical staff and techs typically adapt to technology foisted upon them, doctors are not so quick to do likewise.

“Do no harm” when applied by physicians to EHR evolution often translates to “do little digital.” It’s an industry given that for the virtual transformation of healthcare documentation to prevail, “boots on the floor” leadership is requisite and that leadership needs to experience success.

However, HIT success frequently correlates to only an implementation’s go-live, with the instant of system functionality becoming the watershed moment. Surprisingly to some end-users, the 21st century continues after the christening of 21st century technology.

Therein lay a challenge that piggybacks onto Childs corollary and is addressed by a recently published book, Beyond Implementation: A Prescription for Lasting EMR Adoption by Heather Haugen Ph. D. and Jeffrey R. Woodside, M.D. The authors’ key premise is that a “myopic focus on go-live implementation impedes the adoption and long-term sustainment of (EHR).”

Bill Childs would concur because his admonition applies before, during, and after implementation.

But do you? Does this premise hold water? Is too much focus placed on go-live and not go-after? Feel free to respond below.

More to follow, as I read through the book.