Common Risks & Mitigation Strategies
As you get ready for your upcoming integration projects, we want to prepare you with some lessons we’ve learned over the years. With the proper preparation and mitigation strategies, these often can be accommodated in timeline planning, as long as the right expectations are set.
Below, we go through some of these risks and then offer some strategies to help mitigate them. Â Please reach out to your Redox Implementation Manager (IM), if you have questions!
Healthcare Organization Process Delays
HCOs have integration projects and EHR-specific projects that can last months, if not years. These experiences and processes do not always match the faster pace of our proposed timelines.
Mitigation:
- Share timeline early
- Reassure the HS that Redox does the majority of customization
- Establish escalation paths and point person(s) on the HCO side
- Understand if there are competing projects for the analysts assigned to this project
- Weekly check-ins
Competing Projects
Due to the fairly specific knowledge needed for understanding healthcare integration language, interface analysts are in high demand. As a result, they may be working on multiple integration projects.
Mitigation:
- Understand if there are competing projects
- Establish escalation paths and point person(s)
- Weekly check-ins with your team and the health system to ensure continued progress and the appropriate attention from the health system.
HCO Analyst Experience and Bandwidth
Some health system analysts may have limited experience/knowledge or may work in a maintenance capacity. Additionally, certain interface feed build may need help from the EHR vendor.
Mitigation:
- See if EHR vendor support is available/required prior to kicking off the project
- Understand if there are competing projects
- Establish escalation paths and point person(s)
- Weekly check-ins
Scope Definition Adjustments
The healthcare organization’s EHR functionality and/or preference may result in adjustment to scope.
Mitigation:
- Scoping calls pre-kick-off with Redox
- Do not kick-off without solid scope
- Don’t be afraid to “phase” integration projects, by going live with one data model earlier than another.
New Interface Feed
The health system may have to set up a new interface feed prior to our integration project. This will take time to set up or could come at additional cost to the health system (charged by the EHR vendor).
Mitigation:
- Define feeds needed pre-kick-off
- Use existing feeds as the first option
- Timelines may be extended with new feeds; set expectations accordingly
- Assess opportunities for interim options/workflows
New EHR Vendor
There are some niche EHR vendors that may not have integrated in the past, so they don’t have the development or a clear process for sending information out or in.
Mitigation:
- Ask EHR vendor if they have done integration and in which format
- Leave several weeks in the timeline for EHR interface development
- Introduce Redox to EHR vendor representative to assist in their development
Redox Development Needed
Occasionally, Redox will need to complete data model development to accommodate new aspects of a workflow or scope.
Mitigation:
- Define scope as early as possible to determine any additional data model requirements
- Plan for future projects to ensure any new data elements remain scalable
Your First Connection
When connecting with your first health system, workflow definition and app development will take more time than subsequent installs.
Mitigation:
- Include app developer in workflow design
- Clearly define required data elements
- Review workflow and expected data elements with Redox