CHAPTER 8 Let’s Do It: How to Implement Your HCM Project 85
»encapsulated computer systems« (virtual machines) and application servers
are often used in larger healthcare facilities. All these things can influence the
correct operation of the multi-format viewer. Therefore you should test the
viewer in your software environment before you unleash it upon the users.
✔✔Start with a few users.
It does not make sense to make the viewer available to all users of a facility
at once. After all, you don’t know how they want to use the viewer. Therefore,
start with selected users, with whom you then work out which functions
and information the viewer should be presenting. Keep in mind that users
from different departments also have different requirements. Once you
have gone through all possible scenarios, you can make the viewer available
to all users. The users involved with the evaluation will help you convince
their colleagues of the viewer!
✔✔Only configure the functions that are required.
A function that is available and usable is bound to be used by users who do
not actually need it. This can lead to problems. For reasons of data protection
alone, for example, not every user should be allowed to print or export
documents.
✔✔Sufficient time for training should be allocated early on.
The multi-format viewer is the heart of the HCM system from the user’s
point of view. If users cannot handle it because they were not trained in it
or were trained too late, the acceptance of the entire system will suffer. So
plan for extensive training at an early stage. It is advisable to train particularly
savvy users as »key users« so that they are available as point of contact
in the respective departments. This will help the users and also you!
Step seven: sharing data
We’re slowly approaching the finish line. The last step is to make selected data
from your institution available to external parties. Typically, institutions do not
take this step until they have sufficient experience with handling the HCM system.
When that time comes, there are various reasons and target groups for this.
First, define the institutions with which you want to share data and, above all,
which data you want to share.
Depending on the target group, different data may be of interest. While referring
physicians are often only interested in findings or discharge reports, auditors of a
medical review board of an NHI want to obtain all data of a patient’s hospital stay.