1. Sunny Happy Care Family Practice
Component 8 Installation and Maintenance of Health IT Systems
Sunny Happy Care Family Practice
Welcome to the Sunny Happy Care Practice for component 8.
This material was developed by Duke University, funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology under Award Number IU24OC

2. Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0 Spring 2011
SHC Family Practice
Located in Boca-Rotan
Nine Employees
Two Full-time Physicians
Two NPs
Two Nurses
Three Office Staff
The SHC (Sunny Happy Care) Family Practice is a small, two-physician, outpatient practice located in Boca-Rotan, Florida which for many years has used a traditional system of paper records and folders to manage patient information, along with an electronic practice management system for appointments and billing. Their nine employees consist of two physicians, two nurse practitioners (NPs), two nurses, a practice manager, a bookkeeper, and an office clerk.
Logo from MS Clip Art collection – Small logo for SHC Family Practice
Component 8/Unit 4 supplement
Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0 Spring 2011

3. Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0 Spring 2011
SHC Family Practice
Why an EHR?
Currently using paper records
Improved workplace efficiency
Cost Savings
Threat of penalties for not transitioning
For several years, the physicians and NPs and their practice manager have had growing interest in installing an electronic health records (EHR) system. Switching to an EHR system would eliminate the need to store so many paper records on site, increasing much needed work space. Additionally, they suspected it would bring other efficiencies to their practice that would lead ultimately to cost savings, but they have always been too intimidated by the cost and too confused by the complex, changing EHR market to seriously investigate a purchase.
With the advent of federal financial incentives to adopt healthcare information technology (HIT), however - along with the threat of future financial penalties for failing to do so - the SHC staff has decided the time is right to purchase an EHR.
Component 8/Unit 4 supplement
Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0 Spring 2011

4. Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0 Spring 2011
SHC Family Practice
What are they looking for?
Cost savings - by increasing productivity
Qualify for governmental financial incentives
User-friendliness
One of the initial steps they take is to make a list of their top HIT goals & priorities. During their pre-planning interview the EHR approval committee indicated they were looking for the following features for their EHR:
Cost savings - by increasing productivity, i.e. more operational growth without hiring additional FTEs (since they don't want to fire anyone!)
Qualify for governmental financial incentives
User-friendliness
Component 8/Unit 4 supplement
Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0 Spring 2011

5. Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0 Spring 2011
SHC Family Practice
What are they looking for?
E-prescribing, including electronic management of refill requests
Result viewing and tracking, including images (i.e. PACS)
E-documentation
Quality reporting (e.g. "How many of my diabetic patients are at their target hemoglobin A1c and blood pressure?")
E-prescribing, including electronic management of refill requests
Result viewing and tracking, including images (i.e. PACS)
E-documentation
Quality reporting (e.g. "How many of my diabetic patients are at their target hemoglobin A1c and blood pressure?")
Component 8/Unit 4 supplement
Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0 Spring 2011

6. Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0 Spring 2011
SHC Family Practice
What are they looking for?
Possibly a new PMS…
If a new PMS system is chosen, they would want enhancements to:
scheduling of appointments
billing
They are also looking to update their practice management system – Cost however, is a factor. In order to be compatible with the rest of their new EHR, do they need an upgrade? or should they pursue robust interfaces?
The practice is currently using Sage Intergy PMS software version 5.5 and like it very much. The practice managers are considering integrating it into the new EHR system instead of replacement.
If a new PMS system is chosen, they would want enhancements to:
scheduling of appointments
Billing
Component 8/Unit 4 supplement
Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0 Spring 2011

7. Important Notes and Constraints
SHC is a busy place!
Project completion outset approximately 12 months
Integrate old paper records
The approval committee also made these comments during the pre planning interview:
SHC is a busy clinic and can only afford minimal downtime periods in order to keep up with patient demand.
The SHC practice would like to have a new EHR system in place in approximately 12 months at the outset.
SHC would also like to have the old paper patient records somehow integrated into the new EHR system.
Component 8/Unit 4 supplement
Health IT Workforce Curriculum Version 2.0 Spring 2011