If you’re searching for the best Hl7 interface engine, you can’t afford to do so casually. Your decision will affect the efficiency of clinicians, the quality of diagnosis, patient care, and your organization’s bottom line.
The truth is that the future of healthcare is tied to the efficient flow of data. Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) survey revealed that 70 percent of financial executives in healthcare believe that data interoperability must improve to achieve value-based care.
Building or selecting a new interface engine also involves a substantial financial commitment. So, take a few minutes to discover mistakes you must avoid; they could save your organization thousands of dollars over the next few years.
1. Not Engaging the Right Stakeholders from the Start
Don’t make the mistake of treating an interface engine project like replacing a computer workstation or a simple application. If you do that, you won’t get the full support and funding you need.
An interface engine determines the flow of critical healthcare data in your organization. So, you must connect with everyone on the selection team and approve funding for the project.
In most mid-sized to large healthcare facilities, this team includes a mix of business partners, clinicians, technical experts, and health IT leaders.
2. Using an Incomplete Requirements List
Creating a scanty list of requirements for your new interface engine can be a recipe for failure. Don’t expect your vendor to know all your needs.
Your interface engine will need to be developed or customized to meet your unique needs. That’s why you need to specify your requirements for:
- Speed
- Reliability
- Scalability
- Connectivity
- Type of data to exchange
- Performance monitoring
Some of the pitfalls you need to avoid include:
- Stating requirements for the present without any consideration for future growth
- Choosing criteria without considering existing technical skills and the cost of acquiring new skills
3. Poor Handling of the Proposal Request Process
A poorly written request for information (RFI) or proposal will put off the best vendors. They will think your organization is not serious.
On the other hand, a detailed RFI will reveal your organization’s commitment to investing in developing a new interface engine.
The RFI should do the following:
- Describe your organization’s goals
- Reveal the current and projected size of your organization
- Give the number of applications and interfaces needed to connect them
- Show the expected number of messages per day
- Describe the process and timeline for selecting a vendor
When you give adequate details about the commitment of funds and project timelines, you will attract more qualified vendors.
4. Poor Estimation of Project Costs
After you get responses from your vendor, you will have a rough estimate of the cost of developing and deploying a new engine. But you must avoid the mistake of taking this as the total cost of funding the project.
To have a successful deployment, you need to calculate the cost of migrating interfaces. You may also need to acquire new hardware or boost your network infrastructure.
Ensure that you check the availability of any specialized labor or skills and examine the learning curve for the tools and technology offered by the vendor. All the effort you put into finding or developing an interface engine will pay off for years to come.
It’s an investment that will cause data to flow seamlessly in your organization – reducing costs and improving patient care.
Get the Best HL7 Interface Engine for Your Organization
Contact Lifepoint Informatics today at 877.522.8378 to book a free demo of our interface engine. Or reach us through our contact page now to book a free consultation.