Implementation Success Hinges on Business Owner Inclusion

Communication helps overcome another barrier to a good implementation—resistance to change. One organization reduced the impact of change by optimizing the workflows before the implementation. This way, users can’t blame the technology for the new workflow. They also get to familiarize themselves with the workflow changes before they have to learn the new technology. Lastly, this approach takes the burden of designing workflow out of the system implementation. 

Implementing a new practice management system or any other large software system is a huge undertaking that requires collaboration across an organization. A long-term, successful system cannot be implemented along department lines and without cross-functional involvement. You can help ensure the long-term success of your implementation from the very beginning by developing business ownership and engagement, which will turn into cultural ownership of the system. 

Luis Abila is a senior healthcare consultant at Hayes Management Consulting, Newton Center, Mass.