GreenCastle
ARRA Readiness Assessment:
Time is of the essence
The economic stimulus legislation, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), is an unprecedented $19 billion program to promote the adoption and use of health information technology (HIT) and electronic health records (EHRs). To benefit from this bill, organizations will need to demonstrate timely action on clinical initiatives. These initiatives must be focused on improving outcomes and the coordination of care for the organization to be rewarded. Projects of this complexity require significant preparation, planning and coordination.
Incentive payments for “meaningful use” of EHR technology could commence as early as October 2010, the beginning of the 2011 fiscal year. ARRA represents $2 million as a starting point for most hospitals and as much as $10 million over several years for large hospitals. These incentives are available provided certain certification, security and privacy conditions defined in the Act are met. Given these stakes, chief executives and financial officers are looking to their IT organizations to seize the opportunity.
In the coming months, demands on your IT staff, vendors, and others will mount. Healthcare organizations need to begin preparing and developing an action plan as soon as possible. Greencastle’s readiness assessment is your first step.
A four-week road to readiness
The Greencastle readiness assessment will focus on the variables of “meaningful use:” the technologies as described by the HIMSS Analytics model; your ability to capture and use quality data to improve outcomes; and successful exchange of information with other sources in such a way that promotes coordination of care. Meaningful use cannot be demonstrated without clinician usage and adoption of HIT.
The readiness assessment includes an inventory of the current IT portfolio. Identifying gaps from ARRA requirements with consideration of the current IT strategy will enable a targeted plan to maximize incentives.
The final product of the assessment is a cost- and risk-adjusted readiness action plan that will provide detailed actions and serve as a guide for executive decision-making.
Specific adoption best practices will be provided based on your organization’s culture.
| Portfolio Inventory | Cross references current projects and plans with ARRA requirements |
|---|---|
| ARRA Capability GAP Assessment | Detects and prioritizes areas not aligned with ARRA requirements |
| Clinician Usage | Gauges obstacles and attitude toward usage/adoption |
| Executive Assessment | Creates awareness among senior leaders regarding challenges, benefits, necessary decisions and key leverage points |
| Detailed Assessment Report |
Identifies strengths, obstacles and watch areas |
| Readiness Action Plan | Deliberate action cost and risk adjusted |
By closely monitoring the emerging requirements from ARRA and the related Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, Greencastle will ensure senior leaders have an objective assessment and plan to maximize the incentives available. Greencastle’s experienced consulting teams can efficiently and effectively assess your organization’s readiness:
- Current IT roadmap to maximize the opportunities to achieve the incentives available
- Adoption and “meaningful use” of installed clinical technology
- Capacity to archive, retrieve and report quality indicators
Learn more about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and Greencastle's Steps to Readiness, or contact Greencastle Consulting today!