Law Students

Part VI of this series can be found here. Most providers and facilities will find it extremely difficult to meet their EHR/compliance objectives without an effective partnering strategy. Why? For all the reasons that we have discussed during this series. There is simply far too much complexity for any one organization to go it alone. That said, there are some partners listed below that might not be considered "traditional."

Developing an effective partnering strategy involves, at its core, developing a set of trusted relationships. It might surprise you that regulators can be effective partners. How so? If you engage them early in the process and build rapport then many are willing to point you to available resources that might help simplify certain tasks. That's not to say that a regulator won't be rigorous in his/her enforcement, but rather it is simply human nature to lend more assistance to people we know and trust.

Likewise, trusted colleagues within the industry can be great partners. By and large, providers and facilities of similar sizes will be solving analogous problems. There is much to gain from sharing lessons learned early in the process. Unfortunately, the "yearly" conferences usually do not provide the necessary forum often enough for this type of sharing to be effective. However, the virtual tools are now mature enough that travel is not required. Learn to use the tools available to your advantage and build collaborative relationships with peers in the industry.

It is often difficult to discuss partnering concepts without sounding "pollyannaish." Who needs it? We all do. Our professional lives have become far too complex. Lastly, building effective partnerships is not "kids stuff," its hard work. Get busy.

Part VIII of this series can be found here.

If you would like more information regarding EHR implementations, and related compliance issues, sign up for our FREE HITECH/HIPAA Compliance Newsletter.