Comprehensive ROI Analysis on EHR Migration Yields Executive Support

Many consulting organizations can do cost analysis for a major EHR migration. Few consulting organizations can conduct a thorough analysis of the benefits of an EHR migration. This was done by Tegria by engaging operational leadership to gain concurrence and buy in.

ROBERT K EARDLEYChief Information Officer, University Hospitals—Cleveland

Background and Challenge

For more than 155 years, University Hospitals (UH) has been on a mission to heal, teach, and discover. As a renowned academic medical center and community hospital network, UH has expanded across Northeast Ohio to deliver what matters most to their patients: personalized, compassionate care; medical discoveries and breakthroughs; and high-quality, affordable care close to home.

UH wanted to modernize their clinical and revenue cycle platforms to provide a solution that was best for their patients, providers, staff, and bottom line. Switching EHR platforms is a major investment, so UH leadership sought understanding beyond the costs of the migration. Tegria was hired to help develop a business case that included a thorough analysis of the potential return on this major investment.

Solution

Tegria investigated UH’s current pain points, how they might be reduced, and the potential financial lift UH could expect from a new platform. The resulting business case included the cost of the system implementation and a return-on-investment model for 20 key performance indicators for UH’s operations, including:

• Expected revenue gains from improved scheduling, fewer appointment cancellations, better referral completion, physician efficiency, and clinical revenue capture automation
• Projected cost savings from fewer insurance denials, reduced bad debt, and fewer patient adverse drug reactions due to better record sharing
• Improved margin from the transition to value-based care, population health and research
• Non-financial benefits, including caregiver satisfaction, patient engagement, and integration of additional specialties into the EHR platform