Here are 10 things to keep in mind as you plan and implement your information system for your new facility.

Plan ahead
Plan your system selection and implementation well in advance of opening to avoid hasty decision-making and a rushed implementation. IT planning and implementation typically takes eight to 12 weeks for a new facility, and this follows the selection of the system itself, which may take several months or more.

Don't let the selection of a vendor slip until the last moment and rush the installation just to have something in place for the opening. And don't let someone unfamiliar with the ASC industry guide your software selection.

Select the right tool for the job
Just because a software package has local popularity or support does not mean it's an appropriate fit for your facility or will support your unique requirements. Your facility is not a physician's practice and it isn't an acute-care hospital, so don't select a software application designed for those environments.

Here are a few vendors who provide software specifically for outpatient surgical facilities: Prescient Healthcare Systems (www.prescienthealthcare.com), Camberley Systems (www.camberley.com) and Source Medical Solutions (www.sourcemed.net). These vendors provide solutions that automate the business processes typically found in an ASC. Design your processes, forms and daily operation so they are properly aligned with the workflow provided in your software. Understand in advance your responsibilities versus your vendor's, as well as all costs, including hardware, networking, software installation, travel, warranty coverage and so on. Consider the following criteria when selecting a vendor:

• the advice of your development company or consultant;
• an experienced management team with a proven track record in the ASC industry;
• support for leading-edge technology based on industry standards;
• full software functionality and features;
• quality support services;
• financial stability and positive long-term outlook; and
• product price.

A note of caution: Don't consider building a best-of-breed solution by trying to mix or integrate applications from different vendors. Given an ASC's primary focus on patient care, there is typically not time or resources to build or manage this type of system. Also, don't select a product on the basis of price alone.

Get behind the project
Executive sponsorship and commitment are important. Outline to your staff your vision of a successful implementation and how your new information system will assist your facility in improving efficiency, improving service to physicians and patients, and providing the timely and accurate information necessary to properly manage your facility.

Identify your internal point people, preferably one for the business office and another for the clinical staff, to be the primary contacts and system champions within your facility.

Time your training and implementation carefully. This is particularly challenging for a new facility that has different staff starting employment at different intervals. In my experience, early classroom training for key individuals followed up by onsite training for other staff works best. Ensure that executive management are visibly behind the new system. This is especially true for existing facilities where existing staff may have allegiance to a legacy software system.

Don't select your vendor and think the job is over. Manage the implementation as you would any other project.

Two other notes of caution: First, don't assume it will be business as usual during your system installation. Plan for disruption and prepare your staff and work flow for a major change. And avoid scheduling onsite training either too far in advance of opening or at the same time you are opening.

Align with a quality local provider of hardware and network services
There's no substitute for having a good relationship with a quality local hardware/network service provider who can provide timely onsite support services. Based on the software you select, your vendor can identify what technologies will need to be supported. In some cases, local vendors will also provide Web hosting and development services. This offers the added benefit of having one provider for your operational and public-facing systems.

A few tips: Request a customer list of other healthcare providers and check references (don't work with a vendor who doesn't have experience with other healthcare providers). Confirm that the vendor is certified in the technologies that need to be supported. Develop a good relationship with your local vendor and heed their advice. And insist on a written agreement for any services to be provided.

Invest in your system infrastructure
Your information system is a key component of the efficiency and success of your facility. Use brand-name equipment, installed by certified providers. Invest in a broadband connection to the Internet, such as DSL, cable or frame relay to stay connected to your patients, physicians, suppliers and payers.

As a rule, overbuy on IT equipment and software. The added investment will save on future investments in labor costs to repair and upgrade these components sooner than necessary. Also, only purchase brand-name equipment. There are vendors who build quality systems locally, but the savings are not worth the risk.

Invest in your Web site
Your site says a lot about your facility and in many cases will form the first impression patients, surgeons and potential staff members have of your facility. Look at other Web sites, including competitors', and identify what you'd like your Web site to say about your facility. Keep the content of your site current. Provide as much information in advance of surgery as you can, including a virtual tour of your facility. While we'd all like to pay $14.95 per month for business-class Web hosting, don't be mislead. Work with a quality company that has experience with healthcare providers.

Take security and disaster recovery seriously
2003 was a bad year for computer-system security, and hardly a day goes by without hearing about the latest hacker, virus or business loss caused by malicious attacks. Work with your vendors to establish full-time virus protection, a quality firewall to protect your network and data from outside interruption and a commercially designed data-backup process. Have a disaster recovery plan. Establish a backup schedule that includes rotating a copy of your data off-premises. Confirm your backup processes are working. Don't assume your data is backed up - confirm it by having your vendor examine your backup media and attempting to restore on a regular basis. Because of inexpensive disk storage and the ease of creating CDs and DVDs, you can establish a secondary backup process that doesn't solely rely on your tape backup (still the primary method of backing up most servers).

Keep your original software media and licensing information in a secure location so you can provide it quickly if needed. Stay current with the necessary patches and software upgrades that ensure up-to-date protection.

Invest in training
I'm continually surprised by how many facilities don't take advantage of ongoing training services from vendors. Training is best when offered in smaller chunks over a period of time. Don't overload busy staff with an overly intense period of training - particularly during the week or two after the facility opens.

HIPAA compliance
HIPAA compliance depends heavily on technology. An up-to-date information system can help ensure that your facility can submit claims in the proper format, secure your data and protect the confidentiality of patient information. Be sure that your software and hardware vendors understand HIPAA and will certify that their products are compliant. Have your HIPAA compliance officer work closely with your software provider to confirm how your selected application addresses HIPAA, and make sure that your policies and procedures are updated accordingly.

Select your EDI clearinghouse partners carefully
Let's face it, despite HIPAA's effort to streamline transaction processing, submitting and managing your insurance claims electronically is still a complex process with risks and pitfalls. Work with a well-established clearinghouse and let it handle the majority of the work for you. I particularly like Global HealthNet, Inc. (www.ghnonline.com), because of its long-term experience in working with ASCs on a national basis.