Physician exec group offers health IT boost for doctors

Feeling like it could take you years to learn what you need to know about health information technology?  There may be an easier way to prepare yourself for embracing your EHR.

A leading physicians' group has rolled out an intense new 40-hour course covering various aspects of health IT -- one which could translate into credits toward earning a master's in healthcare management. The program is aimed at clinicians who are being pushed, like it our not, into playing leadership roles in the brave new EHR-based world, according to Information Week magazine.

The course, offered by the American College of Physician Executives, offers physicians the chance to study  up on number of topics, including health information exchanges, adoption and implementation of EHRs, organizational culture and change management and clinical technologies like e-prescribing.

Finishing the course isn't cheap. By the time physicians have completed their capstone program and project, they'll have had to dish out $4,800. But it does provide category 1 CME credits. More importantly, it gives physicians a chance to get a broad, and fairly thorough, understanding of how the whole health IT puzzle fits together. And that may very well be worth the price.  

After all (and this may be a painful reminder for some) kicking off the EHR is the first step in what's likely to be a long technology rollout. You may be able to put off connecting to a local health information network or adding e-prescribing, but have no doubt, the time will come when you'll have to put up or shut up.

Now, before you begin to think I'm a paid spokesperson for the ACPE, I should note that I can't vouch for the quality of their program directly. But it does look like they're providing a solid mix of study and practical advice.

The bottom line is that if you want to roll out EHRs successfully, it's a good idea to understand how they fit into the larger health IT picture.  Someday, if not today, your practice will depend on it.

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