Section 1.

2 Adopt Plan
Project Management
For a health care organization implementing HIT, one or more individuals are likely to
wear many hats in support of the initiative. Whether a person is assigned as a full time
project manager, a person is employed as part IT and part project manager, a
consultant is rought on oard for the project, or another individual is provided release
time to manage the project, the jo of project management is needed.
Differentiating Project Management from Program Management
!roject management is different from the jo of program management. "ot all good
program managers ecome good project managers, and vice versa. The following tale
summarizes the difference etween managing a project and managing a program.
Project Program
Activities Many short, performed once Variable, performed repetitively
Sequence Defined pathway Repetitive
Connectivity Dependencies among activities Independent or possible pass-offs
Purpose Single, well-defined goal General objectives
ime Defined startend, intense press!re "ngoing, press!re ebbs and flows
Money #i$ed costs, avoid overr!ns %!dget, foc!s on profit and loss
Specification Vision Mission
Scope %o!ndaries of project &imitations of a!thorityresponsibility
!uality 'ontin!al ass!rance tests (!ality improvement projects
"esources Variable, m!ltidisciplinary Dedicated
#rgani$ation Matri$ &ine and staff
Project Management %unctions
For an HIT project, the project manager is generally e#pected to perform the following
functions$
% &nsure readiness for HIT adoption
' !rovide for educating the organization aout HIT
' (ssess readiness
' Facilitate identification of goals, critical success factors, assumptions,
risks, and ostacles
% )rganize the effort
' Facilitate formation of HIT steering committee
' *evelop jo descriptions for new and changed positions
' !lan communications
' *ocument project tasks
% Initiate change management
' )versee workflow and process mapping and redesign
' Identify HIT functional re+uirements
' ,oordinate technical re+uirements
Section 1.2 Adopt Plan Project Management & 1
' !lan chart conversion
% ,oordinate vendor selection
' -upport code of conduct
' (id in surveying marketplace and narrowing field of candidates
' ,oordinate .F! issuance, response, and evaluation
' ,oordinate due diligence activities
' (ssist in identifying financing/.)I
% ,oordinate implementation
' &stalish progress reporting system
' 0aintain issues/prolem1escalation log
' Install change control process
' Harmonize project plan with vendor2s plan
' *evelop roll out strategy
' 0onitor task completion
' *evelop and oversee training plan
' *evelop and oversee testing plan
' -upport system uild
' !lan and manage go live
% ,oordinate ongoing maintenance and enefits realization
Project Documentation
( key characteristic of project management is ensuring that projects are completed on
time and within udget. In addition to the skills descried in the project manager jo
description 34.56, documentation is a crucial ingredient in successful project
management.
!roject documentation$
% !romotes ojectivity
% (voids re1work
% Helps achieve on1time, on1udget implementation
% Is evidence of action
% -upports training
% Is a reference for future changes
-ome forms of project documentation a project manager should e prepared to handle
include$
% 0eeting agendas and minutes 34.56
% ,ommunication planning and tracking 34.46
% -election evaluation 34.76
% Issues log 35.46
% !lans and progress 35.46
% 8udgets and invoices 34.46
% !rocess improvement 34.56
% -ystem documentation 35.46
% ,hange control 35.46
% Training logs 35.46
% Test results 35.46
Project Management ime Commitment
Section 1.2 Adopt Plan Project Management & 2
(n ideal scenario is for a health care delivery organization is to have a full time
project manager. 9arger organizations are creating project management offices
3!0)6. For very small organizations, the project management functions likely will e
an addition to someone2s jo. If this is true, all of the characteristics and functions
descried apply: the individual must e ale to manage the project as well as other
work. )nce clinical information systems are eing selected and implemented, the role
of project management in even a very small organization can easily consume 5; to ;<
percent of an individual2s time. !roject management is not easily divided among
several people. )ne individual, with a strong supporting HIT steering committee, is
essential.
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Section 1.2 Adopt Plan Project Management & )