In Healthcare IT the department structure at most organizations is constant, there are the clinical, financial, and technology departments with a little variation here and there. As we look to large upcoming efforts, perhaps it would be best to consider establishing a temporary or a permanent program office.
A program is a collection of related projects for example the endeavors to achieve meaningful use. These projects must be carefully sequenced in order to achieve the end goal of patient safety.
As staff is on boarded to achieve these capital initiatives, it may be at a rate beyond the absorption ability of the current team. If the organization is looking at on boarding above 35 it analysts, informatics, and others to work on this initiative, it may be time to consider a temporary program management office. This Program Management Office will be focused on the management of the project with perhaps a project director and administrative support. The subteam leads will report into the project director. At the end of the program, this PMO will disband.
Another tactic would be to look at the capital initiatives schedule for the next 3 years. Given the fact that growth and projects are coming down the pick, and continuing operations need to be supported. It may make sense to have a permanent program management office to manage this project work. Often in this instant, there is a project director, and a team of project managers in the PMO. Sometimes there are even integration analysts, business analysts, and programmers whose focus is the capital project work. These resources are used to implement the solutions, and then transition the solution to the operations support team for long term support.
The takeaway
If you see a single large initiative coming down the pike, it may make sense to have a project director manage this program instead of adding it to the operational director's plate. If it seems to be a continuing trend of initiative after initiative, it is time to have a permanent structure in place to achieve business results.Subscribe and Share!
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Welcome to the Healthcare IT Project Management Blog of Elyse Nielsen. This is the place where I share the ideas I have learned, the things I’d like to remember, and my thoughts for a brighter future. Find out more.
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