Mike Lucey, founder and president of Paragon consulting firm Community Hospital Advisors, paints an intimate picture of Horizon end user reaction. ”I work with the IT folks and the doctors, nurses, therapists, and revenue cycle folks that actually use the product. They take it personally. This is their product,” he explains. “It’s very hard for the users to get around the idea that McKesson is taking something away that they like and works for them and giving them something that for years and years has been pitched as not good enough for their needs. They feel like they had the rug pulled out from under them.”
In Lucey’s best estimation, between 50 and 60 Horizon customers are still evaluating their options and “a couple hundred” are on Paragon, with half of those being migrations.
“It’s important to remember that frustration has a half-life,” he says. “People get frustrated, they get angry, they stomp their feet. They run around and they put out RFPs and they get their responses back. Then the reality of money sets in. I think that’s where we are now. How many phases are there to grief? You know, you have denial. They kind of get stuck on anger for a while. Then somewhere along the way there’s acceptance. I think that’s the phase this market has gotten to. Folks are recognizing that they need to make a rational decision with good information.”
Mike, a long-time friend of ours, provided a fantastic overview of what McKesson Horizon EHR customers are feeling since being told by the corporation that Paragon will be the only EHR supported in the future.
We are and have helped many Horizon customers successfully migrate to Paragon.
