Preparing for the Cloud: Replacing your MMIS or ERP with cloud-based services

The advantages to cloud computing are many, backed by expansive computing power and improved security and efficiency at a lower cost. In line with the trend across most every industry, healthcare has traction and is gaining momentum in the shift to a cloud computing model for these very same advantages. However, preparing your organization to move your Materials Management Information System (MMIS) / Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to a new cloud technology platform is no easy task, and a change of this magnitude necessitates new thinking. Replacing the MMIS/ERP with cloud-based services impacts many critical facets of your organization including finance, human resources, and supply chain.

Not only does a change on this scale take a lot of planning and coordination, but also a deep-understanding of how the new cloud platform impacts systems you currently use today or might need once the cloud platform is implemented. In fact, you will be reshaping your capabilities with your ERP/MMIS as a result of the cloud — allowing more flexibility at a faster pace than before. Current solutions that you leverage will likely be impacted by the change. It is critically important to find service providers that provide a secure and hardened environment to prepare for future, unanticipated changes/replacements to your MMIS/ERP.

In preparation for a cloud-based migration for your ERP or MMIS, consider these five questions.

1. Do your considerations for change management reflect the latest industry best practices when updating your current MMIS/ERP to a cloud-based solution?
2. What steps need to be taken to ensure your data is accurate before loading into a new MMIS/ERP system?
3. What custom developed solutions in your current system need to be addressed prior to migration?
4. When do you expect to go live with this update? Months or years?
5. What tools does supply chain rely on that plug into your current MMIS and how will those be impacted?

The cloud has far reaching potential for healthcare providers with flexibility, security and efficiency and at a lower cost. And, with major ERP solution providers transitioning to the cloud, planning for a cloud-based service migration for your ERP or MMIS is likely to be on your radar at some point in the not too far future. Let us know how we can help— pnelson@ghx.com.

Read more from Peter Nelson about the impact of cloud computing and healthcare data silos on the Hub. Cloud Computing’s Power to Break Down Healthcare Data Silos