Flawless information system implementation.

When it was decided to replace the homegrown materiel management information system at Barnes Hospital, a 1,200-bed hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, with a more comprehensive one, the aim was to have a swift, error-free selection, testing and implementation process. It met these goals by dedicating the following resources to the process: 1) a dedicated, full-time user responsible for requirements definition, testing, training and user support, 2) a dedicated IS support team for selection, testing and implementation of the software package, 3) availability of additional personnel in Materiel Management for general assistance, 4) a team approach, both at the project team level, and hospital wide, 5) a total commitment to quality at every phase, 6) a thorough approach to testing, both at the system level, and at the unit, or program level and 7) the vendor commitment of extra time, money and energy to help us make the system work to the best of its ability.