Practice Management System
Procurement
Project Charter
Docum ent Version: 1.0
Last Saved: 5/1/2005
Review Draft
Approved by Project Team
PMS Procurement
Project Charter
Table of Content
STRATEGIC VISION
PROJECT OVERVIEW
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
PROJECT SCOPE
DELIVERABLES
PROJECT DESIGN ASSUMPTIONS
TIME LINE OF KEY PROJECT MILESTONES
PROJECT ORGANIZATION
TEAM MEMBERS
ROLES
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
RISKS & RISK MANAGEMENT APPROACH
ISSUE AND SCOPE MANAGEMENT
COMMUNICATION PLAN
SIGNATURES
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PM System Procurement
Project Charter
STRATEGIC VISION
The mission of the clinic is included here..
The project vision is to invest in people, business process improvements, technology infrastructure and
new practice management system to provide operational stability and to support growth and relevant
operational objectives for next 5 to 7 years.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
We are engaged in a procurement process for a new practice management system (PM system) for our
clinics and health centers. The new system will replace the current PM system. This system has served
us well but has several significant limitations. It has been recently concluded that further investment in
the current PM system should cease and an integrated PM system from an established vendor be procured
to replace it. We have also identified a need to develop the internal IS/IT resources required to manage
and operate the new system.
The goals set for this project are to have a signed contract for new PM system on a tightly controlled time
line, and to have begun the process of building the internal capacity to successfully implement, manage,
and operate the system into the future. We have engaged consultants to design and participate in a project
to select PM system and contract with a vendor in this time frame. To accomplish these goals, the project
will require:
 Commitment from project stakeholders including organizational management, clinic
management, project team, and technology staff
 The availability of resources (including significant staff time) to assure the completion of high
quality deliverables by the consultants
 A clinic project leader to handle the day to day communications and logistics
 Rapid response and decision-making by stakeholders, executives, managers, and other project
participants within their defined scopes of authority
The PM system procurement project described in this proposal will include four distinct phases: Project
Initiation, RFP Development, System/Vendor Selection, and Vendor Contracting.
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Project Charter
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Several high-level goals and objectives have been identified. These can also be considered guiding
principles as the team moves though the system selection process.

The PM system must be "user friendly" to facilitate effective training and operations in a fast
paced environment. The consultants will help clearly define “user friendly” so this requirement
can be included in the RFP and objectively evaluated during the selection process.

The PM system must support the organizational goal of growth, having the capacity to scale up to
20 clinics.
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The PM system must facilitate better utilization of our current facilities and staff, allowing for as
many as 200,000 patient visits a year by 2010.

The PM system needs to provide staff with a tool to enhance operational efficiencies, enabling
staff to provide better and faster service to patients.

The PM system needs to be compatible with best of breed Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
applications or be an integrated system with PM system/EMR components, although full blown
EMR functionality is not on the near term horizon.

The PM system needs to have available or easily developed interfaces to some existing internal
software applications.

The PM system needs to provide interconnectivity with all our sites to be able to track patients
who seek services at multiple sites.

The PM system needs to be flexible to change with business, data, billing, and reporting needs.
An "open" database with the ability to analyze data and generate reports on all data elements that
are captured and stored in the system is desired. Ease of reporting with a commercially available
report-writer is a must.

The PM system needs to have the ability to effectively navigate the PM system using both
keyboard commands and a mouse.

The application must be compatible with current technology standards to enable interoperability
with other applications, ease of reporting and access to data for research, analysis, and reporting.

The vendor must demonstrate stability, longevity, and a strong, proven record of excellent
customer support.

The vendor and product must demonstrate proven knowledge and experience in California in
similar setting as ours, including services, regulatory and funding.

The application must support multi-site scheduling and integrate with use of a call center.
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PM System Procurement
Project Charter

The PM system must have the flexibility to offer web-based functionalities that will allow us to
take advantage of new business models, to gain productivity advantages through online
appointment functionality, and to leverage the capabilities of the Internet within the system.

The technical architecture of the PM system must provide for scalability so we will not outgrow
the system and built in redundancy so there is no single point of failure. Mission critical systems
require this capacity.

The technical architecture of system and software must provide easy path to creating and setting
up complete redundant, co-processing center for disaster recovery.

We require a system that supports the requirements of their total organizational, including
growing the donor base, providing community outreach services, and building the activist base.

The PM system must be compliant with all HIPAA regulations.
PROJECT SCOPE
Deliverables
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Project Charter
Project Timeline/Work Breakdown Structure
Operational Assessment, Needs Assessment, Process Flow Diagrams and System Design
Technology Management Assessment
Functional Requirements
Technical Requirements
Request for Proposal (RFP) Document
Vendor/System Overview Analysis
Proposal Evaluation Criteria and Worksheet
Site Visit Evaluation Worksheet
Vendor Interview Evaluation Criteria Worksheet
Vendor Interview Agenda, Scenarios and Participant Criteria
Due Diligence Analysis
Functional and Technical Specifications
Best and Final RFP
Contract Appendices
Legal Review of Contract and Appendices
Contract with PM system Vendor
Project Design Assumptions
The following is a list of assumptions used as the basis for the design of this project:

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Three or four vendors will be considered based on their organization’s proven ability to deliver
and support PM system systems in California.
There are several separate but related projects that need to be coordinated with this one. The
reengineering, redesign, and standardization of clinic, billing, and inventory workflow procedures
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Project Charter

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will be finalized as the contract is being negotiated with the vendor of choice. An upgrade of the
technology infrastructure will need to be completed by the implementation phase of the project.
Time is of the essence as the ability as the current system will not adequately serve our needs
going forward.
The PM system project is a high priority project to the organization and the management team
will support staff to assure that they will be able to participate and contribute in a timely and
effective manner.
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Time Line of Key Project Milestones
A detailed project plan and time line will be maintained throughout the project. This time line of key
milestones provides a high-level overview of the project.
Milestone
Start Date
Finish Date
Project Initiation and Design
Proposal Generation
Operational Analysis
Functional Needs Assessment
Baseline Technology Assessment
Functionality Requirements
Develop RFP Process Structure
Assemble RFP
RFP Released
Proposal Evaluation
Proposal Deadline
Preliminary Evaluation Meeting
Proposal Questions
Reference Checking
Proposal Evaluation/Narrow the Field
Select Vendor of Choice
Vendor Interviews
Site Visits
Due Diligence
Best and Final RFP
Best and Final Proposal Deadline
Presentation of Final Analysis
Selection of Vendor of Choice
Vendor Contracting
Develop Specifications/Appendices
Negotiate Contract Terms
Develop Implementation/Training Plans
Sign Contract with Vendor
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Project Charter
PROJECT ORGANIZATION
Team Members
Name
Organization
Project Role
Phone
E-mail
Stakeholder
Project Co-Sponsor
Stakeholder
Project Co-Sponsor
Stakeholder
Project Co-Sponsor
Clinic Project Manager
Project Admin Assistant
PM Project Team
Technical Analyst- IT
PM Project Team
Functional AnalystClient Services
PM Project Team
Functional AnalystClient Services
PM Project Team
Financial Analyst
PM Project Team
Functional AnalystBilling/Claims
PM Project Team
Applications Specialist
(Analyst/Coordinator)
Lead Consultant
Project Management and
Technology
Consultant
Clinical Services
Support Consultant
Project Management and
Specification
Development
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Roles
Role
All Roles
Project Stakeholders
Project Manager
Technical Analysts
Internal & Confidential
Responsibility
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Timely, complete, and honest project communication
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Confidentiality
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Using email as primary communication mechanism
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Project advocate and visionary
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Final decision point for escalated issues
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Guides team, clears organizational obstacles to achieve project goals
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Communicates project status to executive management
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Tracks and addresses program/project issues & action items
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Participates day-to-day in forward progress of the project
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Processes and controls change requests as necessary
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Coordinates the administration of the project (meetings, conference calls)
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Monitors critical path of project activities and institutes risk management
initiatives.
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Serves as central point of contact for team members, consultants and
vendors
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Contributes to project deliverables
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Provides information for technology baseline assessment
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Integrates system requirements into the organization’s technology plan
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Manages on-going system software installation
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Performs capacity planning
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Administers the data security and control procedures
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Provides technical requirements for the project
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Participates in Super User training sessions
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Participates in Technical and System training
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Is a member of the PM Project Team
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Project Charter
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Provides knowledge of key operational and/or clinical processes
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Participates in Super User training sessions
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Identifies issues during project implementation, activation, and postimplementation
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Provides information on workflow and processes required to develop
requirements and specifications
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Provides domain knowledge about patient scheduling, resource scheduling
(people & things: clinics, call center, billing, claims...)
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Provides domain knowledge about current type of services being provided &
ability to get future services to be offered
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Provides knowledge of any legal/compliance constraints
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Provides knowledge of any reporting requirements by external
agency/authority
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Responsible for providing information contributing to current business
process documentation, including training, forms to be used at clinics, and
standard operating procedures
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Responsible for assessing gaps in people capacity/capabilities, creating plan
and implementing them to coincide with overall PM system timeline
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Member of the PM Project Team
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Provides guidance and analyses to the project team to inform decision
making
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Researches vendors and reviews vendor deliverables
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Provides templates and tools to complete project deliverables
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Identify tasks and/or resource requirements allowing at least two weeks of
forward visibility for project planning purposes
Functional Analysts
Project Consultant
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Risks & Risk Management Approach
ID
Risk Description
Risk Mitigation Plan
1
There have been recent changes on the
clinic’s management team.
Discuss all project assumptions and revise them
as necessary. Develop the project charter into a
document that captures the expectations of the
Stakeholders.
2
There has been some discussion of a potential
PM system collaboration.
The current intention of the clinic is NOT to
participate in any collaborative RFP, but this
position will be reassessed as the project
continues.
3
There is a high degree of operational
autonomy among our individual health center
Make sure that center managers and key staff
members at each clinic are informed and their
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PM System Procurement
Project Charter
sites. In order to gain the full measure of
benefits from the new system, business
process reengineering and standards of
practice will need to be developed.
input is sought, both when assessing the current
state as well as when designing the future state.
Exceptions to standards are to be expected but
should not be the rule.
4
Business process reengineering and redesign
that relates to functionality automated in the
PM system will be a separate project that
must be tightly integrated with this one.
This project should be scoped and a plan put into
place to complete a reengineering effort during
the contracting phase of this project.
5
Interdepartmental decision-making and
coordination is not yet tested. A major
project of this nature has not been undertaken
with the current senior executives, and a
“give-and-take” process will be key to the
success of the PM system selection.
Err on the side of more frequent communication,
perhaps opting for more frequent but shorter
meetings. Document all rationale and reasoning
behind decisions that could result in
policy/procedure requirements during system
implementation and operations.
6
A new clinic will open during the course of
the project.
The project manager will keep a complete list of
planned opening and needs, along with the
planned service offerings and staffing concerns.
Project milestones and deliverables will need to
be coordinated accordingly.
7
Project timeline: there is very little slack in
the project to account for unanticipated
delays.
Monitor the project timeline on a constant basis
to determine if tasks are on track and, if not, see
if additional resources applied to the task can
bring it back on schedule.
8
Resource Constraints: When staff are pulled
away from already full time positions, there is
not an easy way to back fill.
Identify in advance where input or participation
in the process will be required from staff and
leadership. The management team has identified
this project as ‘high priority’ and will make the
resources available to complete the project
successfully.
9
Vacations and leaves: It is likely that over the
duration of this project key participants will
go on leave or vacation.
Make sure that key project members inform the
project manager of pending vacations and leaves
and manage critical path deliverables to account
for these scheduled absences.
10
HIPAA compliance is a moving target,
specifically with regard to security and
transactions/code sets.
Vendors will need to be certified as HIPAA
compliant and have proven HIPAA compliant
installations that can be verified. Their track
records will need to be evaluated.
11
Computer literacy of staff: a new system may
have a higher set of computer skills
requirements that he current system, and
while most staff members have some
experience as they are cross-trained for front
and back office, the licensed clinical staffs are
not currently using the computers.
Engage clinicians in the planning process,
stressing potential benefits of using the PM
system features to improve patient care. Include
all staff in regular updates concerning project
progress. We will prepare a comprehensive
training plan when the PM system is selected
that accounts for new system requirements and
different learning styles of staff members.
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Project Charter
12
Coordination between teams, analysts, and
consultants
Consultants will participate in stakeholder and
PM Project Team meetings as required. All
project members will follow established project
communications protocols.
13
For optimal results, project participants must
be willing to compromise to achieve the bigpicture organizational goals
Stakeholders, project manager, analysts, and
consultants will need to keep the focus of the
project on the organizational goals and be
flexible.
14
Coordinating fund raising efforts with PM
system project
Fund development staff will be included in
project communications and they will be invited
to participate in the project at appropriate times.
15
No strong, consistent training processes in
place- training is not an institutional value
and needs to be
We will commit to making training a core
organizational value going forward and will
develop a comprehensive training plan
16
The call center needs a new phone system
and/or reengineering
Call center functionality will be one of the
processes that are reengineered in conjunction
with this project
Issue and Scope Management
Issues will be identified by all project team members and consultants, and submitted verbally or in writing
to the Project Manager. Issues will be logged on the issues list and discussed in the stakeholders and PM
Project Team meetings. Critical issues – those that impact the critical path – will be escalated to the
Project Sponsors for awareness and for assistance with resolution. The Project Manager will initiate and
maintain an issue-tracking system that helps the team monitor, prioritize and escalate issues and action
items related to the system selection project.
Communication Plan
Type of Communication / Purpose
Frequency
Responsible Party
Stakeholders Meeting
Every Thursday,
11:30a-1:00p
Project Manager
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Monitor progress against the project plan.
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Discuss issues, assign action items, review
risk mitigation strategies.
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Make project decisions
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Make assignments and manage projectrelated resources
PM Project Team Meeting

Monitor progress against the project plan.

Discuss issues, assign action items, review
risk mitigation strategies.
Internal & Confidential
(Meeting can be
cancelled, truncated or
expanded as
appropriate.)
Every Monday, 3:00p4:30p
(Meeting can be
cancelled, truncated or
Stakeholders
Project Consultants
(as necessary)
Project Manager
PM Project Team
Project Consultants
(as necessary)
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PM System Procurement
Project Charter

Receive and deliver project-related
assignments
Executive Briefing

Inform our Senior Managers about the
progress of the system selection project.

Gather information on organizational
initiatives that can impact the project.

Identify activities that will require
organizational resources over the upcoming
period
Internal Communications

Updates to the entire organization, helps to
publicize the project and encourage
questions, buy-in and generates enthusiasm
for the project’s benefits.
Budget vs. Actual

To be determined (part
of existing internal
communication
mechanisms)
Project Manager
Weekly
Consultants
Weekly
Consultants
Monthly
Consultants
Concise weekly written status of progress of
this project to be delivered before the weekly
Stakeholders Team meeting.
Detailed Invoice

To be determined (part Project Sponsors
of an existing executive
Executive Team
team meeting)
Communicate any impact to budget for this
project (positive and negative).
Weekly Progress Reports
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expanded as
appropriate.)
Summary of hours expended to complete
agreed-upon activities, tasks, and
deliverables.
Internal & Confidential
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Project Charter
SIGNATURES
The signing of this document by the Stakeholders and Project Manager listed below acknowledges that
each signer has reviewed this document and is in agreement with its content.
Stakeholders
Date
Date
Date
Project Manager
Date
Internal & Confidential
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