Planning
Define scope before anything else: which program(s), which patient population, which locations, and who owns the rollout internally. A clear scope keeps the rest of implementation from expanding uncontrolled.
Data Migration
Most implementations require migrating an eligible-patient list and, if you're switching from another system, existing enrollment or care-plan records. Ask what format the vendor can accept and who's responsible for cleaning the data beforehand.
Configuration
This covers setting up program-specific settings (which codes/programs you're running), category and workflow configuration, and any integration points with your EHR or billing system.
User Roles
Define who needs access to what: care managers, billing staff, administrators, and clinical reviewers typically need different permission levels. Set this up before training so staff learn the system with the access they'll actually use.
Workflow Setup
Configure the actual day-to-day workflow — how a patient gets identified and enrolled, how time or tier status gets tracked, how tasks get assigned and followed up on. This is where a platform either fits your practice's process or forces you to change it.
Training
Training should cover both the software and the underlying program requirements (eligibility, consent, documentation standards) — not just button-clicking. Ask whether training is included and whether it's available for staff added after go-live.
Pilot
Many practices start with a smaller pilot cohort — a subset of eligible patients — to validate workflow, staffing, and documentation before a full rollout. A pilot surfaces process gaps while the stakes are lower.
Go-Live
Once the pilot validates the workflow, expand to the full eligible population. Have a plan for how enrollment outreach will scale and who's responsible for it.
QA
Before relying on the system for billing, verify that time/tier tracking, care-plan documentation, and reporting are all producing accurate results — spot-check a sample of patient records against what you'd expect.
Reporting
Confirm the reports you'll actually use operationally (enrollment, activity, patients approaching a threshold) are set up and that the right people have access to them.
Optimization
Implementation doesn't end at go-live. Revisit workflow, staffing capacity (see our Care Manager Capacity Calculator), and enrollment rate periodically as the program matures.