Difference between revisions of "EHR Implementation/Strategies to Increase the Likelihood of Success"
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| − | It is important | + | It is important to research your options. Try to demo as many EHRs as possible. Certifications and standard lists can assist you in making your decision. You should seek guidance from neutral resources such as HIMSS, CHIME, and regional extension centers. When conversing with EHR vendors, ask as many questions as possible. Consult with your colleagues who have already adopted an EHR. Arrange a site visit to observe the impact it has had on workflow and documentation. |
== Involve Your Staff == | == Involve Your Staff == | ||
Revision as of 06:24, 29 October 2014
Contents
Assess the Readiness of Your Practice
Prior to implementation, you should establish the minimum hardware and software requirements. You should determine the bandwidth and networking infrastructure required for optimal use. It is important to decide whether your organization is fiscally ready as electronic health record (EHR) implementation can be costly. Finally, you should assess your end users. If your staff is not ready and willing to adopt an EHR, the likelihood of success will certainly decrease.
Assess Your Practice Needs
By identifying the strengths and weaknesses of your practice, you can select an EHR that will capitalize on your strengths and address your weaknesses. You should select an EHR that allows for sufficient customization so that it can be tailored to your practice, rather than the other way around.
Research Your Options
It is important to research your options. Try to demo as many EHRs as possible. Certifications and standard lists can assist you in making your decision. You should seek guidance from neutral resources such as HIMSS, CHIME, and regional extension centers. When conversing with EHR vendors, ask as many questions as possible. Consult with your colleagues who have already adopted an EHR. Arrange a site visit to observe the impact it has had on workflow and documentation.
Involve Your Staff
Demonstrate how the EHR will affect workflow, documentation time, time spent with patients, and the staff’s ability to communicate. Address both administrative and practice needs. You should include the front desk staff, nursing staff, and clinicians when selecting an EHR and again when developing a training plan and timeline. Be sure to consider the needs of primary care providers and specialists.
Manage Expectations
Anticipate that there will be challenges. You should expect Murphy’s Law - “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” The process will be more difficult and time-consuming than anticipated and many things will go wrong. You should expect a drop in productivity of 30-50% the first 3 months after going live.
Create a Realistic Timeline
Involve staff, IT personnel, and your EHR partner when establishing a timeline. Allocate time to chart abstraction, or converting information from paper charts into the EHR.
Ensure Adequate Staff Training
Consult with the EHR provider when deciding how much time to allocate towards training and who will conduct the training. Train before and after implementation. Consider training at 3-month intervals to cover updates and offer assistance to those who are struggling. Elect EHR “champions” within your organization who will serve as the go-to people for questions, training, and assistance. Those users will be the most in touch with the needs and concerns on the department. Do not train your staff too far in advance, as they will forget what they have learned. Reward staff members who dedicate extra time to becoming familiar with the EHR. Set aside time for training during office hours. They should not be conducting business during their training, as they must be free of distraction. Use sample patient charts to test different scenarios. Training should be as reality-based as possible. Use live patient simulations to document visits and place orders. Practice major workflows such as rooming patients, ordering common tests and procedures, and end-of-visit scenarios. Nothing replaces hands-on, face-to-face training and many vendors will provide on-site training when requested. Most importantly, ensure that there is sufficient real-time support when you go live.
References
1. HealthIT.gov. (2013). How to implement EHRs. Retrieved from http://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/ehr-implementation-steps
2. Hummel, J., & Evans, P. (2012). EHR implementation with minimal practice disruption in primary care settings: the experience of the Washington & Idaho regional extension center [PDF document]. Retrieved from http://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/ehr-implementation-wirec.pdf
3. Krisik, K. M. (2013). Lessons learned: how to smooth your EHR implementation. Retrieved from http://www.healthmgttech.com/articles/201303/lessons-learned.php
4. McBride, M., Marbury, D., & Ritchie, A. (2014). Study examines best practices related to EHR implementation: physicians, consultants, and vendors offer real-world advice on getting your EHR up and running. Medical Economics, 91(3), 32, 35-6, 38.
Submitted by Sarah Lock
