EHR Implementation

Communicating an electronic health record (EHR) implementation plan is crucial. As a result, if the new processes are defined, and the advantages of the changes are recognized, each staff member will feel more engaged in the EHR adoption process. All workers’ employment scope and duties in practice will change due to an EHR implementation, just as they will with any other IT integration project. As a result, some workers may become territorial or retreat into pre-EHR behaviors, finally abdicating responsibility to someone else. EHR implementers must speak with and receive input from every impacted employee to prepare for this, ensuring they understand and own any changes to their job scope and duties (Palvia et al., 2015). When there is no personal or professional benefit to making a change, clinical and non-clinical workers may become sensitive to change. Therefore, physician offices should have a comprehensive strategy to help with all parts of the electronic health record adoption process.

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To define the new workflow procedures, form process teams within the company. As the practice prepares to implement an EHR, these teams will engage and educate the rest of the personnel. These groups should meet on a consistent and regular basis at defined times. Avoid using phrases like “because we said so” or “it is a government obligation.” While this is accurate in some instances, it falls short of capturing the true spirit of EHR adoption. Instead, create a strategy for communicating the concept of success. These contacts should occur regularly, at pre-determined periods. In these conversations, make sure to note all triumphs (as well as areas for improvement). Nothing brings people together more quickly than achieving achievement, even if it is tiny at first (Deokar & Sarnikar, 2016).

Always keep personnel informed about where the EHR deployment stands in the acceptance process. Also, as the practice moves closer to actual implementation, it should consider how it will convey this shift to patients. Process Teams or Staff Meetings should be held regularly at clearly defined periods. Following the assessment of training needs, a Training Plan that fulfills the needs of the staff should be conveyed to all members of the practice (Barrett & Stephens, 2017).

Even after creating and supporting numerous communication channels, the practice must continue to assess its current requirements. Create comprehensive training methods that are uniform and reproducible to add maturity to communication processes. As the practice grows, this information may be customized to match the individual needs and specializations of the practice. Finally, clinical leaders or “champions” should be present in medical offices. When it comes to successfully implementing an EHR, the notion of a physician as a champion is critical. As an inherent aspect of cultural change, collaboration is crucial for the EHR implementation plan. While nothing can ensure success, a lack of cooperation, communication, and teamwork will almost surely lead to failure (Barrett, 2018).

EHRs make patient records accessible to all relevant staff, allowing patient information to be processed efficiently and effectively. Integrated scheduling tools that immediately link appointments to progress notes, automatic coding, and easier-to-manage claims can help the healthcare team operate the business more effectively and enhance medical practice administration. Administrative chores, such as filling out paperwork and responding to billing requests, need workers’ time and effort. The adoption of electronic health records simplifies these obligations (EHRs). In addition, employees will spend less time analyzing handwritten notes if they use EHRs.

References

Barrett, A. K. (2018). Electronic health record (EHR) organizational change: Explaining resistance through profession, organizational experience, and EHR communication quality. Health communication, 33(4), 496-506.

Barrett, A. K., & Stephens, K. K. (2017). Making electronic health records (EHRs) work: Informal talk and workarounds in healthcare organizations. Health Communication, 32(8), 1004-1013.

Deokar, A. V., & Amit Deokar, Ph.D. | UMass Lowell. https://www.uml.edu/profile/amit_deokar.

Palvia, P., Jacks, T., & Brown, W. (2015). Critical Issues in EHR Implementation: Provider and Vendor …. https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/f/P_Palvia_Critical_2015.pdf 36(1), 36.