Imagine you're getting ready for a trip — without a map or GPS, it is nearly impossible to go far. The same scenario holds with EHR (electronic health records) use; if you don't have visibility into your IT infrastructure, you're not going to get far. The key is to eliminate inefficiencies, achieve financial security, and deliver optimal patient care. The challenges of COVID 19 throws in a new dynamic. Many hospital systems have adopted exceptional technology and virtual engagement tools that have continually pushed boundaries and exposed opportunities. Many hospital systems have had virtual go live engagements whereby utilizing remote support. Others have opted for hybrid training with the benefit of in-person and virtual training.

Healthcare systems can take a few steps to support a smooth electronic health records implementation experience to offset some stresses. 

Data Migration-Migration of Patient Data from Current EHR to a New One

It can be pretty frustrating switching to a new EHR, and data migration can be one of the added stresses. The transfer of data from a previous EHR to the current one can often be disruptive and costly when poorly executed. Healthcare organizations need to think thoroughly about this process and give ample time to transfer previous data to a new system. Streamlined data migration will permit the healthcare organization to be more efficient and well organized; thereby, allowing staff to navigate patient charts easily, making data readily available.

Those days of navigating multiple EHR systems to find patient information are gone.

Physician Personalization- Customization of Note Templates and Shortcuts

Personalization is a building block to a successful implementation. It allows providers to create "personalized" specific templates. Personalization Labs usually consists of providers learning how to use Epic SmartPhrases, Macros, templates, order sets, and preference lists to streamline order and note entry. Hospital systems must adopt pre and post-go-live personalization sessions. This will decrease provider burnout, reduce stress, and improve efficiency. 

Physician Champions- Pre- and Post-Go-Live Training 

Physician champions act as departmental leaders during EHR implementation. They usually provide added value to the organization by teaching staff and act as liaisons. Frequently, they create specialty-specific templates and workflows documents for their divisions. Champions build a repository of tools for the most common EHR issues, thereby allowing providers to focus on fine-tuning their customized clinical documents to meet practice-specific needs. Healthcare organizations could benefit from selecting strong end-users from each department and utilize them in their implementation efforts. It can mitigate the potential loss of productivity and efficiency during the EHR transition. 

Finally, hospital systems stand to benefit from third-party EHR consulting firms. These companies frequently bring added value to healthcare implementation efforts. With their expertise and knowledge transfer, healthcare organizations can build proficiency and efficiency in their EHR journey.

My Just Checking In has over 20 years of expertise and knowledge in assisting healthcare organizations to improve their efficiency and profitability. Our team can help transform your EHR implementation from a source of frustration to a successful and productive tool. Our goal is to enhance your patient care experience and improve your revenue cycle management. 

References

Gillespine, E (2020, July 23). Ensuring a smooth "Go-Live" process in the COVID-19 era. Physicians Practice. https://www.physicianspractice.com/view/ensuring-a-smooth-go-live-process-in-the-covid-19-era.

Green, J (2019, May 7). Three Common Barriers to HER Implementation and How to Avoid Them. Modernizing Medicine. https://www.modmed.com/blog/ehr-implementation-challenges/

Cartwright, K (2020, July 21). Do You Really Want to Switch EHRs? Medicaladvantage.com. https://www.medicaladvantage.com/blog/switch-ehrs/

Siwicki, B (2020, May 11). First-ever Cerner ‘virtual go-live’ helps one hospital roll out EHR during a pandemic. Healthcare IT News. https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/first-ever-cerner-virtual-go-live-helps-one-hospital-roll-out-...