The office is migrating to electronic medical records. All physicians and staff have been trained. Go-live is scheduled for Monday.
Many offices neglect to realize converting to an Electronic Health Records (EHR) system is different for each person. Each individual has different levels of comfort with a computer. This process is very disruptive to the office and to patients. Training is of utmost importance, but becoming competent on a system is time consuming and calls for daily attention and hand holding.
As soon as the decision to go electronic is made:
- Each department should have its own tasks and duties for data entry, scanning, indexing, etc.
- Staff should enter data into the new system as time permits
- Patients should be made aware of the transition to electronic records at least 30 days before the go-live date
As go-live progresses, schedules should be modified to ensure physicians and staff members are comfortable with the system.
Easy implementation solutions include:
- Blocking every other appointment for the first two weeks of implementation
- Adjusting schedules daily, if necessary, to accommodate the needs of the physician
- Providing ample staffing during this transition
The vendor and/or power user should be physically in the building for the first two weeks of go-live. Open up the schedules to allow additional patients as the provider learns the new system and is comfortable with order entry, progress notes, prescriptions, and overall functions of the system.
Ask the physician for his or her comfort level prior to the schedule being opened. Don't assume.
Feedback from the vendor and/or power user should be ongoing, especially during the first two weeks. Problems and resolutions need to be addressed immediately, and shared with everyone involved.
Individuals learn at different paces. Doctors who are finding difficulties must be given additional time and training to accomplish the tasks at hand. The vendor trainer and administration team should assess the skills of the individual to ensure that he/she receives adequate support. A simple solution of providing telephone time at the end of the morning and/or afternoon session of work can make the transition tolerable and success may be around the corner. Avoid shortcuts.
Ongoing assessment of how the system is functioning may last for three to six months or longer. Holding weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly staff or department meetings to share progress is ideal. Contacting the vendor and requesting additional training may be necessary to ease the frustration of the doctors and staff.
Authored by
Allan Ridings and Joseph Wager
Senior Risk Management & Patient Safety Specialists
If you have questions about this article, please contact us. This information should not be considered legal advice applicable to a specific situation. Legal guidance for individual matters should be obtained from a retained attorney.