Introduction
Electronic health record systems are electronic records of patient health information that include data on patient demographics, progress notes, medications, past medical history, lab data, and other reports. The advantages of using EHRs are easy to access and an opportunity to move from the conventional standard paper record system. They can be very functional and help in eliminating medical errors. However, there are multiple complications and challenges associated with it that should be taken into account.
Departments Implementing EHR
It was decided that two departments were going to move forward with the EHR implementation: the registration office and the emergency department. Both of these departments have expressed their willingness to transfer their records in electronic format as both departments have a goal of reaching a particular objective. The emergency department’s objective was to increase its efficiency. Based on research data (Williams & Shah, 2016), they suggested that implementing EHR would assist them in making decisions and improve the quality of care through patient safety and medical error reduction. The registration office also expressed the need to optimize their records to improve their efficiency. Using the standard paper-based system was becoming counterproductive, according to the employees.
EHR Training
The implementation of EHR requires advanced training at different levels and goes beyond user tutorials as the system is always going through updates. Training should be designed to give the staff the necessary skills and ensure providing enrichment opportunities. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a training timeline with milestones “that are tied to goals involving users and how they should be using the EHR” (EHR in Practice, 2020, para 5). Thus, training planning should involve multiple carefully planned training sessions aimed at teaching basic EHR skills and developing them.
Moreover, before getting to training, it is essential to assess the staff’s readiness to acquire new skills. The specialists recommend “seeking out additional basic computer training for those clinicians who have a less practical understanding of technology” (EHR in Practice, 2020, para. 7). In the case of the departments in question, it is especially crucial for the registration office and the emergency department’s reception desk. Furthermore, for the members of staff who show the advanced levels of computer expertise, it might be a good idea to make them peer experts who would be available for mentoring and helping less experienced staff.
Another important factor that needs to be taken into account is that based on training goals and pace of work at the two departments, there should be different schedules developed. Moreover, it is advised to follow the specialists’ recommendations and ensure role-based training and training for the IT department. All of these should be done by paying attention to the required overtime and temporary staff appointments.
Vendor Support and Maintenance
Upon implementing the electronic health records system at both departments, it is crucial to ensure the availability of vendor support and vendor maintenance. Both the registration office and emergency department are heavily reliant on the system and the information stored in it. Therefore, it is critical to provide for them the optimized service for at least five years.
As for vendor maintenance, it is suggested to reach an agreement on hardware check-ups and software updates that would be included in the total service fee. Moreover, it is recommended to ensure that the contract is flexible to changes in legal regulations of different governmental levels (Ouellette, 2012). Both of these suggestions apply to both departments.
In terms of vendor support, for the registration office, in the light of their work specifics, it is recommended to provide them with phone and online support, desktop sharing, and access to self-help knowledge base features. For the emergency department, phone access and desktop sharing would suffice. Moreover, following the experts’ advice (Dever, 2016), it is important to establish agreements with vendors on ongoing learning possibilities. Webinars or additional training Q&As might be a good idea for solving some non-crucial but ongoing issues.
Furthermore, it is strongly recommended to ensure that the support and maintenance are provided by the vendor. According to the reports, “outsourced vendor support may be linked to a greater likelihood of customer dissatisfaction” (EHR in Practice, 2019, para. 9). It is especially significant for the current facility as both the registration office and emergency department need to get fast access to the first-hand working knowledge of EHR for a considerate amount of time. Therefore, a period of five years for a contract was suggested.
Conclusion
The implementation of an electronic health record system has the potential of transforming the everyday work of health care. For the two facilities’ two departments, this means that keeping electronic records as a replacement of an old paper-based system would allow the employees to get easier access to patients’ data as well as register it. For the emergency department, it would also be significant as it will allow decreasing the probability of human error.
However, the process of EHR implementation requires much consideration and planning. It is essential to provide necessary multifaceted training aimed at acquiring and improving EHR skills as well as maintaining the expertise. Moreover, the management is required to provide necessary support and maintenance from the official vendor based on the particular needs of the departments.
References
Dever, M. (2016). 7 levels of service & support you should demand from your EHR vendor.
EHR in Practice. (2019). Evaluating EHR vendor support availability.
EHR in Practice. (2020). EHR implementation plan: Your 8-step checklist.
Ouellette, P. (2012). EHR vendor contracts: Best practices.
Williams, K.S., & Shah, G.H. (2016). Electronic health records and meaningful use in local health departments: Updates from the 2015 NACCHO informatics assessment survey. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 22(6), 27-33. Web.