Healthcare professionals increasingly rely on electronic health record (EHR) systems to enhance patient care and documentation. According to Chris Mercier, Vice President of Research and Development at Juno Health, navigating the complexities of a new EHR involves a significant learning curve for IT teams. To optimize the use of EHRs, organizations must implement effective strategies that empower IT personnel to support clinical staff efficiently.
Training IT Personnel for EHR Success
The integration of a new EHR system requires IT staff to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the software, similar to that of clinical end users. Unfortunately, many hospitals do not allocate adequate time for IT professionals to familiarize themselves with the system. This gap can hinder their ability to configure and troubleshoot effectively.
To address this issue, IT teams and super users should engage actively in all phases of EHR implementation, including training, integrations, and data migrations. This involvement enables them to grasp the full range of the system’s capabilities. Continuous learning is essential; regular review of documentation and updates helps teams adapt to changes in the EHR environment. Engaging with vendor release notes and testing scripts is crucial, particularly during user acceptance testing prior to the system going live.
Establishing Effective Support Systems
The quality of EHR support can significantly influence the end-user experience. To cultivate a robust support system, organizations should create a multi-tiered structure that accommodates varying levels of needs. A recommended model includes:
– **Tier 1**: Clinical super users or informatics specialists who provide immediate, bedside support.
– **Tier 2**: Specialized IT staff capable of addressing complex system issues and customization requests.
– **Tier 3**: Vendor support for critical system failures and upgrades.
In-house IT teams should prioritize on-site triage capabilities. By resolving minor issues rapidly, clinicians can maintain focus on patient care. Establishing dedicated helplines and setting aggressive response time metrics can streamline this process. Common issues to address include connectivity problems, system resource checks, and customer-loaded software concerns.
When more intricate problems arise, IT can escalate these issues to vendors through help tickets. This ensures that challenges such as corrupt files or systemic failures receive the expert attention necessary for swift resolution.
Additionally, leveraging data analytics and performance monitoring is vital for maintaining optimal system operations. IT teams should focus on monitoring CPU and RAM usage, network utilization, and response times. As EHR technology evolves, proactive alerting features may soon enable early detection of issues that could affect patient care.
Effective communication between clinical and technical staff is essential for successful EHR support. By fostering feedback channels with both IT and EHR vendors, organizations can better address system functionality and improve patient outcomes.
Collaborating with clinician champions who have extensive EHR experience can enhance the customization of workflows, order sets, and templates. These advanced users often provide invaluable peer support, helping others adapt more quickly to the system.
Cross-functional committee meetings involving IT, product management, and clinical leadership ensure that all stakeholders’ perspectives are considered in evaluating the EHR’s performance. This collaboration can encourage end users to voice concerns, fostering a culture of open communication that benefits everyone involved.
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, establishing baseline practices for EHR support becomes increasingly important. Keeping communication channels open ensures that users are well-equipped to navigate the system and access key information seamlessly.
About Chris Mercier: Chris Mercier has over 30 years of IT experience, with 25 years dedicated to healthcare IT and customer service excellence. He has designed and implemented multiple healthcare billing and EHR applications, and is currently leading development efforts at Juno Health. Outside of work, Chris enjoys activities such as 3D printing, woodworking, and spending quality time with his son.