EMR - Staff Preparation

To implement big changes in your practice, employee 'buy-in' is essential. If your management style is going to have a positive influence on the implementation of your Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system, it will resonate with and make sense to the other staff members.

Korn/Ferry International, an executive search firm, notes one of the most common mistakes as the instance when executives newly join an organization to implement new changes and strategies, but do not take the existing corporate culture into consideration. Consider the example a control-oriented manager who enters a company to find that the staff relies on a collaborative system. This type of situation can lead to struggle, strife and obstacles. As an alternate, consider the approach of a savvy exec who is able to acclimate and find new ways to work with the existing culture at the office. This could greatly aid your efforts to gain the approval and cooperation of staff members when making the change from paper record-keeping and paperless EMR.

Thorough planning, along with the ability to make small changes throughout the process, are both great tools which can circumvent the need to simply drop out of an EMR project 0 this end usually sums up to a sizable consequence of cost to a practice. An excellent tool to use during this time of significant change is the 'change management' concept, of going through changes in a planned and systematic way.

Ten Important Factors in Adaptable EMR Systems

1) Always acknowledge the aspects which are human. Without acceptance from the company's staff, a change to a new system may ultimately fail. The prospect of change often adds anxiety to the mix of human emotions, and this should be acknowledged throughout the process.

2) When it comes to gaining acceptance, start at the top. The top tier of staff members, especially physicians and administrators, should be on board with the program, including any champions for the cause, as in a physician with a commitment to see the project through. If you have strong allies with the right technological skill and without a naive level of optimism, it could assist the entire campaign.

3) People need to get involved at every level, so that all feel as if they contribute to the shared outcome. A committee of staff members, formed to create a proposal for delivery to the physicians, is another excellent tool This committee should be formed from those who will ultimately use the EMR: administrators, business staff, and medical assistants.

4) The need for a change is surely not going to go unquestioned. Present your case in a formal, referenceable way , showing proof of the benefits of changing over to a paperless EMR system. Users need an incentive to change their ways, and they won't actually use it otherwise.

5) The leaders of the group should take ownership over project elements. As these staff members have better credibility with their subordinates compared to the physicians, these people are crucial and should be first trained in the new system, then passing the info on.

6) Keep good communications by letting the channel of dialogue remain open, also encouraging participation at each step. The plan should also include a timeline of actions to be completed. Be sure to give the staff all the information required in the implementation process.

7) Always make identifications and assessments of core values and beliefs in a cultural assessment, including possible sources of conflict or resistance. People often become quite set in their ways, resisting change as a rule.

8) Address the aspects of the culture with explicit intent and detail. People can be expected to learn new skills on a gradual basis, taking baby steps toward learning more about technology, including more advanced systems like EBM and EMR software applications. Resistant doctors could spell a delay.

9) The presence of problems is a constant reality; learn to expect the unexpected. These sorts of occurrences may push back the date of going to the live updated system, and these effects will reverberate throughout the organization. Effects are more easily managed by using the correct degree of flexibility.

10) In speaking to each and every individual, be clear and concise. Everyone should clearly understand what is happening and what's to be expected. As long as confidence doesn't mean being unrealistic, it can be good for morale when problems do arise. Be prepared to calm the fears of some staff members.