CHICAGO, IL / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / Authored by Ed Ricks, Jessica Drexler
Adopting an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system is one of the most transformative changes a healthcare organization can undergo. The promise of streamlined workflows, improved patient care and enhanced collaboration between care teams hinges on successful EHR implementation and long-term utilization. However, all too often, organizations overlook the critical role that change management and ongoing training play in maximizing the system's effectiveness.
Effective EHR change management requires a comprehensive approach that begins long before go-live, fostering a culture where staff feel prepared to embrace the new system. This involves early knowledge development, real-time support and clear communication about the system's benefits. By integrating change management from the outset, healthcare organizations can help staff feel confident in their new workflows, reducing stress and minimizing disruptions to patient care.
Empowering employees through early engagement
Change management in healthcare is about more than just training employees on how to use a new system-it's about preparing them for change itself. The sooner staff members are familiarized with their new roles and responsibilities, the smoother the transition will be. By involving individuals who will be responsible for the change early on, organizations can tap into natural leaders who will champion the EHR implementation.
Rather than waiting until the months leading up to go-live to designate super users, organizations should identify and nurture these leaders throughout the project. Doing so not only prepares the team but helps alleviate the stress and resistance typically associated with major transitions.
Reducing resistance with a sense of control
One of the biggest challenges during organizational change is resistance, particularly when individuals feel a loss of control, which can overshadow potential gains. To address this, change management strategies that promote early readiness help empower staff and give them a sense of control throughout the transition process.
To reduce the emotional resistance that often accompanies change, organizations can assess and respond to readiness indicators, communicate clearly, actively involve staff in the decision-making process and offer autonomy in how they adopt the new system.
Continuous support and training: The key to long-term success
Training should not be a one-time event. Clinical workflows and the demands of healthcare professionals are complex, and training must reflect this. To ensure ongoing competency and maximize the long-term success of the EHR system, organizations must build in redundancy and offer continuous support.
Repetition and redundancy: Effective training involves repetition. Even after the initial training sessions before go-live, it's critical to offer refresher courses, annual training sessions and follow-up support. Continuous reinforcement ensures that staff remain confident in using the system and don't revert to outdated practices.
At-the-elbow support: One of the most valuable support methods during go-live is at-the-elbow support. This involves having super users and other experts available to assist staff in real time as they use the system with actual patients. During this high-stress period, staff are dealing with both technical learning and patient care. Immediate assistance can help mitigate frustrations and improve the user experience.
Multiple training modalities: Not all staff members learn in the same way, so a variety of training modalities is crucial. This could include in-person sessions, virtual training, recorded tutorials and digital adoption platforms (DAPs). These tools can be integrated into the system to provide in-context, guided support for users as they navigate the EHR.
Tracking competency and measuring success
It's vital to monitor and measure how well staff are using the system post-go live. Most EHR systems don't come with built-in competency tracking tools, so organizations must integrate third-party learning management systems (LMS) or other solutions to monitor training effectiveness.
By establishing clear key performance indicators (KPIs) from the outset - such as system adoption rates, utilization levels and user satisfaction - organizations can assess whether the EHR system is meeting its intended goals. Effective governance is crucial to ensure that these KPIs are tracked, and that there is an ongoing process for addressing any issues or challenges that arise.
Building a culture of continuous learning and governance
As with any system, ongoing post-go-live support and maintenance are necessary to ensure continued success. Prior to deployment, organizations must establish a governance structure that ensures role and responsibility clarity for regular system updates, ongoing training and continuous support.
This governance process also plays a critical role in helping maintain employee engagement and confidence. If employees know that their concerns and challenges will be addressed, and that the system will evolve with their needs, they are more likely to embrace the system in the long run.
Proving the value of your investment
When organizations commit to a significant investment like an EHR system, they must be able to demonstrate its value. This value isn't just measured by its performance at go-live, but by how well it supports patient care, enhances collaboration, and improves workflow efficiency over time.
Governance, training and support are integral to proving the value of that investment. By maintaining high adoption rates and demonstrating continuous improvement in clinical workflows, organizations can confidently show that their EHR investment has been worthwhile.
How we can help
Successful EHR implementation is about more than just rolling out a new system, it's about fostering an environment where staff feel supported, engaged and empowered to use the system effectively. At Baker Tilly, we work with organizations to ensure that their EHR implementations not only go smoothly but that the system remains a valuable tool for years to come.
From early engagement to ongoing training and support, we help organizations navigate the complexities of change management and build a foundation for long-term success. With the right approach, healthcare organizations can maximize the benefits of their EHR systems, improve patient care and enhance overall operational efficiency.
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SOURCE: Baker Tilly
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