Electronic Health Records: Case Study

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Table of Contents

Introduction
First Steps for Adopting and Implementing an EHR
Ways of Incorporating Training
Key Concerns of Staff and How to Address Them
Conclusion
References

Introduction

In the recent past, keeping patient records was burdensome due to the heavy paperwork and file keeping. The advent of the electronic health record (EHR) has eased the process, increasing consumer flow and satisfaction (Dornan et al., 2019). However, transitioning to the EHR is not without challenges as the initial installation may be costly in addition to facing resistance from staff (Sahney & Sharma, 2018). A healthcare facility should closely weigh the pros and cons of an EHR system before its subsequent adoption and implementation.

First Steps for Adopting and Implementing an EHR

Dr. Smith should take various steps before incorporating an EHR in her healthcare facility. The first step is to conduct market research to identify the different expertise of firms providing the EHR service (Dornan et al., 2019). The industry experience points out whether the organization will receive excellent service and value for its money. In addition to that, finding out the legal record of the vendor is essential as their involvement in malpractices may affect the way patients view the healthcare firm and interrupt operations (Sahney & Sharma, 2018). The vendor’s expertise is also an indication of the quality of consumer support services they offer. Dr. Smith should select a service provider with an excellent customer rating to facilitate prompt responses to any queries or alterations her firm may require for its operations.

Secondly, Dr. Smith should formulate a budget for the EHR system that is affordable for her facility. The budget will be crucial in identifying a suitable vendor that will install the software for the organization (Sahney & Sharma, 2018). The cost of the equipment, training, software, and maintenance should be clearly stated within the budget. Additionally, the budget should reflect the return on investment that will accrue to the firm after a successful acquisition of the system (Colicchio et al., 2019). She should select an EHR whose net returns surpass the cost to make a profit for her facility.

To add to selecting a profitable EHR system, the doctor should consider the complexity of the software. She should choose a system that is easy to implement and use (Dornan et al., 2019). Dr. Smith intends to teach herself how to use the system within her constrained time. Software that a user can easily navigate through would be the most suitable for her (Colicchio et al., 2019). More so, it will also ease the training process for her and reduce the time it takes to adopt and keep the system running.

Involving her staff in the decision of automating the patient records is an essential step in the adoption and implementation of the EHR. The staff input is key as they are the ones who will have direct contact with the technology (Colicchio et al., 2019). Furthermore, they will help her brainstorm on whether it is necessary to automate the record or retain their current system. Sourcing for the staff’s opinion will also pinpoint their likes, dislikes, and resistance to the technology (Colicchio et al., 2019). Employee involvement in decision-making will reduce instances of opposition towards the new system, streamlining its installation and implementation.

Furthermore, establishing the safety of the patient’s information is crucial for incorporating an EHR. A healthcare facility handles sensitive information and the confidentiality of the patient’s information should be assured at all times (Keshta & Odeh, 2021). Patients should not worry that their records could be leaked to outsiders. Dr. Smith should ensure that she has the necessary malware protection in place before installing the EHR to curb cyber-attacks (Keshta & Odeh, 2021). The vendor and the firm should also have a backup system to prevent the loss of patient information.

In addition to information safety, Dr. Smith should ensure that the EHR selected is suitable to the organizational needs. Dr. Smith handles clients of all ages hence the software should be able to store information across the patient population (Sahney & Sharma, 2018). The majority of her staff are aged and will require a simple and stepwise EHR. The application should also have the capacity to connect across devices (Colicchio et al., 2019). For instance, the EHR should be able to be installed on both desktops and mobile phones for ease of use. Additionally, the facility should also be able to use it to make and receive referrals.

Ways of Incorporating Training

First, Dr. Smith should allocate specific time for her training on her busy schedule. She could set aside certain hours on specific days of the week and abide by her timetable. Allocating time for the training will help prepare her mentally for the training and prevent her from engaging in other undertakings that will hinder her training (Hefner et al., 2018). She will also be less likely to procrastinate on her learning.

Secondly, she should set up learning objectives for each of her training sessions. For her to make progress in her training, she cannot set up her training schedule and begin her session blindly. The learning goals will guide her o what to do and keep her focused (Hefner et al., 2018). They will also challenge her and give her a wholesome and rich learning experience (Hefner et al., 2018). Accomplishing the objectives per the training sessions will also give her a sense of fulfillment which will give her the necessary motivation to push on to completion.

Additionally, Dr. Smith should contact the customer support of the EHR system vendor to supply her with the online learning materials. Numerous EHR service providers offer different training materials to help their prospective and new clients get acquainted with their products (Sahney & Sharma, 2018). She could get access to webinar training, an online trainer, and learning manuals. The training materials will save her the frustrations of searching for guidance and creating her learning manual (Hefner et al., 2018). The online platform will also be useful in seeking help in case she experiences any difficulties in her training.

Alternatively, Dr. Smith could appoint one of her staff, preferably her younger staff to learn how to use the EHR system and brief her. She could also select her staff with a prior experience with the EHR system to learn how to navigate the software (Hefner et al., 2018). Training through another user will be easier and will save her time (Hefner et al., 2018). Additionally, it will be easier to find solutions to any challenges they may encounter in the learning process.

Key Concerns of Staff and How to Address Them

Dr. Smith’s employees are likely to raise concerns about the adoption and implementation of the EHR. The first key concern will be the high cost of setting up the software (Dornan et al., 2019). Initial installation of the EHR is quite expensive and requires heavy investment outlay which may cut a huge chunk of the firm’s fund. The doctor will address this concern by laying bare the benefits that will accrue to the facility, such as streamlining operations and an increase in the number of patients (Sahney & Sharma, 2018). The long-run monetary proceedings from the investment will be more than the initial outlay.

Secondly, the staff will be worried about their capacity to use the automated record system. Most of Dr. Smith’s employees are advanced in their age and likely to be not exposed to using the EHR. Their incapacity is likely to lead to resistance to the implementation of the software (Sahney & Sharma, 2018). Assuring the staff that they will receive adequate training and enough time to adopt the system progressively will reduce their anxiety (Dornan et al., 2019). Furthermore, involving them in coming up with the decision of adopting the EHR to solve their record-keeping problem will minimize opposition.

Lastly, the employees will raise concerns about the shifting of information from the paper to the HER. The data transfer may be cumbersome and may take quite a long period to have all the information in the EHR. Additionally, some information may be lost in the transfer process or land in the wrong hands (Keshta & Odeh, 2021). The information may also be susceptible to malware malpractices. Dr. Smith will address this issue by appointing specific people to move the data from paper to the electronic system. Data transfer will also be made progressively, starting with the current patients to the old ones (Dornan et al., 2019). The employees are also to be assured of the safety of the EHR through the installation of malware protection.

Conclusion

The adoption and execution of an EHR require effort and commitment. Transitioning from paper records to the EHR is time-consuming and poses the risk of third parties access to patient information. The employees are also likely to resist the change due to their inability to navigate through the system. Staff involvement and proper training ease the adoption and implementation of the EHR system.

References

Colicchio, T. K., Cimino, J. J., & Del Fiol, G. (2019). Unintended consequences of nationwide electronic health record adoption: Challenges and opportunities in the post-meaningful use era. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(6).

Dornan, L., Pinyopornpanish, K., Jiraporncharoen, W., Hashmi, A., Dejkriengkraikul, N., & Angkurawaranon, C. (2019). Utilization of electronic health records for Public Health in Asia: A review of success factors and potential challenges. BioMed Research International, 2019, 1–9.

Hefner, J., Sieck, C., & McAlearney, A. (2018). Training to optimize collaborative use of an inpatient portal. Applied Clinical Informatics, 09(03), 558–564.

Keshta, I., & Odeh, A. (2021). Security and privacy of Electronic Health Records: Concerns and challenges. Egyptian Informatics Journal, 22(2), 177–183.

Sahney, R., & Sharma, M. (2018). Electronic Health Records: A general overview. Current Medicine Research and Practice, 8(2), 67–70.

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