Electronic Medical Records (EMR) are growing fast in popularity among healthcare service providers. EMR eliminates paper-based medical information, therefore providing healthcare staff with faster accessibility and easier navigation through patients’ medical records. Although EMR has a user-friendly interface, it is a highly complex system to implement. And without proper planning and implementation, you may not achieve the results you had hoped for. So here are some things to keep in mind when your healthcare business is implementing EMR.
Make sure the way is clear
The most important step before you start implementing EMR is to ensure that your organization’s governance supports this project all the way. You don’t want to have to change direction halfway through the implementation, when things are just about to fall into place. Working closely with key stakeholders and department leaders will help you to avoid roadblocks. So make sure everyone agrees to this strategic change before proceeding.
Assign leaders
Good leadership from dedicated staff is crucial for EMR implementation success. So you need to form a team of representatives from each department. This group of employees must be committed to participating in an EMR implementation plan and managing meetings. It’s important for assigned leaders to have a thorough understanding of the whole EMR implementation process, so they can relay accurate information to their subordinates. These staff should always be present and visible for any inquiries related to the EMR integration.
Prepare for change
The implementation of EMR will most likely change the way your employees work. The transition can be intimidating and, if not addressed early, can lead to a lack of understanding and participation. That’s why EMR implementation leaders must prepare organization members for change. In addition to educating employees about the importance of EMR and how to use it, ongoing support must also be provided during the implementation phase. For instance, setting up helpdesks to answer questions can clear up confusion. Making an early announcement about the transition will also alert employees about the change.
Forecast costs
Implementing EMR can be costly for major healthcare providers. There will be additional costs along the way and, if you approach this with limited resources, you may not fully succeed with the implementation. It is important to accurately predict overall costs required for spreading the word, training employees, and providing support during implementation.
Involve everyone
Since EMR will be used across the whole organization, every employee should be informed about its implementation. They should also receive proper training to learn more about EMR, how to use it, and the benefits it will bring to health care operations. Feedback should be collected from employees before, during, and after the implementation process.
Implementing EMR can be a tricky and time-consuming task, but will definitely benefit your health care practice in the long run. If you want to adopt EMR in your organization, give us a call today.