Best Practices for EHR Implementation for Healthcare Professionals

Electronic health records (EHR) have become an essential tool in healthcare, helping providers deliver better patient care, improve clinical outcomes, and streamline administrative processes. However, implementing an EHR system can be complex and challenging, requiring careful planning, collaboration, and attention to detail.

With professional consultation from Enter.Health, the process is made easier. With bold new innovations in the healthcare industry, such as AI-powered EHRs and collaborative digital health platforms, the possibilities are endless. We encourage you to take advantage of all our new offerings so you can increase patient safety and ensure data accuracy in a manner that benefits both your organization and those who receive care from it.

What Is EHR Implementation?

EHR implementation is the process of adopting and integrating electronic health records into healthcare practices or organizations. It involves the installation of EHR software and hardware and the necessary training to ensure that the system is fully functional and is used effectively by healthcare providers following the implementation phase.

Benefits of EHR Implementation

Implementing EHR is important for healthcare organizations because it makes it possible to digitize patient records and improves the quality of care overall. Benefits of EHRs include:

Improved Patient Care

Electronic health records give clinicians a full picture of a patient's medical history, including conditions, diagnoses, treatment plans, medications, and other important information. By having all of this information at their fingertips, they are able to give better, more personalized care to their patients.

Increased Efficiency

EHR implementation can significantly improve the efficiency of medical practices. By going paperless, physicians are able to save time by eliminating manual record-keeping, which can be both tedious and time-consuming. Instead of having to track down multiple paper records, they can quickly access all patient data with a few clicks. Furthermore, automated tasks such as refilling prescription requests and sending appointment reminders can reduce administrative workload.

Improved Patient Engagement

With the use of patient portals, patients can access their records anytime from anywhere and make changes as needed. This improved communication between physician and patient further enhances engagement as patients become more engaged in managing their own care. Additionally, physicians are able to better track outcomes with the use of evidence-based clinical decision support tools that suggest treatments based on best practices for each individual case.

Compliance with Regulations

Using an EHR system makes it easier for health care providers to follow government rules about keeping records and filing reports. For example, with an EHR system in place, it is easier for providers to meet Meaningful Use requirements set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Moreover, EHR systems also help protect patient data through increased security measures such as encryption and authentication protocols, which help organizations meet HIPAA regulations concerning privacy and data protection.

Pre-Implementation Considerations

Before EHR system implementation, healthcare organizations should consider the following factors:

Budget and Resources

Before implementing an EHR system, healthcare organizations must determine the budget to cover both setup and ongoing costs. This includes procuring hardware and software, services, training for staff and new hires, customizations, and data migration. It’s important for organizations to also consider ongoing maintenance costs such as technical support, updates, and backups.

Workflow Analysis

Before putting in place an EHR system, healthcare organizations should look at their current workflows to see where they can be improved or automated through technology. This allows healthcare organizations to determine which processes can benefit from an EHR system, such as automating data entry tasks or streamlining patient care coordination.

Regulatory Compliance 

Healthcare organizations must make sure that any EHR systems they use follow the privacy, security, data access rights, and other laws and rules that are in place. Organizations should also consider any additional requirements imposed by third-party payers or governing bodies before proceeding with implementation.

Vendor Selection 

When putting in place an EHR system, it is important for healthcare organizations to choose a reliable vendor. Careful research into vendors’ capabilities is required in order to make sure they have experience dealing with medical systems compliance standards, provide sufficient technical support services during implementation, offer competitive pricing structures, etc.

Project Management 

The management of an EHR project requires careful planning and oversight from both organizational personnel and external vendors or consultants. Project managers should be familiar with the organization’s objectives for the project and create a timeline detailing milestones that must be reached along the way toward completion of implementation. 

Timeline 

As part of their project management duties, creating a timeline detailing when certain tasks must be completed is essential for the successful implementation of an EHR system. Allocating enough time between each step ensures that there are no delays due to unforeseen circumstances or unanticipated complications arising during the deployment of the new system.

EHR System Testing

Once all prerequisites regarding budgeting, staff engagement/training, workflow analysis, etc. have been met, selecting a vendor who can supply suitable hardware and software solutions must occur, followed by thorough testing upon installation at healthcare facilities. This process confirms that all components are working correctly and provides an opportunity for staff members to become comfortable using all features of the new EHR system before actual usage begins on patients’ files. 

Develop a Communication Plan 

Before putting in an EHR, having a communication plan helps both staff and patients get ready for the changes that will come with using this technology instead of the paper records and documentation methods that were used before. This pre EHR implementation plan should address how information about EHR will be disseminated before its use commences, along with acknowledgement forms issued when appropriate, so users know what patients grant data-sharing permissions prior to their treatment initiation.

The Process of EHR Implementation

After following the pre-EHR implementations, the next stages of EHR implementation can begin. This includes:

Training and Onboarding

After selecting and testing an EHR system, healthcare organizations must ensure that all staff members are properly trained on how to use the various features of the new technology. This includes familiarizing themselves with different elements such as patient records, scheduling procedures, billing systems, etc., as well as any additional modules the EHR comes with. Additionally, it is important to designate trainers to support users throughout the onboarding process and address any issues that arise during the usage of the system.

Integration with Other Technologies

In many cases, an EHR must be integrated with other systems or technologies (e.g., medical imaging, laboratory information, etc.) in order to facilitate patient care and the overall functionality of the system. Therefore, it is important that organizations carefully plan this process to ensure that all data is transferred correctly between systems and no errors are made when integrating software components.

Data Migration

Data migration is the process of moving patient data from previous systems to the new EHR. This needs careful planning, coordination with vendors, and backup plans in case something goes wrong while the data is being transferred. It is also important to ensure that all patient information remains confidential and secure throughout this stage of implementation.

Go-Live and Monitoring Stage

Once an EHR has been set up, configured, and integrated with other technologies, it is time to go live and start using the system with patients’ files. Staff members need to pay extra attention to this stage so they can track how the EHR is being used and find any problems that might come up as the system is used every day. Furthermore, staff should be aware of any changes or updates implemented by vendors so they can be applied promptly.

Post-Implementation Evaluation  

The last step in putting in place an EHR is to evaluate how well it works in the organization. This includes analyzing user feedback and determining how well different features are being utilized, as well as any areas for improvement that may exist when using such technology. By doing so, healthcare providers can make necessary adjustments to increase the efficiency of their EHR system and ensure that it is properly meeting the needs of their patients.

Challenges of EHR Implementation

Some potential challenges of EHR implementation include the following:

Resistance to Change

One of the biggest challenges of EHR implementation is resistance to change. Healthcare providers and staff members may be used to working with paper-based systems, and switching to electronic systems can be difficult and time-consuming.

Cost

Implementing an EHR can be expensive, especially for smaller medical practices that might not have the money to buy new hardware and software.

Technical Issues

EHR implementation can be complicated, and technical issues can arise during the process. This can lead to delays and frustration for healthcare providers and staff members.

Privacy and Security Concerns

EHR implementation can raise concerns about patient privacy and security. Healthcare providers need to ensure that patient data is protected and secure at all times.

Interoperability Issues

EHR systems need to be able to talk to other health care systems so that they can share information about patients. This can be a challenge if different systems use different data formats or protocols.

Try EHR Integration With Enter.Health Today! 

Enter.Health gives organizations a strong EHR solution that is based in the cloud and works well with other healthcare systems. Our team of experts has the knowledge and experience needed to make sure that the organization's EHR implementation goes well. With our easy-to-use platform, organizations can use the latest healthcare technology while keeping patient data safe and following regulations. Contact us today to check out the prices and services we offer!