Switching EHRs? Follow These 4 Expert Tips

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• Switching EHRs? Follow These 4 Expert Tips
• If youve decided you just cant make your old
  EHR work for your practice and you need a new
  one, its wise to go into replacement with your
  eyes wide open. Prepare yourself for four EHR
  software replacement challenges that University
  of Colorado informatics professor and HIT expert
  Heather Haugen has seen time and time again in
  her research.
• Dont assume that implementation and adoption
  will be easier this time because youve already
  done it once. Just because you installed an EHR a
  few years ago doesnt mean you still have those
  same people around your practice or that they
  even remember how they did it the first time. You
  need to plan your leadership, communication, and
  training efforts just as strategicallyor perhaps
  even more strategicallythan you did the first
  time.
• Dont assume physicians and staff will welcome
  the
• change. Everyone hates the old system so much
  theyll love the new one,
• right? Wrong. The day you take away a system,
  even from people who have complained about it,
  they are so mad at you because at least they knew
  it, Haugen told attendees at HIMSS 2016.
• Understand that changes in workflow and processes
  are difficult even when theyre a good idea. It
  will take time, money, and resources to train
  your practice on the new system.
• Understand that a successful transition requires
  buy-in, time, and energy from your practices key
  leaders. As you assemble your EHR adoption team,
  make sure you understand the difference between
  authority and leadership and how that dynamic
  works in your practice, Haugen advises. There are
  people with tons of authority who dont lead
  well. (Is your official IT guy one of them?)
  And there are people with not much official
  authority who totally led everyone in your
  practice.