| There's no question that healthcare today is | | | | especially since doing so can only make her more |
| evolving from a paper-driven industry into one | | | | marketable down the line. From an administrative |
| that, like many other businesses, is ruled by | | | | standpoint, those in positions of power should be |
| computers. Ever since the advent of the | | | | prepared to address employee concerns about |
| electronic health record, more and more | | | | moving over to what is essentially a brand new |
| practitioners have been trading in their ballpoint | | | | way of life; but more importantly, they should |
| pens and notepads for monitors and keyboards. | | | | also be prepared to pay employees for the |
| And while certain areas within the healthcare | | | | necessary periods of training. |
| industry have been slower to embrace the trend | | | | Just when can administrators expect to see a |
| than others, on a whole, the idea of the EHR | | | | return on such training investments? There's no |
| finally seems to be catching on. | | | | hard and fast formula, but over time, what is |
| Despite the sluggish yet steady progress of EHR | | | | spent on additional training resources will be more |
| implementation among healthcare professionals | | | | than recouped in increased productivity and |
| over the past few years, a fair amount of | | | | patient satisfaction. In fact, many practitioners |
| resistance to the idea still exists - particularly in | | | | who have been using EHRs for years will agree |
| the non-hospital setting. On the administrative end, | | | | that while it's hard to put an exact price tag on |
| one can't argue the fact that EHR implementation | | | | improved patient care and a more efficient |
| comes with a number of costs. Not only does | | | | workflow, there's just something about seeing |
| such software tend to be pricey, but for many, | | | | employees use an EHR system with ease that |
| the idea of taking the time out to train employees | | | | makes the investment extremely worthwhile. |
| on how to use such systems is enough to make | | | | Of course, this does beg the question: If EHRs |
| them reconsider the notion of upgrading to a | | | | are really so wonderful, then why aren't more |
| more efficient business model. | | | | healthcare professionals jumping on board? |
| When it comes to EHR implementation, training is | | | | According to a survey conducted by the National |
| perhaps the single most difficult hurdle to | | | | Center for Health Statistics, as of 2008, 41.5 |
| overcome. While some members of the | | | | percent of physicians reported using some sort of |
| healthcare profession are certainly more | | | | EHR system in their office environments. While |
| technologically adept than others, caregivers such | | | | this figure is up from 34.8 as of 2007, |
| as nurses and home health aides are known more | | | | interestingly enough, preliminary estimates from |
| so as being compassionate and attentive, and less | | | | the 2009 survey are showing that the number of |
| so as being electronically savvy. This means that | | | | physicians using EHRs for non-billing purposes has |
| when it comes to EHR training, owners of private | | | | only climbed to 43.9 percent - not a very |
| practices and hospice and home care agency | | | | impressive jump. While confusion over |
| administrators are going to have to cater to the | | | | government reimbursement criteria and the |
| greatest technophobes on their respective teams. | | | | ongoing meaningful use debate have no doubt |
| There's also no ignoring the fact that when it | | | | contributed to these more moderate numbers of |
| comes embracing the technology behind EHRs, | | | | late, one can't help but wonder if the idea of |
| age is certainly part of the dynamic. Those in the | | | | implementing a successful training program is |
| healthcare industry who grew up using computers | | | | causing many to cower in the face of software |
| are bound to have an easier time growing | | | | vendors knocking at their doors. |
| comfortable with the idea of the electronic health | | | | As financially and logistically overwhelming as the |
| record as compared to providers whose homes | | | | notion may seem, the fact of the matter is that |
| today are still stocked with typewriters and | | | | there are good EHR training programs and |
| cassette players. And from a training perspective, | | | | resources out there - the key is knowing where |
| anyone who doesn't already know how to use a | | | | to find them and accepting the necessary costs |
| computer on a basic level is going to face | | | | that come along with them. According to Beth |
| additional challenges when learning how to use a | | | | Carpenter of Beth Carpenter and Associates, |
| new electronic health record system. | | | | when it comes to EHR implementation, slow and |
| The important thing to recognize, therefore, is | | | | steady doesn't win the race. To get employees |
| that EHR training is not something that can simply | | | | up to speed in a manner that will serve them and |
| be taken lightly, and there's virtually no getting | | | | their patients well, administrators need to set |
| around the fact that during the average EHR | | | | expectations and stick to them firmly. Whether it |
| rollout, a degree of productivity is going to suffer. | | | | takes several weeks or several months, the key |
| The key, however, is to facilitate training in a | | | | is to maintain a solid level of intensity until all |
| manner that allows employees to learn their new | | | | members of a given staff are well-versed in how |
| systems without compromising patient care in the | | | | their EHR software operates. Furthermore, it's |
| interim - a task that historically has proven to be | | | | imperative that staff members be given an |
| easier said than done. Fortunately, there is the | | | | opportunity for remediation in the event that they |
| option of throwing some extra money at the | | | | fail to grasp certain key concepts during the initial |
| problem in the form of backup staff members | | | | go round. And if all of this has to come at an |
| and added administrative support - whatever it | | | | additional cost to those in the process of |
| takes to make the transition period as smooth as | | | | implementing such system, then so be it. |
| possible on the patients involved while enabling | | | | There's no question that orchestrating the right |
| caregivers to learn their EHR systems inside and | | | | amount of EHR training comes with a number of |
| out. | | | | operational challenges that those in charge will |
| And speaking of caregivers, there's a good | | | | need to address, but those implementing |
| chance that many will resist the notion of going | | | | electronic health records might as well go the |
| electronic - at least at first. After all, it takes a | | | | extra distance by doing things right. For as nifty |
| special breed of person to work as a caregiver, | | | | and progressive as today's EHR software choices |
| but those characteristics don't always translate | | | | might be, there's no way to make them run |
| into a willingness to embrace technology. On the | | | | themselves; and until technology finds a way to |
| other hand, for every caregiver who clings tightly | | | | take users out of the equation, an EHR system is |
| to her pad of paper, there's bound to be another | | | | only going to be as useful as the training that |
| who is more than happy to get on board with the | | | | comes along with it. |
| notion of learning to use an EHR system - | | | | |