Electronic Medical Records - Preparing Staff Members

In order to implement important changes at your practice, you must gain buy-in from the staff. The executive search firm Korn/Ferry International cites one of the most common management mistakes as the situation when a new executive tries to implement many new strategies and changes. If this executive fails to take the existing culture into consideration when they arrive, their initiatives often fail.

For example, consider the controlling manager who arrives at a business only to discover that the employees work collaboratively. This combination can lead to a significant struggle and obstacles. Alternately, let's consider the savvy executive who approaches the situation with an ability to acclimate, who discovers ways to work in harmony with the existing culture and style at the firm. The latter approach can significantly assist your efforts to gain cooperation from staff when implementing the change from paper records to electronic medical records.

Proper planning and the ability to adjust during the process are two tools that can help you avoid the need to drop an electronic medical records project. A cancellation usually equates to a large negative cost to a particular practice. The 'Change Management' process, one which touts navigating change in a careful and systematic way, is a great tool to employ during this time.

Adaptable Electronic Medical Records Systems : 10 Key Factors

1 - Be clear and concise in speaking to each individual. Everyone should understand what is happening and what is expected from each. As long as having confidence doesn't mean being unrealistic, it can be good for morale when problems arise. Be prepared to calm the fears of some staff.

2 - The need for a change will not go unquestioned. Present your case in a formal, referenced way which proves the benefits of changing over to a paperless system. Users need an incentive to change their habits, and won't actually use the new tool otherwise.

3 - Maintain good communications by keeping a dialogue channel open, encouraging participation at each step. The plan should also include a time line of actions for completion. Make sure to give the staff all the required information in the implementation process.

4 - Address the aspects of the culture with explicit intent and detail. People can be expected to learn new skills on a gradual basis, taking baby steps toward learning more about technology, including advanced systems such as EBM and EMR. Resistant doctors could cause delays.

5 - The presence of problems is a constant reality; expect the unexpected. These types of occurrences could push back the system go-live date, and the effects will reverberate throughout the organization. Use the correct degree of flexibility to manage these effects.

6 - When gaining acceptance, start at the top. The top tier of staff members, especially physicians and administrators, should be on board with the program, including any champions for the cause. If you have strong allies with the right technological skill and without a naive level of optimism, it could assist the entire campaign.

7 - Always acknowledge the human aspects. Without acceptance from the staff, a change to a new system could ultimately fail. The prospect of change often adds anxiety to the mix of human emotions, and this should be acknowledged during the process.

8 - People should get involved at every level, so that everyone feels they contributed to the outcome. A committee of staff members, formed to create a proposal for delivery to the physicians, is another excellent tool. This committee should be formed from those who will ultimately use the EMR: administrators, business staff, and medical assistants.

9 - Always make identifications and assessments of core values and beliefs in a cultural assessment, including possible sources of conflict or resistance. People often become set in their ways, resisting change as a general rule.

10 - The leaders of the group should take ownership over project elements. As these staff members have better credibility with their subordinates compared to the physicians, these people are crucial and should be first trained in the new system, then passing the info on through training.

Peter J. Polack, M.D., F.A.C.S., is founder of emedikon, a medical practice management consulting firm and president of Protodrone, a software development company specializing in medical practice applications. By the way, do you want to learn more about implementing EMR in your own practice? Download my free report "Getting Through The EMR Maze." Click here for the free EMR report