Paper medical records aren’t used any more. In fact, you can get in trouble if your medical practice doesn’t use electronic health records (EHR). EHRs have been widely used for a many years, but their success varies depending on how well they are implemented. At Complete Practice Resource, we are familiar with the challenges. We understand what it takes to ensure an electronic system actually benefits its users.
Whether you are changing systems or investing in one for the first time, there are a few things that are key to success. In the next few blogs, we are going to share what we have learned over our decades of experience.
Good Leadership
Technology changes work best when they start from the top down. If you have lower-level employees advocating for changes, but the leadership doesn’t understand why they are needed, you have the perfect recipe for chaos. You also don’t want to make technology changes to only one part of the organization. When one part of the organization transitions, the rest of the organization needs to transition, too. Here are two keys on the leadership level:
- Upper leadership should be 100 percent committed to keeping the change high on their priority list. They cannot let it slip away.
- Operational and clinical leaders should be available and approachable to ensure everyone of the leadership’s commitment to the change.
Vision Continuity
Improvements will be patchy if everyone isn’t on the same page. Stick to the following keys:
- Patient safety and well-being should be at the forefront of whatever the vision may be
- Goals and their benefits should be clear, measurable, and meaningful
- Team members should know what success looks like for the organization. Not only that, they should know how to reach that success.
- A vision should be both shared and accepted by members.
Supportive Culture
Change is inevitable in any organization, but the smart organizations work hard to prepare everyone beforehand, support them in the middle, and reinforce the results afterward. Planning beforehand is hugely important, because it allows you to identify the roadblocks and resistance that are inevitable parts of change.
You will experience resistance for a variety of reasons. Some people will think that the change won’t last and therefore won’t invest the time to learn the new system. Others will resist it simply because it is change, and they aren’t eager to re-learn processes that get them by. This is why it is important to have upper leadership 100 percent on board. Combine high-level support with wise planning, and you’ll come out the other side with solid results. It is worth the energy and time!
The medical profession can be a stressful one, and that is why the team at Complete Practice Resource works so hard to provide programs and coding that you can depend on. We can help you get billing and information systems under control. Not only that, we provide appointment scheduling programs and beyond. When you work with us, you get our product as well as training on how to use it. Contact us in Santa Barbara today!