In retrospect, so many things can improve the starting-up process — and their absence can make matters so painful that it boggles the mind. Multiple training sessions on test patients on a simulator, dedicated scanning and abstracting of paper charts, workflow analysis and staff training months in advance…

Everybody who goes electronic from paper has a difficult transition. Period. The best that can be done is to make it as painless as possible, which is where having a reliable MSO “on the ground” with you is worth its weight in gold.

Their raison d’etre is to assist you through the transition, which they’ve midwifed successfully before. As well as to advise you about mistaken cut corners that other groups have tried…and that nearly sank them.

But having the right attitude — and expectation — at the physician level is key, no question. And breaking the process down into immediately useful, proven, bite-sized pieces.

Great start to this series. Our practice implemented an EMR 5 years ago. I wish we would have had this post back then.

We made many mistakes. Unfortunately, the training we received was not the best, so that didn’t help matters either. And I believe the EMR vendor did a poor job managing our expectations. Thus expectations were very high.

In fact, we were so frustrated with the system at one point, I called the vendor and told them I wanted to return the EMR.

We didn’t return it. However, It did take us a lot longer than expected to get comfortable and productive with the system.

After 5 years with the system I can still say moving to an EMR was one of the best choices we’ve made. Despite the hardships and frustration, the alternative (paper charts) is not an option.

Brandon
@pediatricinc
pediatricinc.wordpress.com