Chapter 8
Changing the Way You Work: Workflow Redesign
In This Chapter
Documenting workflows
Identifying opportunities for change
Creating a flowchart
Participating in system design
EHR is all about changing how your practice does business. Transitioning to the EHR is going to change your practice’s day-to-day functions in several ways, from providing more patient information earlier in your clinical decision-making process to freeing up the space that used to be occupied by paper record storage. Your practice is going to run leaner and meaner. (Not mean meaner. You’ll still be nice — we promise.) And, after everyone adjusts to the new way of office life that electronic records provide, you’ll enjoy the benefits of your hard work during the research, transition, and go-live phases. One of the biggest benefits of converting to the EHR is streamlining your workflow so you can save time and provide a better quality of care for your patients.
Remember the core components that make up a workflow: people, process and technology. You impact all three areas while you redesign your practice.
Rethinking Your Workflow
There are almost as many reasons to redesign your workflow as there are steps you take to perform each daily task. When you rethink your practice’s workflow design, you can identify opportunities for improvement that are possible with the EHR. You can also improve office practice ...
