Electronic Health Records For Dummies

Staying proficient before go-live

If training occurs weeks before go-live, forgetting everything you learned during training is easy. Fortunately, you can employ a number of strategies to keep you and your practice proficient.

In Chapter 9, we discuss strategies for preloading pertinent patient information into the EHR prior to go-live. In addition to creating the foundation of the clinical record for many of your patients, this preload process offers a great opportunity for staff to play in the system and become more comfortable.

Don’t use a form or method of entering information from the paper chart that doesn’t mimic the workflow that staff and physicians will use after you turn on the EHR. You want to reinforce the workflows from your training and help build upon your strong foundation.

You can also practice in the system to keep your skills sharp. Make the practice effective by working with test patients who have robust data; use clinically accurate practice scenarios, too. Ask the vendor to provide practice documents for your review and tweak them as appropriate to fit your practice.

Schedule the time for staff and physicians to go through e-learning modules or practice scenarios. Make it clear that the “free” time is for practice and not other clinical or non-clinical tasks. ...