subject: Don't Give Up on Your EHR [print this page] Don't Give Up on Your EHR Don't Give Up on Your EHR
These days, there's a big push on the part of the U.S. government to get providers on board with the notion of incorporating electronic health records into their practices. EHRs are thought to not only improve medical office productivity, but also, and most importantly, facilitate better patient care. In fact, the government is so convinced of the latter that it's willing to offer doctors monetary incentives for implementing EHR software.
Although many physicians have already taken steps to introduce EHRs into their practices, there are some who are now finding themselves less than thrilled with the fact that they decided to become early adopters of this particular technology. The problem with a number of today's EHRs is that they do not come equipped with the necessary amount of training and support for users, from nurses to administrative staff members to doctors themselves. In fact, improper training has left many providers with no choice but to badmouth the vendors who sold them their software and resign themselves to the aftermath of money gone down the drain.
Though it's natural for physicians to grow frustrated at the notion of not being able to utilize their EHR software to their full advantage, there's a better solution than sitting back and stewing over those wasted dollars. Rather than give up on their EHRs, those in this unfortunate position should instead revisit the idea of training and consider giving employees a second chance to learn the ropes.
When it comes to successful EHR implementation, proper training can make quite the difference. A training program that offers user-friendly content and adequate built-in support can turn an otherwise failed endeavor into one that results in better patient management and, down the line, extra dollars added to a practice's bottom line.
Although the financial and logistical implications of repeating the EHR training process may seem unappealing to some, without the knowledge as to how to utilize such systems, providers are never going to feel like they are getting their money's worth. So as taxing as it may be to have to allocate additional funds for EHR training, at the end of the day, it's a far better option than walking by those office computers on a regular basis and cursing the software contained therein.
