Deciding on which EHR system to use can be difficult for practices, as is the transition from one system to another, according to a July 26 article on the American Medical Association's website.
Here are 10 common challenges systems face when navigating EHR transitions, per the AMA:
1. A reluctance to embrace change. Communicating with users early on could help mitigate these challenges.
2. A rise in job dissatisfaction and burnout. A task force dedicated to the new EHR could help mitigate these issues.
3. Team members have to divert from other projects. There could be lower clinic productivity during the transition period, and short-term staff may help to pick up slack.
4. More training is necessary.
5. EHR system prices and transition costs can be high. Systems should budget appropriately for the rollout.
6. Shifting personnel to other duties creates burden. Identifying loss of productivity can help to mitigate its impacts.
7. EHR customization is a hard call. Understand current workflows, revisit them often and frequently ask for provider feedback.
8. A higher risk of data loss and breaches. Create a management team responsible for backing up user data.
9. Disruptions to the health information exchange. Work with vendors to establish reliable communication channels.
10. Cybersecurity risks may be higher during the transition phase. Establish a task force to identify emerging and non-emerging threats.