Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
You’re juggling compliance needs.
It takes too long to record billing and patient communications.
Electronic health record (EHR) inefficiencies are causing burnout and turnover.
Finally deciding to turn a corner with new EHR software is the first step to improving your healthcare organization. But you also need the right approach to make it work. As you plan your implementation, focus on EHR training to take your team from hours of admin time and frustration to seamless operations and patient care. Get the most from your investment with smarter training. We’ll show you how to refine your approach and go from panic to proficiency.
Are There Risks for Using the Wrong EHR Training Approach?
If your organization doesn’t put its people first with effective EHR training, it can leave you operating in disarray. Forgetting how to execute important tasks, developing workarounds just to get by, and sacrificing more patient time for admin—the new software should fix all of this, not create more drama.
Refine your EHR training approach by avoiding two massive hiccups.
Don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach
EHR training must take into account the nuances of each role, from clinicians to those in IT. Huddling every role into a one-size-fits-all training doesn’t work because their daily routines look so different, and this forces staff members to learn unnecessary features.
Maximize the value of your new EHR software during training instead of frustrating users who just want to know how to use it for their workflows.
Don’t train staff too early or not enough
“Use it or lose it” may be a cliche, but it also explains a concept called the forgetting curve pretty well. Think of all the facts you memorized during your school days to pass exams. After learning something new, the details slip away over time if you don’t revisit them.
EHR training provides reinforcement if you do it right. That means not just taking staffers through the motions before the go-live date but also practicing consistently afterward to stay sharp each time they dive into the software.
5 Smart Steps for Successful EHR Training
Effective EHR training begins with a plan, not just a meeting on everyone’s calendars. Balance each role’s needs and the hustle of each day by taking a few steps to maximize learning, retention, and continued success.
1. Tailor training by role
Divide training sessions by role to give your team the most relevant and applicable training to their needs. Every training may begin with basics, such as where to find and enter key information, but tailor the rest to focus on workflow-specific content:
- Clinicians respond to scenario-based training, such as charting, e-Prescriptions, and clinical decision support
- Administrative personnel learn hands-on by practicing data entry, such as scheduling and claims processing
- IT staff become technical pros through sandbox testing for system configuration and troubleshooting
2. Establish a network of super users
Create a core group of EHR experts by soliciting volunteers from your most engaged nurses, physicians, and administrators. Super users learn the new EHR like the backs of their hands, so they can use their expertise to map out workflows and improve the system.
These staffers also become the first line of support for colleagues, creating reference materials and giving hands-on training. Your team should be able to look to super users for at-the-elbow support, including asking basic how-to questions and practicing one-on-one in a safe environment.
3. Support microlearning
Microlearning is valuable when lecture-based EHR training isn’t practical. Empower your team to learn on their time, on demand, through a variety of media, including:
- Scenario-based modules
- Videos
- Webinars
Not only is it convenient, but bite-sized learning also improves retention for busy clinicians. Just focus EHR training on practicing the tasks that will be part of their daily routines, such as:
- Navigating custom fields
- Charting patient complaints
- Entering patient data
- Ordering meds
4. Offer post-go-live support and training
Do your part by offering continued EHR training and support for at least the first 90 days. Just be patient as staffers settle in, offering them a safety net of additional on-demand support, including:
- FAQs
- Training videos
- Walkthroughs inside the EHR
5. Measure proficiency
As time goes on following your EHR implementation, you need to consciously check the pulse of user ability and adoption. Is it meeting your organization’s needs? Do you notice any trends? Make note of any themes you observe, such as:
- Task completion rates
- Common errors
- Support queries
For new hires, you can bake this process right into their standard 30-, 60-, and 90-day benchmarks to address areas for improvement. But for users overall, just take stock of how successfully staff members use the EHR to pinpoint individual and group opportunities for additional coaching.
Pave the Way for Software Proficiency with Juno EHR
Outdated systems exhaust your staff, leaving them burned out and ready to throw in the towel. But modern software—and a smart EHR training approach—drives real results. Boost staff retention, lower implementation costs, and accelerate ROI with Juno EHR’s personalized software and training approach.
We’ll show you how to tailor your training to leverage experts across the organization and support diverse learning needs and styles—all while integrating an EHR made for your needs.
Ready to deploy software effectively and improve workflows across your organization? Reach out today to discuss the perks of Juno EHR and how we get your team up to speed—fast.
