EHR Decisions: Winning the Support of Physicians and Clinical Staff

When implementing an EHR system in your clinic, it is important to win the support of the providers and other clinical staff who will be using it in everyday interactions with your community of patients.  Demonstrate that the utilization of electronic records will improve the accuracy of your record-keeping, improve the quality of your care, and enhance every one’s ease of access to patient health information.  
 
Train clinicians to use certain functionalities in the software to bolster accuracy.  In some EHR systems, physicians are able to double check drug interactions and import pertinent information throughout a patient’s entire record with one simple step.  Key in to the unique capabilities of your EHR system and make these functions part of your clinical protocol in order to minimize overlooked, but important errors.  Additionally, emphasize that the ability to access reportable digital information on patients’ disease states and treatment therapies — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from home, the hospital, or a nursing home — allows for high-quality continuity of care.