What's the key to a great implementation? Simply put, the answer to this questions is: "Listen and follow through."
Really. That's it.
I think we place more emphasis on the core three things below than other companies feel necessary. In fact, we consider some of our processes non-negotiable because they are so important to long term success.
If a practice's management feels that what I'm suggesting below is simply not feasible, please keep in mind that our organizations may not be the right fit for each other. We prefer to work with practices that recognize that the customer centric approach is the one that will produce the greatest results in their endeavor to go electronic.
With that being said, we at FlexMedical have found that coaching in the following areas has played a significant role in a successful implementation:
The prep work involved prior to training
The amount of time invested in distraction-free QUALITY training
The amount of friendly assistance received both during the go-live and continued follow-up afterward
The Prep Work
I mention the prep work first because it's not something that is usually mentioned until after the sales process is complete.
It's prudent to ask the following questions:
Is there any data entry that needs to be done by the staff before training begins?
Are there already templates for everything the practice accomplishes in its daily workflow?
Of the existing templates, are modifications necessary to tweak their application toward a workflow?
I believe it's wise to take a select number of paper charts and dissect them with one of our Implementation Coordinators. In doing so, the coordinator can help the practice ensure that there is an appropriate place for the staff to document what what is required in an efficient manner. Working directly with willing clinical staff on a plan for executing this stage has a significant impact on how well training goes because the exporsure to the templates gives the staff of edge of familiarity prior to going live.
Training
Incorporating a new EHR, and potentially a new practice management system, is an industrious endeavor. We're talking about transforming the way a practice has been generating its documentation for a very long time. While FlexMedical is simple to use, it does take some time to learn due to the sheer magnitude of the functionality it provides.
Our approach to training involves thorough classroom-like instruction and gives the staff a chance to practice entering patient information on an example database. We learned early on that the days immediately following go-live are more successful if the staff is allowed solid blocks of distraction-free training time. This means that whoever we're training at the time needs only focus on the FlexMedical training and not other office duties. The moment staff has to answer phone calls or interact with patients, the quality of the training is diminished considerably. Constant interruptions make it extremely difficult to cover all of the material and give staff ample time to practice what they've learned.
Consistent Care and Follow-Up
Since we want your go-live to be a success, we always want to make ourselves available to handle any questions or concerns your practice may have as they arise. But we don't stop there. After you've implemented, our Implementation Coordinator schedules weekly follow-up calls and remote sessions in an effort to continually assist the practice get the most out of FlexMedical.
So, Why Implement Our Way?
Simply put, implementing our way means a greater chance at success. Our clients have found that, by adopting our approach, they experienced a much smoother transition and an accelerated time table to being electronic than many of their colleagues that used a different EHR.