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3 tips on EHR implementation training from a health system that’s been there

Ozarks Healthcare in West Plains, Missouri went live with a consolidated EHR environment after migrating from a multiple EHR environment early this year. Sedona Learning Solutions was privileged to be a partner in creating new EHR training for this complex initiative. After their successful implementation, we at Sedona circled back to learn more about how some of Ozarks’ key staff felt about the EHR training experience. From them, here are three tips for making the EHR training process as smooth and efficient as possible:

1. Use online instruction to reduce in-person training time. TJ Temple, Executive Director of Information Technology at Ozarks Healthcare, mentioned the role of Sedona’s eLearning modules in his MUSE presentation The Do’s and Don’ts of Platform Migration. “Get extra help for education … consider purchasing e-based learning,” he said. “It was a cost we hadn’t budgeted for, but Sedona Learning Solutions’ tutorials were well-worth the money. … It saved us tons and tons of classroom time. It helps even now with onboarding new staff … it’s been a real blessing.”
2. For providers, customization matters. “Providers get hung up on this,” said Nicole Rothove, Clinical Applications Analyst. “We regularly hear from providers that they don’t want to look at something that isn’t exactly like what they are going to use. It can be the detail of what’s in a menu within the Problem List, or what choices are available in a template. Providers are particular about how they document and take care of their patients. … Having our eLearning modules customized to our workflow and build was absolutely key.”
3. Push to finalize build and workflows early.  Having decisions on build and workflow early is so important.  “I wished that we had had some of our build done and workflows sorted out so that we could have gotten custom training out to physicians sooner,” said Dr. Priscilla Frase, Hospitalist/CMIO.  “Some of our providers said that they would have watched the custom tutorials a couple of times had they had them sooner. …. In retrospect, I wish we had used [Sedona’s custom education materials] for all roles.”

Congratulations Ozarks Healthcare and thanks for generously sharing your feedback and insights!