Going live with a new IT system is only the beginning of implementing it fully. Reaping its benefits, ensuring users understand all of its features and can configure them to their own needs—this all requires ongoing training and nurturing.
Clinicians often comment that the systems they use make their tasks take longer, while not being aware of what features they can adjust to make those systems work best for themselves. They may also think adjusting features takes time and attention away from their priority —patients. In fact, taking time and attention to optimize their system’s settings saves time and improves care in the long run. Some investment is needed from clinicians and trainers alike, but the rewards are well worth it.
Training users to make even the simplest changes can have significant outcomes. One exemplary case took place in a very specialized neonatal jaundice clinic. An advanced nurse practitioner (ANP) at the clinic was accustomed to recording his notes by hand, structuring his data on a template he had created himself. In the past, these hardcopies would be stored in the paper record while a clinic letter was dictated and transcribed. Invariably, this would lead to a time delay before the records were safely back in the Records Department for others to access.
Meanwhile, the blood results for these babies would invariably become available out of hours and were predictably abnormal. The abnormal results would be alerted to the relevant clinical team, which would not have access to the paper notes for the patients and would spend some time piecing together the chain of events that had led to the samples being collected. It was not unusual for the parents to be contacted during the process. The news, which wasn’t in fact cause for alarm, caused undue worry for the parents. Junior-level staff also took on unnecessary labor and anxiety by delivering these results and following up on them.
The ANP had not been informed that his clinic was due to become paperless, and when he was told, he explained that he would need specific configuration created. On examining his current workflow, it quickly became clear that the Microsoft Word document he used as a template could be recreated in less than a minute within Sunrise EHR using the Acronym Expansion functionality. Since he was the only user of this template, configuring it just for him would have diverted the EHR team from configuring documentation for other more widely used documents.
Not only did the ANP have a template ready to go at the start of his clinic, this also resolved the issue of the patient’s history not being easily accessible when the abnormal results became available out of hours. The Acronym Expansion function enabled him to "type" a large amount of text into the system, and he was able to recreate and save the template he’d used previously. He has used this to document consistent assessments in his patients’ records ever since. Now that these are available immediately, staff can access this information and see that the abnormal results were, in fact, expected, and the plan of care is also visible. This simple step reduced stress for staff and patients’ families alike.
Informing users about their system’s features and capabilities can produce similar positive outcomes. Constantly “drip feeding” training during existing meetings or sending “Top Tips” to users through usual communication channels ensures all staff is aware of features without causing information overload.
This approach enables trainers to adjust sessions to stay relevant and reflect users’ roles. It also helps users identify their specific day-to-day issues with the system and the solutions. Users will be more inclined to take a few minutes to adjust their personal toolbars or views, highlighting specific functions or updates they know they need to see. These steps take minimal time to dramatically improve clinician experience. Providing “drop-in sessions,” when trainers can guide users through configuration, provide knowledge of options and help personalize their views, patient lists or favorite investigation lists.
While it may be necessary to reinforce information several times before clinicians adopt it into their own use, the results will be worthwhile, leading to care delivery that is more accurate, timely and safe for patients.