EHR adoption rates in healthcare organizations across the US, the Nordics, Australia, and New Zealand have been over 90% for over five years. While the wide usage of electronic health records systems has brought numerous benefits to healthcare providers, a large portion of this software is already aging. Outdated EHRs evoke a huge set of problems, from security risks to physician burnout, so learning to recognize that an EHR system needs to be updated and how to make this process easier and faster gives a significant advantage to healthcare providers.
Why healthcare organizations need to update their EHRs regularly
The 2022 HIMSS security report names legacy software as one of the initial points of compromise for security accidents in healthcare. Considering that the healthcare industry has been far ahead of the other sectors in terms of security breach costs for twelve years in a row, healthcare organizations are long overdue in investing more in their cybersecurity. Updating systems containing the most sensitive patient data to match the security requirements is an obvious measure to take in this situation. While EHR is not the only software that stores and processes sensitive health data, it’s at the core of all data operations, therefore requires the utmost attention.
Source: https://www.himss.org/sites/hde/files/media/file/2022/01/28/2021_himss_cybersecurity_survey.pdf
Another reason for moving to the EHR software better suited for your current practice is the negative influence of outdated EHRs on medical professionals’ mental health. According to Sermo, 52% of healthcare providers use more than two electronic medical records solutions daily. They have to use different systems to cover the requirements of multiple specialties or facilitate information transfer between various facilities and partner organizations. On top of it, some of these systems have an outdated interface that requires some information to be input twice or more. Switching between numerous systems and going through thousands of mouse clicks during the workday builds up to the physician’s software usage fatigue, less time for interactions with patients, and faster burnout.
Signs that your EHR needs an update
When healthcare providers face the question of whether or not their electronic health records systems need an update, they should turn to a simple 5-point list of “red flags”. Each of the following can indicate that your healthcare organization has outgrown the current electronic health records software.
Insufficient feature set
Assess the usual workflows in your healthcare organization for all specialties. Does your EHR system have the functionality to support the central ones for every specialty? For example, if your organization offers pediatric services in addition to general care, the basic EHR system is not enough – it should also include features like growth charts or special assessment forms for newborns, or else pediatricians will have to chart this information and put it in supplementary notes manually.
Inadequate security and compliance
EHR systems are the first frontier of patient information protection, as they contain highly sensitive personal data. Therefore, their security capabilities must conform with the current standards like HIPAA, GDPR, or others relevant to your country and state. Such requirements are reviewed and updated continuously by the regulatory organizations to match the current digital security landscape, therefore EHR systems must be audited and improved regularly as well.
Complicated interface and hindered usability
Ask your medical personnel for feedback – whether they are comfortable using the current EHR system. Healthcare software brings value to organizations only if it helps with everyday tasks instead of taking attention away from the patients and adding to the workload.
Lack of interoperability
Analyze your existing IT ecosystem and gauge if the EHR system integrates well with your other software. Consider the simplicity and security of data transfer between different healthcare systems. Keep in mind that other components of your ecosystem might also require modernization to contribute to overall interoperability within the organization.
Small data storage capacity and rigidity of the system
Amid the rapidly changing healthcare landscape, EHR systems should be flexible enough to grow alongside your healthcare business. It should handle the sudden changes in patient quantity and demographics as well as in organizations’ care services portfolios.
Tips for a successful EHR modernization
Once you conclude that your EHR software doesn’t meet the current needs of your healthcare organization, it’s time to consider modernizing it. Unfortunately, according to Healthcare IT News, healthcare providers often cite cost, risk, and hassle as the top arguments against getting into the EHR update project. However, in the end, not going through the EHR update can bring many more disadvantages and financial losses to healthcare businesses. To mitigate the above concerns, healthcare organizations need to remember the following during the modernization process:
- Not everyone has to replace their EHR solution entirely. Most large electronic health records platforms offer extensions, additional modules, updated plans, and more to help healthcare providers build upon their existing platform without switching the system. Discuss the possibility and cost of expanding and modernizing the existing EHR with your software provider.
- Considering the complexity of the modernization process, it’s best to have a consultant to guide you through the intricate details. Expert consultants and implementation partners help healthcare providers outline and execute the most effective modernization plan according to all industry requirements and regulations so you don’t have to worry about unexpected issues.
- Make sure to include medical professionals in the decision-making process while creating a plan for the EHR renovation. Conduct a survey to understand which changes are essential to improve satisfaction with the software and their day-to-day job.
- Whether adding new modules, integrating third-party tools, or moving to an entirely new platform to improve your EHR’s performance, security, and user-friendliness, prioritize data migration accuracy and security. Develop a detailed data migration plan to ensure seamless patient data transfer and impose robust security measures throughout the project.
- Keep your employees in the loop: train them sufficiently on the new system or the new features of the current one and offer ongoing support to build user confidence. Make sure to include all system users in the process, not just clinicians, but nurses, admins, and technical specialists as well.
- Start small and move gradually. If you’re introducing significant changes to your software and workflows, consider a phased implementation to minimize disruption and maximize the time to train end-users. The process can start with researching a fitting third-party AI or development apps by reviewing them in marketplaces like Servicelist.io, and then integrating them into the current system.
- Measure and track progress. Set and monitor key metrics for the upgrade project success, such as feature utilization rate, in-system task completion time, personnel and patient satisfaction, and others relevant to your practice.
In conclusion
Modernizing the EHR system can be a significant investment of resources, which holds back many healthcare organizations. However, renovated electronic health records software is necessary for healthcare companies to handle patient data more securely, facilitate communication between different organizations, improve patient outcomes, and help medical professionals avoid burnout, making it well worth the investment.
The EHR software market encompasses hundreds of sophisticated solutions, making the process of selecting and implementing the right system or additional modules overwhelming. Implementation partners can ensure that your improved EHR system will be set up as quickly as possible to bring your organization increased revenue faster through improved medical personnel efficiency, better patient engagement, and reduced possibility of penalties due to non-compliance. Don’t hesitate to turn to expert help, as a knowledgeable consultant or an implementation partner can aid in overcoming the obstacles during the EHR enhancement journey.
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