10 Barriers to Implementing EHR & Solutions to Tackle them

EHR Electronic Health Record is Important

Aggregate patients’ medical history

Provide real-time access to diagnosis details

Helpful in decision making

Top 10 EHR Implementation Challenges

1. Higher Cost of Implementation

EHR implementation is an expensive affair as it involves elements such as setting up the hardware, software costs, implementation assistance, staff training, ongoing network fees, and maintenance.

2. Resistance among Staff

There are health practitioners who are doubtful about the efficacy of electronic health records and the privacy protocols. They may show reluctance due to the lack of digital integration.

3. Time-consuming Training

The providers and the medical team have to spend extra time and put in extra effort to understand the new system to adjust their work accordingly, which is a time-consuming process.

4. Software Usability Issues

If the EHR system is inadequate to fit into the existing workflow, providers find it difficult to adapt to it. The one-size-fits-all rule does not suit the EHR system as the workflow of a therapist is different to that of a cardiologist.

5. Data Privacy Concerns

The healthcare stakeholders often voice concerns over the risk of data leakage due to a natural disaster or a cyber attack. Plus, the federal rule has imposed a national policy to protect the confidentiality of personal health data. This is a big concern to ensure security.

6. Data Migration

It is a logistical nightmare for the staff to export paper-based documents to digital records. There are large chunks of documents containing the medical history of hundreds of patients. Data entry might become a tedious task for the staff.

7. Limitations of Technical Resources

Small clinical establishments and private health practitioners rarely own an in-house team with technical expertise and provider supervision. They might not have the required hardware to equip the EHR solution.

8. Interoperability

Lack of interoperability, proper data transfers can hinder care coordination and health outcomes can deter from identifying the cause of medical assistance.

9. Lack of Proper Planning

Without having a structuralized plan for EHR implementation can lead to data breaches and cybersecurity threats to patient information.

10. Lack of Communication

Without having a structuralized plan for EHR implementation can lead to data breaches and cybersecurity threats to patient information.

EHR Implementation Solutions

Have a strategic plan

Dig deeper into clinical data

Treat consultants as partners

Follow a timeline

Provide training to staff

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