The EHR really changes how people do their jobs, and change management is needed. However, change management may look different for a team of medical records clerks versus an orthopedic surgeon.
You were hired to put together a change management plan for each of these employees or groups of employees at Rasmussen Hospital. Write a brief Change Management Plan for each scenario given, using the four R’s shared in the Change Management reading in this class. Be sure to address any fears or concerns the employees may have.
SCENARIO ONE: Medical Records Clerical Team
This team of five spent most of their day pulling paper medical record folders off of shelves, pulling paper out of them, filing paper back into them, and putting the folders back on the shelves. The folders could be thin or very thick. The job involved bending down to very low shelves or stretching up to high shelves. They also had to push carts from place to place, delivering and picking up charts from clinics. With the new EHR, all of the paper will be scanned into the EHR, and they will no longer be using paper charts. They will need to learn to use the computer, which many of them have not done before. Their new jobs will involve scanning paper records received by the clinic, and keying in the Medical Record Number so that the scanned document goes into the correct patient’s record. Accuracy will be very important.
SCENARIO TWO: Dr. John Smith, Orthopedic Surgeon
Dr. Smith is an orthopedic surgeon who has been working at the hospital for 30 years and is 10 years from retirement. He does not like to use computers. His normal workflow is to see patients, dictate his notes into a tape recorder, and send the tape to a transcriptionist who will type the note on paper. The paper is delivered to his office three days later for his signature. It often sits on his desk for several days before he signs it, and then it is picked up by a medical records clerk and filed to the medical record. With the EHR, Dr. Smith will be expected to use a computer template with picklists, checkboxes, and free text in the patient’s record in the EHR to create his patient documentation himself, meaning they will be available immediately instead of three days later. He will no longer be able to dictate. He is not very happy about this as he is not used to using a computer, and he feels that this will add a lot more time to his day and take time away from the patient. He does not understand what benefits the EHR will bring to the organization. He is very busy and does not have time for long training classes.
SCENARIO THREE: Lab Technicians
There are 10 lab technicians. Their current work flow is that the patient comes to get their blood drawn. The lab tech takes their blood and puts a hand printed label on the tube. When the lab is completed, the results go into the Lab System, and are printed on paper out of the lab system. The paper is sent to Medical Records to be filed in the chart. The lab technician will have to call the doctor with the lab results if they are important and need to be known immediately. With the EHR, the patient will come to the lab with a label already preprinted with their information on it. The label will be placed on the tube. The Lab System will have an HL7 Interface into the new EHR, (You will learn more about HL7 in the following module.) and the results will flow electronically right from the Lab System into the EHR via the interface, so no paper will have to change hands, and the lab results will go right to the patient’s chart and be ready for the doctor to review online. If the lab results are important, they will send an urgent message to the doctor’s in basket and may even automatically page the doctor.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Change management is a critical process that every organization must undergo before implementing changes in their systems, processes, or policies. Rasmussen Hospital is in the process of adopting electronic health records (EHR) systems, and the medical professor is tasked with designing change management plans for different employee groups. This response provides brief change management plans for three scenarios, each addressing fears and concerns that employees may have.
Answer:
Scenario One: Medical Records Clerical Team
The change plan for the medical records team should be focused on providing adequate training on how to use the EHR system effectively. The training should cover how to scan paper records into the EHR system, key in medical record numbers, and ensure that the documents go into the correct patient’s record. The employees should also be trained on how to use the computer as many of them may not have used it before. To address any fears or concerns, the team lead should give an overview of the benefits of using the EHR system, such as improved accuracy and efficiency. They should be assured that the organization values their work and that they will be supported through this transition.
Scenario Two: Dr. John Smith, Orthopedic Surgeon
The change management plan for Dr. John Smith should focus on providing a personalized and flexible training program that addresses his specific concerns. The training should be delivered via one on one sessions that fit into his schedule. The training provided should also be simplified and straight to the point, without overly technical jargon. The benefits of the EHR system can be demonstrated, highlighting the ease of access to patient records and the immediate availability of patient documentation. Dr. Smith should be reminded that this change is necessary for improved patient care, and the organization will support him through this transition.
Scenario Three: Lab Technicians
The change management plan for the lab technicians should focus on providing adequate training on how to use the EHR system to improve their workflow. They should be trained on how to print pre-labelled tubes, enter the lab results into the system, and how to access and communicate the results with other medical practitioners. Technicians can also be trained on how the new system will minimize physical paper handling, and how it will eliminate the need for hand-written labels. To address fears and concerns, the technicians can be assured that the EHR system will improve turnaround time, accuracy of test results, and enhance timely communication of the results, which can lead to better patient outcomes.
