Going live on eClinicalWorks is the first step in a healthcare organization’s EHR journey. Those first few months are spent becoming familiar with the system, learning the functionality, and following new workflows that may have been put in place to accommodate the transition. As the journey continues, many healthcare organizations may ask: what’s next? Tapping into the data they’ve been so diligently entering into the system since go-live, they strive to uncover ways their eClinicalWorks EHR can help them become more efficient.
In this article, we’ll review the importance of training as a baseline for your eClinicalWorks system use and dive into the world of optimization and coaching to maximize your eClinicalWorks investment.
eClinicalWorks Training Sets You Off on the Right Foot
There is a great deal of value in a standardized training plan for eClinicalWorks. Whether your organization is just launching the system, or is in growth mode and adding providers, it’s important to instill proper knowledge and common practices for your use of eClinicalWorks. Here’s how training may take place in your organization:
- For new implementations, an organization may follow training provided by eClinicalWorks, which delivers an overview of functionality, what various modules are used for, and how to navigate and enter data into the system.
- As new providers are added, internal staff are assigned to onboard the new providers, sharing the standardized training described above.
- Organizations may also opt to contract with Ero Health to provide a more robust training plan that is tailored to their use of eClinicalWorks. In most cases, this also involves training Super-Users, who are in place to onboard new providers, acclimating them to specific functions and processes for the organization’s needs.
In the case of new eClinicalWorks implementations, useful data is scarce for the first several months. Proper training enables consistent data entry and proper eClinicalWorks process alignment, so over time, an organization can use their data to create efficiencies, ensure accuracy, and improve cash flow. That’s where optimization and coaching come in.
Take Training to the Next Level with eClinicalWorks Optimization and Coaching
Training is the foundational piece and first step in maximizing use of eClinicalWorks. But the next, even more impactful step lies in optimization and coaching. Training provides users with the knowledge of how to use the system. Optimization uncovers what’s possible to unlock system potential, and coaching delivers the why and how to sustain the best and highest use of eClinicalWorks. Coaching activates the optimization, making it real for users. This addresses long-term adoption behavior, not just one-time setup, and reinforces best practices to address real-time issues, evolve provider habits over time, and maximize your successful use of eClinicalWorks.
In today’s competitive healthcare landscape, it’s critical to leverage your eClinicalWorks system for the following purposes:
- Efficiency and Simplicity. Your providers’ satisfaction with your EHR (and associated processes and workflows) can be a key driver in retention. There are many optimizations and new AI features that can reduce manual entry, as well as the number of clicks and screens providers and staff must navigate. By supporting clinicians in integrating optimized workflows into daily use, coaching reduces frustration and cognitive load which are key contributors to burnout. This level of simplification not only saves time — it also increases satisfaction.
- Necessary documentation at the appropriate staff and provider level. One source of provider frustration lies in the note taking process. A properly optimized eClinicalWorks system includes templates that build notes from the appointment setting process through check-in and provider encounter, minimizing the need for the provider to serve as a scribe.
- Accuracy. The implementation of AI features most appropriate for your facility, along with available automations within the system, can increase data entry accuracy.
- Data Integrity. Clean data is key for many reasons, including gaining insights into your patient population health and increasing your rate of first-pass clean claims. Through optimization, many healthcare organizations tap into data and insights that they didn’t know they had.
- Specific Optimization for Each Specialty. Each specialty operates differently with varying requirements for key components, such as referrals. Yet eClinicalWorks is set up the same regardless of specialty. Optimization can tailor eClinicalWorks for your specialty’s needs.
Optimization with Ero Health can include many customizations, features and functionalities, including order sets, notes templates, automation of manual processes, and identification and activation of various modules most impactful for your organization. (Ero Health can even advise on which modules you may be able to de-activate).
Once your optimization is in place, the next-level training we call “coaching” can now take place. Coaching with Ero Health differs from training in several ways because it:
- Is customized, both for the user and your organization’s specific eClinicalWorks optimized set-up. This is important because not every provider or staff member arrives to the conversation at the same level. Ero Health provides personalized coaching designed for different types of learners, offering support based on the provider’s specialty, experience level, workflow preferences and openness to system change. We meet everyone where they are, regardless of their concerns, past experience or technical acumen.
- Revolves around efficient use of eClinicalWorks, rather than baseline knowledge and use. A healthcare organization’s optimization dictates the customizations and workflows present in their eClinicalWorks. Coaching with Ero Health covers this and builds user confidence in the system.
- Leverages best practices that the Ero Health team has gained over more than two decades working with specialties across all types in organizations of all sizes.
- Uncovers and builds confidence in your data. It’s been often said that “data is the new gold,” and that’s certainly true in healthcare. Through optimization, you’ll gain access to dashboards and reporting you may not know exist. Ero Health will provide coaching not just on how to access that data, but also on how to interpret and act on the data to make good decisions for your healthcare organization and for population health management.
- Supports Change Management. Clinical system adoption coaching bridges the gap between technical change and human behavior change. This is important because navigating change in any organization is difficult. Without the proper approach and management, providers and staff may resist change and experience dissatisfaction. Coaching minimizes frustration and paves the way for greater engagement.
The healthcare organizations we’ve partnered with over the years for optimization and coaching have greatly improved their clinical, operational, and financial performance. It’s allowed them to bring on new providers, expand to new locations, improve patient engagement, successfully integrate newly acquired practices, and receive prompt payment for services rendered.
Ero Health, in partnership with Med Tech Solutions, is pleased to offer a comprehensive optimization and coaching solution called ProviderCare to help your healthcare organization excel in your use of eClinicalWorks. The program is designed to target provider efficiency, boost satisfaction, and enhance patient care. You’ll experience all the benefits discussed in this article to drive your healthcare organization to a successful future.
Contact us to schedule your complimentary ProviderCare clinical system optimization assessment today!
