How to Create a Leadership Team for Successful EHR Implementation

The Secrets of Successful EHR Adoption: Building the Right Team for a Smooth Transition

The adoption and use of electronic health records (EHRs) have become a pivotal priority for healthcare organizations across the country. However, the road to successful EHR implementation is often bumpy. Industry research indicates that nearly 30% of EHR projects fail to achieve their intended outcomes.

Leadership is emerging as one of the most crucial ingredients that separate EHR success stories from failures. But what defines effective leadership for EHR implementation? How can hospitals and health systems build the right leadership team to steer these complex projects to success?

How to Build an Effective Leadership Team for EHR Implementation?

EHR implementations require a diverse leadership team combining technical expertise, clinical knowledge, and change management skills. As you identify and select members of the EHR leadership team, there are some key considerations:

• Complementary skill sets: Look for leaders with complementary hard and soft skills spanning IT, clinical operations, project management, and communications. A well-rounded team covers all key competencies required for EHR success.
• Clinical representation: Actively involve clinical leaders like Chief Medical Information Officers (CMIOs) and Chief Nursing Information Officers (CNIOs) who can liaise with end-users and contextualize workflow changes.
• IT/IS experience: Technology leaders who understand system integration and can coordinate with implementation consultants are invaluable for smooth deployments.
• Change management chops: Leaders adept at change management are essential to drive training, address adoption barriers, and minimize productivity dips during the transition.
• Project management: Dedicated project managers are needed to helm the extensive planning, coordination, and monitoring involved in EHR rollouts.

Assembling a leadership team combining these diverse skills and experience levels sets up your EHR implementation for success.

What Roles and Responsibilities Are Crucial Within an EHR Project Team?

While every EHR project is unique, some leadership roles and responsibilities are consistently important across implementations:

• Clinical project leads: CMIOs, CNIOs, and other clinical project leads should be involved in system selection, workflow design, and end-user training. Their guidance on clinical needs and practice is invaluable.
• IT project managers: IT project managers adept at systems integration, data migration, and tester coordination are key for the technical heavy lifting in EHR rollouts.
• EHR implementation consultants: Outside consultants supplement internal teams with specialized expertise during planning, deployment, and go-live. But consistent leadership oversight is still critical.
• Training specialists: Dedicated training staff are instrumental in end-user education and adoption. They identify learning gaps and customize training programs tailored to different specialties and roles.
• Change managers: Change managers work cross-functionally to minimize productivity declines. They assess change impacts, identify resistors, and develop mitigation strategies.

When these roles have clearly defined, yet interconnected responsibilities, EHR project teams can plan, coordinate, and execute implementations effectively.

The Significance of On-Site Leadership During EHR Implementation

EHR implementations can profoundly impact clinical and administrative workflows. Leaders who are physically present and actively engaged during rollout foster smoother transitions. Research highlights the benefits of on-site leadership:

• Visible leadership encourages adoption: Clinicians are more receptive to workflow changes when they see senior leaders like CMIOs and department heads onboard with the EHR.
• Immediate issue resolution: Active leaders can provide real-time direction when inevitable technology and process issues arise during go-live. This rapid response curbs frustration.
• Support post-deployment: Leaders verifying new workflows firsthand can identify additional user training needs and process adjustments in the weeks after going live.
• Morale boost: Visible leadership commitment to the EHR boosts user confidence and morale, encouraging persistence through the steep learning curve.

While off-site oversight has some benefits, dedicated on-site leadership before, during, and after go-live drives successful user adoption.

Strategies for Successful Team Formation and Management in EHR Projects

Careful team formation and skillful management are crucial for EHR project success. Consider these strategies:

• Set clear roles and responsibilities: Explicitly defining each team member's role reduces ambiguity and enhances accountability.
• Assess and address skill gaps: Determine expertise gaps early and fill them through training, mentorship programs, or additional hiring.
• Customize training: Cater training programs to each user group, focusing on their anticipated system interactions and workflows.
• Align on project objectives: Foster alignment on project goals, milestones, and success metrics across clinical, operational, and technical teams.
• Formal communication protocols: Establish centralized communication channels like daily standups or project management platforms to coordinate seamlessly.
• Conflict resolution process: Institute a formal issue escalation process to promptly resolve disagreements or conflicts within the team.

With purposeful team building and management, healthcare organizations can overcome the fragmentation that often derails EHR projects.

Navigating Leadership Changes and Challenges During EHR Implementation

Leadership changes and instability can seriously impede EHR success. But there are strategies to navigate them effectively:

• Cross-train deputies: Ensure deputies are trained across functions to cover leadership transitions smoothly.
• Minimize other simultaneous changes: Avoid major operational changes that distract focus and resources away from the EHR rollout.
• Managing former leaders: Gracefully transition responsibilities and decision-making authority from outgoing leaders to avoid conflicts.
• Onboarding new leaders: Rapidly integrate new leaders and align them with existing project objectives, plans, and culture.
• Realigning teams: Guide teams through leadership shifts using consistent communication and emphasizing continuity in vision and goals.
• Bolster project management: Rely on project management to provide continuity and minimize veering off-track when leadership changes occur.

With planning and skill, healthcare organizations can manage leadership challenges, staff transitions, and minimize the disruption to EHR rollouts.

The Role of Hospital Executives and High-Level Support in EHR Implementation

EHR success hinges greatly on the active involvement of hospital executives and boards. Their influence can make or break projects through:

• Budget approval: Executives control capital and operating budgets critical for system purchase, staffing, training, and ongoing operations.
• Strategic alignment: They can ensure tight strategic alignment between EHR capabilities and overall clinical and operational objectives.
• Culture tuning: Executive support empowers users to embrace changes, promoting an agile, innovation-friendly culture.
• Priority setting: Hospital leaders can prioritize the EHR project over competing initiatives to focus resources intensely during rollout.
• Course corrections: Executives have the authority to intervene and correct trajectory when projects go off track due to unforeseen events or poor planning.
• Staff accountability: Executives can set the tone on accountability, making it clear that adoption is mandatory, not optional.

Securing active, vocal C-suite sponsorship and oversight is essential for EHR success. Their influence extends throughout the project's lifespan.

Leadership Behaviors That Promote EHR Implementation Success

More than skills or experience, leadership behaviors and mindset are crucial determinants of EHR implementation success. Consider instilling these behaviors organization-wide:

• Future-focused: Instill eager anticipation for the improvements and capabilities to come rather than dwelling on current pains.
• Adaptable: Model the agility and resilience needed to pivot amid evolving project needs. Let go of rigid assumptions.
• Accountable: Demonstrate shared accountability across executives, managers, and staff instead of finger-pointing.
• Decisive action: Exhibit the courage and conviction to make major decisions involving tradeoffs and disruption. Avoid analysis paralysis.
• Calm under fire: Remain composed under intense rollout pressure to provide stability to teams. Have the hard conversations.
• Intentional communication: Communicate details, listen deeply to feedback, and unify everyone around shared goals.

With visible behavioral commitment from executives down through frontline managers, organizations can rally around a smooth EHR transition.

Conclusion: Lead With Vision, Skill, and Dedication

EHR adoption is a defining priority for modern healthcare leaders. It takes immense skill, perseverance, and teamwork to shepherd these multifaceted projects to success in the face of many potential pitfalls.

We outlined the key research and strategies around building an effective EHR leadership team, fostering excellence through the project life cycle, and demonstrating behaviors that inspire organization-wide commitment. Take these insights to heart. 

Rally your best across IT, clinical operations, administration, and strategy around a shared vision. Lead with courage, conviction, and compassion. And you will undoubtedly join the ranks of EHR success stories!