In today's healthcare landscape, organizations face resource constraints, budget challenges, and the rising threat of cyberattacks – and together, these issues have a negative synergy that makes them even more worrying.
For example, 74% of cybersecurity workforce leaders feel that staffing shortages put their organizations at a moderate to extreme risk of cyberattack.
All this can make implementing a new system or optimizing an existing EHR system daunting. But organizations don’t have to let that deter them. With the right help and preparation, an EHR can be a lifesaver – just as it’s intended to be – not a burden.
Obtaining the full benefits of the EHR requires optimizing for efficiency and security. Continue reading to explore the pain points of implementing an EHR system, the risks associated with neglecting EHR optimization, and how leveraging managed services can bridge IT resource constraints to help organizations maximize their investments.
H2: Understand the pain points
Implementing an EHR comes with common frustrations such as integration issues, complicated logins, and user adoption challenges. These pain points hinder workflow efficiency and impact patient care – and when frustrated clinicians use login workarounds like sharing credentials, they can even compromise data security.
Ideally, IT teams should prepare to address these pain points before they have a chance to impact ROI. When it comes to integration, the first step is to avoid potential compatibility issues between the EHR and pre-existing systems, such as payment management software. Common indicators of integration problems like billing errors, delayed reimbursements, and claim denials can have significant financial repercussions.
Complex access requirements, such as lengthy, unique passwords, can cause clinicians to be locked out of the system or to use unsecure workarounds. These kinds of frustrations naturally hinder user adoption but can be solved with an access management solution that mitigates password fatigue, such as badge-tap single sign-on (SSO). Simple and secure access will help drive clinical adoption, so organizations get the most value possible from their EHR.
H3: The risks of neglecting EHR optimization
Neglecting EHR optimization can have significant consequences. EHR data is extremely valuable to bad actors, and a single data breach can lead to compromised patient information, reputational damage, and costly legal consequences. The average cost of a data breach is $4.35 million globally, and, in the US, that cost is even higher at $9.44 million.
However, no matter how intimidating, these risks shouldn’t discourage organizations with resource constraints from investing in the EHR. If an organization’s internal team doesn’t have the time, money, or expertise needed for EHR optimization, managed services can be a practical solution.
H2: Leveraging managed services for EHR optimization
Investing in managed services with a strategic IT provider who truly understands the technologies at play ensures that healthcare organizations have dedicated resources focused on maintaining and optimizing EHR systems even when their teams are lean. Managed services should provide proactive monitoring, maintenance, and support for EHR infrastructure.
Ensuring data security and seamless integration with other healthcare IT solutions maximizes the value of an EHR investment. Accomplishing this by partnering with a managed services provider means the burden won’t be shouldered by the IT team alone. Managed services can help healthcare organizations protect sensitive data by implementing robust yet efficient security measures, such as SSO, multifactor authentication, and data encryption.
When the right security measures are deployed for the EHR, organizations simultaneously streamline workflows and optimize system configurations, which in turn enhances user experience. Leveraging the expertise of a managed services team means organizations can count on identifying and addressing usability challenges to improve adoption and increase efficiency.
An outside team of experts can also provide the timely user support and training needed to avoid potential disruptions and unnecessary costs. Clinicians can effectively navigate the EHR system without frustration, and remain focused on delivering quality patient care.
H2: Ensure EHR success
When it comes down to it, healthcare organizations can’t afford to neglect EHR optimization. Without optimization, EHRs can become a source of avoidable errors and a drain on budgets and IT resources – not to mention the increased vulnerability to cyberattack.
By leveraging managed services from a trusted provider, healthcare organizations can bridge resource constraints and ensure optimal performance of their EHR systems. Investing in EHR optimization is a critical step towards safeguarding data and delivering high-quality patient care.
To learn more about how to address EHR pain points and how managed services can help, register for our live webinar, Bridge IT resource constraints and streamline patient care: Enhancing efficiency and security in healthcare operations.
Christina Berg, RN MHA, is the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Imprivata. To learn more about Imprivata, visit http://www.imprivata.com.