Miles Jamison
Modernizing electronic health records is a complex, high-stakes initiative for any healthcare organization, according to Adam Rosenbaum, director of public sector at Tricentis. In a column published Monday on Future Healthcare Today, Rosenbaum likened EHR transformation to a grand symphony, where “technical mastery and flawless coordination” are necessary for its success.
EHRs are essential for modern healthcare as they connect all parts of care delivery, particularly people, data and decisions. Modernizing this software involves every operational layer, including clinical workflows, IT infrastructure and financial operations. While the stakes are high, it is entirely possible, as demonstrated by the Mayo Clinic, which created a unified enterprise EHR from hundreds of legacy systems.
Rosenbaum stressed the significance of risk management, thorough testing, change management strategies, and proper coordination among teams for an EHR modernization project to succeed.
Managing Risks and Rigorous Testing
Successful modernization requires continuous testing to manage risks. Systems that undergo constant testing are more likely to run smoothly in real-world applications. End-to-end workflow testing, with clinicians’ active participation, ensures continuity of care by verifying that all core processes function seamlessly.
Automated regression testing evaluates the system’s resilience through confidently deploying updates in fast-paced environments. Load testing, meanwhile, assesses the system’s performance under pressure. This will ensure systems will still work smoothly even at peak usage.
Human-Centric Approach to ERH Modernization
Another key aspect of ERH modernization is the proper involvement and coordination with teams through change management. Rosenbaum said teams must be “informed, supported and prepared for what’s ahead.”
The Tricentis executive cited what happened with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ ERH modernization initiative as an example of how crucial human change is. In 2023, the VA had to pause initial deployments after facing issues with performance and usability, later determined to be caused by failures in communication, training and user support. Learning from the experience, the department has prioritized insights from frontline users, structured governance and enhanced software integration.
