There Is Only One Important Benefit in an EPR Implementation, But What Is It?

With my last three blogs; Pay the right costs or pay the price, Importance of Correct Change Management and Going Live Does Not Mean Going Alone, it got me thinking, what do all these areas have in common?

Well of course, they should all be thought about when looking at a new clinical implementation, getting best out of the project and any new system to which there are costs involved.

But more important than that is realising anything in the NHS that is to be renewed, changed or upgraded must have patient care at the top of its list of priorities, and also weigh-up how this directly impacts the thousands of people who work every day to look after those in their care.

Now, I am sure that this is the case across all NHS organisations and, when it comes down to it, it is known that this is all that matters in the end. However, often this can get lost in the day-to-day life of those who are maybe working within the NHS but not directly for them.

Recently, I was privileged to be invited along to represent IT Works in sponsoring and presenting an award during the Reach Awards 2017 at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare. The thoughts of patient care could not have hit home in a more direct fashion than on that evening.

The reason we were invited along and asked to sponsor the award was due to the work we did in helping them implement their new EPR system (Lorenzo).

In previous blogs, I have spoken about getting in the right resources at the right price, and making the team co-ordinate in-line with a good implementation strategy. However, patient care, and the ease for clinical staff to do their jobs, is paramount above anything else.

Sitting at table five alongside 11 individuals who work day-in-day-out with mental health patients and put their heart and soul into the job, I had a small feeling of satisfaction. This was because the help, whether people class it as big or small, we provided in aiding them secure a more efficient and overall improved clinical system was clear to see.

However, alongside that I also felt a sense of humbling, as it hit home what they do is so important to so many people and for them to have all the tools to do it is a critical factor in their day-to-day working lives, and the lives of the people they look after.

Some of the stories I heard, from not only the people at my table, but from the speakers and about the awards themselves, made the link between IT and patient care all that more important to what the NHS is trying to achieve.

The Chief Exec, Director of IT, Clinical Director, Doctors, Nurses, Carers, Admin Staff, Cleaners, everybody at North Staffordshire are held in the same regard, and their work is appreciated across the whole organisation. The feel of the team is almost family-like and the work they do makes a real difference in the community to their patients.

So, coming back to my point, planning, money and resources are all hugely important in any implementation. Get it right from an IT perspective, by bringing in the skilled resources you need and pay the right costs. Be sure to get your change strategy in place, that you implement, go-live and stabilise the system.

However, above all else, absolutely nail it for the sake of the patient’s care and those who work so tirelessly within the NHS.

North Staffordshire is a great example of why this is so important, but I know they are not the only ones out there who realise the end goal on an EPR deployment; which is making life better for both those using it and those who need it.