Finding the right resources to support a large Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system go-live can be a daunting task. The client needs expert At-the-Elbow support staff, who are knowledgeable not only about the EMR system but about the workflows of the department as well. Whenever possible, CSI’s Healthcare IT Division brings back trusted and skilled team members for repeat engagements. This led to the establishment of a system for developing new talent for especially large and complex projects.
CSI Healthcare IT’s training program helps control project costs, grows the skills and knowledge of the consultant workforce, and improves the flexibility of the team. Informally, it’s called CSI University, an intensive yet efficient training program that allows ‘students’ to learn or brush up on a new EMR system or learn workflows in a different department of a hospital.
Most recently, CSI used the system for a large project at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. The Northside project was especially challenging since the hospital was implementing several inpatient clinical applications simultaneously, with a large focus in the radiology, surgical, and women’s health departments. Northside Hospital has over 15,000 employees and 2,900 physicians on staff. Altogether, CSI deployed more than 700 team members to support the large go-live event in late October.
To ensure a high-quality, knowledgeable team for go-live support, CSI offered cross-training to consultants who had prior experience with supporting EMR applications. Northside provided the training space, and CSI provided the trainers and meals, but workers invested their own time and travel expenses to attend the event. Consultants from all over the country flew in to attend the intensive weekend training, which included fundamentals of Cerner EMR software, radiology and surgical workflow training, and specialized medical terminology. Some attendees worked with the software before but needed to brush up on their skills and familiarize themselves with the newest version of the software. Others needed to master workflows for different medical specialties. Instructors tested trainee knowledge after completion, and 95 percent passed the exam, which qualifies them for future EMR implementations.
“We were pleased to see so many people attend the training,” said Brad Butler, recruiting manager of the CSI Healthcare IT division. “Our job is to put the right people in the right place to meet the client’s needs. We try to find the most proactive and motivated workers for projects like these. If a consultant is willing to drive several hours or even fly across the country for the chance to work on a future project, they’re definitely someone we want to retain.”
The Northside Hospital project is a great example of what CSI University was established for. The candidate turnout was successful. The client collaborated with CSI to provide training space and authorization to train on their customized workflows, and a 95-percent pass rate led to effective At-the-Elbow support, directly impacting end users and patients throughout the health system.
