Research & EHR Synergy

“I knew it was going to be hard”: Findings and Recommendations from Columbus VAMC Clinician and Staff Experiences with EHRM

by Ellen Ahlness, PhD; Christian Helfrich, PhD, MPH
Seminar date: 3/22/2023
Seminar time: 12:00pm-1:00pm
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Description: The VA is in the initial transition from its homegrown EHR (VistA/CPRS) to a new, commercial EHR, Cerner. It is a decade-long, multi-billion-dollar modernization that will profoundly affect Veterans, employees, and the communities served by VA. In this cyberseminar we describe the experiences of employees at the Columbus VAMC, just before and just after they began using Cerner. Columbus was the third VA medical center in the nation to begin using the new EHR, and the first where evaluators were able to extensively interview and survey employees during the transition. In this presentation, we describe employee’s experience of EHR usability with Vista/CPRS vs Cerner, and the quality of training and support; concerns about patient care and safety; and employee morale and readiness to change immediately before, and in the months following the switch to the new commercial EHR (go-live date April 30, 2022). We also explain some of the solutions employees developed when they encountered challenges. This work is part of EMPIRIC, a multidisciplinary evaluation funded by QUERI to understand on-the-ground user experiences through the transition to inform policy changes and improvement efforts.

As we approach one year out from Columbus VAMC’s EHR transition go-live date, the QI evaluation team reflects on these three major areas of concern identified by the clinicians and staff, and the consequences of their longevity. Each facet demonstrates an opportunity to improve VA’s EHR transition, and we outline emergent recommendations elevated to relevant partners.

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