Your local Regional Extension Center (REC) can provide support and advice during your electronic health record (EHR) go-live. RECs are equipped with the personnel and resources to support and advise eligible providers in all phases of the EHR adoption and implementation cycle. Contact your local REC to find out if you are eligible for free or reduced-price local EHR implementation support.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) suggests leveraging the following support mechanisms during go-live day:

• Your vendor will normally provide some support during the go-live and this should be outlined during the contract negotiation phase. If vendor representatives will not be onsite during go-live, make sure they are aware of your schedule so they can provide virtual support if needed. Discuss go-live with your vendor to ensure your vendor can provide the go-live support you need.
• You may require staff to assist with training, to work out process issues, and to deal with any unexpected technical glitches. This may mean you need to hire temporary staff or temporarily re-assign existing staff to assist with go-live.
• Engaged staff leadership (e.g., physician champion, nurse champion) can be an essential component of a successful go-live, so be sure to engage your staff leadership early and often.

The go-live plan should include a schedule for ensuring that all the above resources are available throughout the initial go-live period. A go-live issue resolution plan and support structure can help users determine who to contact when they need help and eliminate any one person from becoming overloaded with issues.

For more information about go-live support, see The Big Day and Beyond , a short of list of go-live day recommendations from the Center for Health IT at the American Academy of Family Physicians.