The introduction of an electronic health record (EHR) into a practice presents great operational challenges as well as opportunities for the improvement of patient care. Adopting an EHR will change the flow of patients in your office and it is important to think about the most efficient method for moving patients through the office. EHR workflow redesign is the process each practice adopting an EHR must complete before implementation.

Some important areas of workflow that should be examined include: patient flow, point-of-care documentation, internal and external office communication, and document management. You should look at these aspects of your practice from an electronic point-of-view. Analyzing these issues before go-live will help maximize workflow efficiency and patient care once the EHR is installed.

Workflow diagramming is a very effective means of graphically representing existing and future workflows. To see an example of a workflow template as well as guidance to develop your own, view the EHR Workflow Redesign Template.  Workflow templates like this can be used as a visual tool to identify opportunities for workflow improvements based on who does which activity in the practice. The meaningful use flags in the template are useful for practice staff to envision where in the workflow process meaningful use objectives may be captured in the EHR.