Enhanced Staff Experience Through Modernization of Legacy Systems in Healthcare

Overview

A tertiary healthcare system, encompassing inpatient, outpatient, and specialized care units, struggled with its existing Electronic Health Record (EHR) system that hindered clinical workflows and patient care delivery. The legacy system's fragmented user interface and limited interoperability disrupted continuity of care, contributed to clinician dissatisfaction, and impeded patient engagement. To address these challenges, the organization undertook a system-wide modernization initiative emphasizing a clinical-user-centered design.

Challenges

Fragmented Clinical Workflows

  • Physicians were required to switch between multiple screens to document SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) notes, place CPOE (Computerized Physician Order Entry) orders, and review laboratory and imaging results.
  • Disparate modules for charting, e-prescribing, and decision support created delays and redundancy.

Cognitive Overload

  • The legacy system's unintuitive interface increased documentation errors, such as medication reconciliation mismatches and incomplete problem lists. 
  • Disconnected modules for clinical documentation, lab orders, and billing created redundant steps and delays.
  • Incompatibility with mobile devices prevented real-time access to patient data during rounds or telehealth consultations.

Limited Interoperability

  • The system lacked compatibility with Health Information Exchanges (HIEs), resulting in gaps in longitudinal patiet records.
  • Inability to ingest or process structured data from wearable health devices or external telehealth platforms.

Patient Engagement Deficiencies

  • The patient portal offered limited access to real-time clinical data, including radiology reports, lab results, and discharge instructions.
  • Patients faced difficulties accessing their medical histories or engaging with their care plans.

Clinician Issues

  • Increased reliance on manual workarounds for clinical decision-making added to operational inefficiencies

Solution Approach

Results

Conclusion

This modernization initiative transformed a legacy EHR into a clinician- and patient-centric platform, significantly enhancing operational efficiency, clinical accuracy, and patient engagement. The project underscores the critical role of user-centered design, interoperability, and advanced decision support tools in modernizing healthcare systems.