Top 10 Common Challenges for EHR Administrators

Provider organizations are often responsible for a wide variety of tasks and expectations related to internal support of their EHR. Behavioral Health and Human Services organizations have adopted a great deal of new technology in recent years to meet changing compliance needs as they've evolved. It can be difficult to prioritize the rollout of new features, expand technology solutions into new programs, or improve end user experience when your internal support team is mired down in day-to-day administration issues and support tickets.

The top 10 internal support call types for an Electronic Health Records (EHR) system typically include a mix of technical, operational, and user-related issues. Here are the common categories:

1. Login Issues:
   • Users unable to log in due to forgotten passwords, locked accounts, or system authentication errors.
2. System Performance:
   • Complaints about slow system response times, lagging screens, or unresponsive features.
3. Data Entry Problems:
   • Difficulties entering patient information, errors in data input fields, or issues with form completion.
4. Interface Navigation:
   • Users needing help with navigating the system interface, finding specific functions, or understanding layout changes after updates.
5. Software Bugs:
   • Reporting and resolving software errors, glitches, or crashes that disrupt workflow.
6. Integration Issues:
   • Problems with the integration of the EHR system with other healthcare systems like lab results, imaging systems, or billing software.
7. User Permissions and Access:
   • Requests to modify user roles, permissions, and access levels to different parts of the EHR.
8. Training and Guidance:
   • Users seeking assistance or training on how to use new features or components of the EHR system.
9. Data Retrieval:
   • Help with retrieving patient records, running reports, or accessing archived data.
10. System Updates and Maintenance:
    • Issues arising from recent system updates, including new feature rollouts, and routine maintenance impacts.

These categories cover a wide range of potential issues that can arise, reflecting the complexity and critical nature of EHR systems in healthcare settings.

Estimating the exact percentages for each type of internal support call can vary depending on the specific EHR system, the user base, and the organizational context. However, based on common trends and typical distributions, a rough estimation might look like this:

1. Login Issues: 20%
2. System Performance: 15%
3. Data Entry Problems: 10%
4. Interface Navigation: 10%
5. Software Bugs: 10%
6. Integration Issues: 10%
7. User Permissions and Access: 10%
8. Training and Guidance: 5%
9. Data Retrieval: 5%
10. System Updates and Maintenance: 5%

These percentages are general estimates and can fluctuate based on factors such as the size of the user base, the complexity of the EHR system, and the specific operational practices of the healthcare institution. For more precise data, an organization would need to analyze their support call logs and categorize them accordingly.