NextGen EHR & EPM issues can wreak havoc on your practice’s productivity. From slow response times to upgrade issues to lack of training, NextGen performance problems have many causes. If left unresolved, NextGen EHR performance problems can create errors and burn out your staff. TempDev can help your practice identify and resolve NextGen EHR issues or NextGen EPM issues before they become entrenched.
Here are common NextGen EHR & EPM issues and how to fix them.
Slow NextGen EHR Performance
Slow NextGen EHR performance is more than an annoyance. If your NextGen EHR system responds slowly to clicks or data entry, providers and staff could inadvertently create errors. For example, a provider may enter crucial clinical data that is lost due to the system not being able to keep up with their input thereby creating errors.
Multiple issues can cause slow NextGen EHR performance. TempDev’s NextGen experts can help you identify the source of your NextGen EHR issues and resolve them. Here are some of the ways TempDev can improve your system to optimize performance:
- Optimize Templates: Templates can save you time, but they must be integrated into your NextGen EHR properly. Legacy templates can slow down your system, particularly after an upgrade. TempDev can help you optimize and customize your templates to resolve NextGen EHR slowness issues.
- Adjust Indexes: Indexing helps your NextGen EHR pull up relevant information faster. TempDev can help you evaluate and adjust indexes to improve performance.
- Re-Write Stored Procedures: Nonoptimal stored procedures can cause NextGen EHR slowdowns, especially when they are run against large data sets. If your stored procedures were not written optimally or upgrades have introduced issues, TempDev can help you rewrite them to maximize performance.
Slow NextGen EPM Performance
Oftentimes, NextGen performance issues are rooted in poor NextGen EPM practices. NextGen EPM is a Best in KLAS system, however with great power comes great responsibility. In order to improve NextGen EPM performance for all users, TempDev’s consultants recommends the following:
- Reports: Enable the Practice Preference to push all major reports to run on the Report Server. If it’s not a Daily report, do not allow it to run against Production. Also set the maximum amount of days to be run for a report to something under 30 days.
- Background Business Processor: Use the BBP to automate many common tasks to be run after hours including: billing encounters, building claims, importing ERA files, posting batches, and running reports. Not only does the BBP improve performance but also staff productivity.
- Mass Updates: Move any mass updates being made to File Maintenance or NextGen EPM to run after hours including contract maintenance, Mass Update Utility (MUU), and scheduling updates.
NextGen Performance During Upgrades
NextGen upgrades keep your EHR & EPM up to date and running smoothly. But a poorly executed upgrade can create data inconsistencies and cause your system to run slowly. Upgrades can also create system slowdowns and crashes if not managed or executed properly.
To implement an upgrade without causing NextGen EHR template issues, you need to follow upgrade best practices. First, create non-production environments for the development and testing of the upgrade. By using these environments, you allow your current system to continue running smoothly while you work on the upgrade. Your upgrade should not be moved to a production environment until you have thoroughly tested it and trained all users. Second, perform a gap analysis by assessing custom development like templates to determine if you will need to make changes before the upgrade. If the upgrade may “break” your templates, complete custom development before implementing the upgrade.
TempDev can support your NextGen upgrade to help you keep your system running smoothly. TempDev’s data conversion services will prevent data loss and make sure your templates run smoothly and efficiently in your upgraded NextGen system. TempDev’s developers can also help you create testing environments to test your upgrade before you implement it. Thorough testing on real workflows will catch problems with your upgrade before they affect your staff, providers, and patients.
TempDev can also provide staff augmentation to help you manage your upgrade and your existing system simultaneously. By adding experienced TempDev staff to your team, you can address day-to-day system issues while moving forward with your upgrade. You can also ensure you have sufficient time and personnel to test your upgrade and provide training on new tools before roll-out.
Training to Improve NextGen EHR Performance
A mismatch between your EHR system and your practice’s workflows can cause NextGen EHR issues. If providers struggle to use your EHR system, your practice may face burnout or poor returns on your EHR investment. Making your NextGen EHR easy to use and intuitive improves the performance of both your practice and your EHR system.
Workflow optimization and NextGen training can help resolve usability issues. Training is a critical component of any NextGen implementation or upgrade. Through targeted training, you can reduce NextGen EHR issues like data entry errors, frustration, and inefficiency. TempDev can help you redesign your workflows for optimum efficiency and train your staff on both new workflows and NextGen EHR tools.
Some NextGen EHR issues are also caused by a lack of attention to customizing your EHR content. Custom templates, reports, and dashboards can reduce the time providers spend searching for patient records and entering data. When EHR users spend less time searching for the right template or tool, performance improves. Custom templates, reports, and dashboards can also help you aggregate data to meet reporting requirements. Rather than gathering and analyzing disparate EHR data manually, you can use a custom template to analyze data automatically. This is more efficient for your staff. It also improves your system’s performance by reducing data extraction and analysis tasks, which are system and time-intensive.
How TempDev Can Help with NextGen EHR Performance Issues
TempDev’s developers have deep expertise in NextGen EHR. If you are experiencing NextGen EHR performance issues, TempDev can help you identify and resolve the problem. TempDev’s consultants and trainers can also help you optimize your workflows and train staff to get more out of your EHR & EPM.
Call us at 888.TEMP.DEV or contact us here to fix your NextGen EHR & EPM performance issues.