A template for your EHR project implementation timeline

Implementing an EHR system is a complex process influenced by numerous variables. The EHR implementation timeline can vary significantly based on factors like the complexity of the healthcare setting, the product selected, and the readiness of the organization.

This article provides a clear EHR implementation plan by breaking down key phases, timelines, and considerations, helping you map your own timeline for implementation.

What to consider for your EHR implementation timeline

Before diving into the details, remember that the timeline can differ based on:

• The size of your organization.
• Number of EHR vendors being evaluated.
• Complexity of data migration and integration needs.
• Depth of training required.

Below is a step-by-step guide to help you navigate from vendor selection to the go-live phase and beyond.

1. Demonstrations and evaluation
2. Making a final selection decision
3. Recruiting an EHR implementation team
4. Creating a change management plan
5. Fine-tuning an EHR implementation budget
6. Data audit and migration
7. Software testing
8. Training and preparation
9. The go-live
10. EHR performance evaluation

1. Demonstrations and evaluation

Timeframe: two weeks to three months

How long the EHR demonstration and evaluation take, depends on the number of vendors being auditioned and how the demonstration and evaluation process is conducted. Some vendors offer a remote demonstration of their product whereas others allow potential purchasers to “test drive” their product in-house.

Use this customizable EHR implementation template to plan and schedule your EHR implementation

The time this phase takes depends on the amount of research and consideration invested by the consumer and the ability of the vendor to accommodate such requests. With favorable scheduling, this process should add no more than three months to your EHR project timeline.

2. Making a final selection decision

Timeframe: one to three months

Selecting the right EHR vendor is a pivotal step with long-term implications. Proper due diligence is essential, particularly when involving stakeholders in the decision-making process.

Incorporate input from all departments—clinical, administrative, and IT—to ensure comprehensive evaluation and alignment.

3. Recruiting an EHR implementation team

Timeframe: one to two weeks

This step is something you can move relatively quickly on. You’ll possibly be able to re-recruit your user group representatives from your selection team. If not, you still have a basic outline of what your team should look like, and the basic functions it should perform.

Use this EHR implementation team list template to recruit your team:

Management

• Project manager:_____________________
• C-level sponsor:_____________________

Technical

• Application analyst:_____________________
• Application developer:_____________________
• Application test engineer:_____________________
• Consultant:_____________________

User group representatives

• Physician:_____________________
• Nurse:_____________________
• Counsellor/therapist:_____________________
• Occupational therapist:_____________________
• Midwife: _____________________
• Administrative team:_____________________
• Billing department:_____________________
• Practice management:_____________________

4. Creating a change management plan

Timeframe: one to six months

Whether the planning phase occupies the largest portion of the budgeted time spent on implementation depends on organizational realities. Complex organizations such as hospitals with several; departments will clearly require more intensive implementation planning whereas a smaller ambulatory practice will require less planning.

The length of implementation planning can also be shortened if a clear plan can be developed; however, if the plan is vague or requires a number of contingencies this stage can take longer than anticipated. Given its importance, the EHR project timeline for planning should be viewed as long as it takes to fully map out the process. In some cases a practice could complete this phase in a month, larger organizations may need up to six months.

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5. Fine-tuning an EHR implementation budget

Timeframe: one week

A relatively short step, as you’re probably not creating anything from scratch here. During your initial EHR selection, you likely created a structured budget and estimated implementation costs.

Now that you’ve selected your vendor, you’ll have exact implementation fees and a clearer idea of staff overtime needed to maintain services during the transition.

Go through the costs you forecasted during selection and update accordingly. These should include:

• Vendor implementation fees: $________
• External consultancy costs: $________
• Development and customization: $________
• Employee overtime:: $________
• Extra admin staff:: $________

6. Data audit and migration

Timeframe: two weeks to two months

Before migrating patient data to your new EHR, it is a good idea to audit the data in your legacy system (if you have one) or paper records to ensure that it is up-to-date. This is where you need to spend most of your time on this step - the actual process of migrating your data from one EHR to the other can be done in a matter of hours.

Conducting a data audit at this point ensures that all data transferred to your new EHR at this point is compliant with industry regulations, and reduces the likelihood of user error once the system is set up. According to some auditors, this process would usually take between two to three weeks, although particularly large practices or hospitals should schedule longer.

7. Software testing

Timeframe: two weeks to two months (or more, if any major issues)

This is probably the hardest implementation stage to offer a fixed timescale for as it entirely depends on the issues the first round of testing throws up. A small practice whose first round of testing throws up no major bugs might be done in as little as two weeks. On the other hand, for larger practices and/or those with major issues to fix, the process could take a couple of months or longer.

One way of streamlining the process is to deploy an automated testing solution for your EHR. These can automate some repetitive-but-necessary tasks in an existing testing process, or perform additional testing that would be difficult to do manually. If you choose to go down this route, make sure you adjust your budget for extra software solutions.

8. Training and preparation

Timeframe: dependent on training method. NB: this can run concurrently with other steps. While you should allow adequate time for training, a three-week series of seminars (for example) does not necessarily have to add three weeks to your total implementation time.

Implementing a rigorous training program on the incoming EHR serves as the backbone of a thorough EHR implementation. As such, many practices will view the training component of implementation as one of the variables that can be controlled when trying to avoid workflow disruptions and overall lost productivity.

As an example, a 2010 study of 26 Texas-based, five-physician primary care practices found an average of 52.5 hours of training was required across the organizations, while the system’s physician end-users received an average of 23.9 hours of training. As such, one can devise a time estimate by taking these averages and increasing them in light of the organization’s size.

The timetable below helps you keep track of when and how your key user groups are being trained. Customize it to your key user groups.

9. The go-live

Timeframe: one day

The go-live is a single-day event that marks the culmination of months of preparation. You should have planned extensively for this moment during your pre-implementation planning sessions, and you should aim to complete it in one (potentially frantic and busy) day.

It’s a good idea to create a detailed timetable and roadmap specifically for go-live activities. This should include:

• Patient communication guidelines (including expected downtime)
• Staff scheduling including required overtime or temporary staff
• Modification of appointments and scheduling
• Reporting processes for system and project evaluation (see step 8)
• In-practice communications (signs on notice boards etc.)
• Network speed and reliability checks
• Data backup processes

10. EHR performance evaluation

Timeframe: continuous, though you should review at set points post-implementation

Time is money as the old saying goes. Accordingly, time spent implementing an EHR should be viewed as an investment.

Before go-live, ensure that you and your team agree on a collection of metrics by which you measure success in your investment. Then, identify timed stages for partial completion of your end goal. For example, you might want to increase patient throughput by 10% as a result of implementing new EHR software. Obviously, this isn’t going to happen immediately post-implementation, so create a timeline to keep you on track. In this example, this could look like this:

• One month post-implementation: patient throughput back to pre-implementation levels 
• Six months post implementation: patient throughput increased by 5%
• A year after implementation: patient throughput increased by 10%

You can use the table below to map out these goals:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long does it take to implement an EHR system?

The timeline can range from 6 months to over a year, depending on the size and complexity of the healthcare organization.

2. How do you write a timeline for an implementation plan?

Break it into phases: evaluation, selection, planning, testing, and training. Assign specific timeframes to each phase and account for contingencies.

3. What is the first step when planning the implementation of an EHR system?

Vendor selection and forming an implementation team are the initial steps in creating a successful implementation plan.

Conclusion

While there is no universal formula for the perfect timeline for implementation, understanding the key phases of the EHR implementation plan allows organizations to anticipate potential challenges and allocate resources effectively.

For example, a practice faced with a range of viable EHR options may want to spend more time on selection, whereas a practice whose staff may be averse to a new EHR may spend more time on training and orientation. Tailor this guide to your practice’s unique needs to streamline the process and ensure a smooth transition to a new EHR system.