3 Common Causes of Staff’s Resistance to the Integration of Electronic Medical Records Software in the Healthcare Setting

3 Common Causes of Staff’s Resistance to the Integration of Electronic Medical Records Software in the Healthcare Setting


The integration of electronic medical records software is supposed to be the advent of a more efficient and productive medical practice. As one of President Barack Obama’s campaign for the reformation of healthcare is the integration of the Electronic Medical Records software into the healthcare delivery system all over the country. This means full automation of medical practice and letting go of the traditional austere paper-based medical records. However, it seems that not all are ready to embrace the incorporation of the electronic medical records software into the healthcare delivery system. There are a lot of factors as to why some of the institution’s staff are resistant to the EMR and these factors can be narrowed down into 3 common factors.

First is the personality behavior issue, the staff’s aversion and insolence towards the EMR. They think that they know more about their patients and how they should carryout their duties and responsibilities and perform their functions than the electronic medical records. Sad to say but, there are other things that the electronic medial records know than your staff. For example; nowadays, a lot of pharmaceutical industries have sprouted from all over the globe and each of these pharmaceutical companies manufacture different drugs. Sometimes, it takes a while before these drugs are listed in the drug handbooks including their potential drug reactions, interactions as well as adverse effects. With electronic medical records software, an up to date drug database is made available to be used as reference by the prescribing physicians and medication nurses. Bottom line is, not all the time these so-called “the best staffs” are on top of the game. They should also learn how to accept change and deal with that change.

Another factor that affects the staff’s acceptance for the electronic medical records is their inability to comprehend as to how the EMR works and their lack of knowledge regarding the many benefits that it has to offer the institution. It is true that the concept of EMR is new to almost everybody who is involved in the care of the patient. However, electronic medical records software can be learned in a variety of ways. The internet is one resource that your staff can use to know more as to how the software works including its wide array of benefits. As a matter of fact, some of the most beneficial advantages of the integration of the electronic medical records into the healthcare network are the provision of optimum patient care and efficiency in work.

The third factor that causes the resistance to EMR is that your staff views the software as a threat. They try to protect their own interest instead of aiming for the success of the project. There are various reasons as to why such negative behavior exists. It could be that they’d rather stick to what they are used to doing rather than try out on something new. It could also be that they feel that their old ways are much more comfortable and that they wouldn’t want to start anew. Or it could be that they are afraid that the new technology would replace them and so they wouldn’t want to risk losing their jobs. The only way to deal with this problem is to communicate with them. Explain to your staff that there is nothing that they can do about the change but to embrace it. As what President Obama mentioned in one of his healthcare campaigns, the US government’s goal in 5 years time is to fully automate all healthcare institutions.

Stop the arrogance, there’s more to electronic medical records than what you think. Enough with the ignorance, it’s never too late to learn about EMR. Cease the turf protection, the electronic medical records software is meant to ease up the workflow of medical practice, not to replace you.