Personalized EHR onboarding: Data-driven strategies for efficiency and satisfaction

Beckers Webinar, September 2024

Nearly half of physicians continue to be affected by burnout, according to recent findings from the American Medical Association. Reducing the administrative burden and operational inefficiencies faced by physicians, including those related to the EHR, remains a crucial priority for hospitals and health systems. 

Leaders from Aurora, Colo.-based UCHealth understand that supporting physicians’ well-being starts on day one. During this live virtual session, experts will discuss how allowing physicians to choose their own onboarding journey improved new physician satisfaction at UCHealth, and how adaptive learning provides flexibility, efficiency, and confident mastery of the EHR.

Featuring:

PANELISTS:
Kelley Williamson
Director, IT, UCHealth 

Matthew Hays, PhD.
VP, Research and Analytics, Amplifire

MODERATOR:
Anne Hyland, Healthcare Client Solutions, Amplifire  

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Microlearning

In recent years, “microlearning” has emerged as a buzzword in corporate training and development. Its appeal is clear: short, bite-sized learning modules designed to fit seamlessly into our fast-paced lives.

With the demand for quick fixes on the rise, microlearning might seem like the perfect approach for anyone in today’s business landscape. Microlearning is being widely adopted across many industries. For example, a 2023 study by the Association for Talent Development (ATD) found that 73% of pharmaceutical companies already use microlearning for various training purposes, including compliance.

Microlearning offers several key benefits that make it an appealing option for modern training environments. By delivering content in brief, focused segments, it caters to shorter attention spans and helps maintain learner engagement. Microlearning also allows for flexibility in learning, as employees can fit complete training sessions into their schedules more easily and access information exactly when they need it. Additionally, microlearning supports ongoing skill development by making it simple to revisit and reinforce key concepts regularly, which should solidify them in memory. This continuous learning process not only aids in knowledge retention but also helps in the quick application of skills in real-world scenarios, leading to more effective performance and decision-making.

But microlearning may be overused. Kathleen McDermott, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, cautions that “very short learning experiences might be valuable for experts, but that’s not how to introduce new information in most cases.” Learning intended to last should be spread out over time rather than compressed into a short, single session. UCLA’s Professor Robert Bjork explains that “skills learned in very short sessions do not stay accessible across delays and context changes.”

Roddy Roediger, also a Professor at WashU, emphasizes that “micro-learning works great as a refresher, if something is really important and stored in someone’s mind but they haven’t had to retrieve it in a while.” 

As with any trend, there are best practices—and pitfalls—you should be aware of. 

What You Should Know About Microlearning

Microlearning is not a one-size-fits-all solution. While it offers flexibility and accessibility, knowing when and how to use it effectively is crucial. Here’s what the experts have to say:

When to Use Microlearning

• Supplemental Learning: Use microlearning to reinforce and supplement longer training sessions. It helps refresh learners’ memory and solidify key concepts. 
• Just-in-Time Training: Ideal for equipping employees with immediate, relevant information—perfect for roles that require quick decision-making or adaptation. 
• Targeted Skills: When you need to focus on specific skills or communicate a single topic, microlearning can be highly effective. 
• Lots of On-the-job Reinforcement: Bob Bjork points out that “skills given massed practice in a single context do not stay accessible when needed later or in a new context.” Microlearning – when used to revisit material over time – can help keep these skills top of mind and readily available.

When Not to Use Microlearning

• Complex Topics: Deep, intricate topics requiring comprehensive understanding should not be broken into microlearning modules. They may lead to fragmented understanding.
• Foundational Knowledge: Building a strong knowledge base often requires more immersive, longer-form learning experiences.
• Over-reliance: Using microlearning as the sole form of training can lead to knowledge gaps. It should complement, not replace, traditional learning methods.

Amplifire eLearning & Microlearning Excellence

Amplifire’s eLearning Platform harnesses the power of microlearning to address specific training challenges effectively. By breaking down complex healthcare processes into manageable pieces, Amplifire ensures that doctors and nurses not only retain core procedures but also apply them accurately under pressure. 

Bob Bjork, Research Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, highlights the importance of periodic simulated practice for critical skills, such as emergency procedures. He notes, “If skills or procedures are very important but rarely exercised—like shutting down and restarting a nuclear reactor or how firefighters should enter a burning building—periodic simulated practice is essential to keep those skills accessible when needed.”

How do we do this? Amplifire allows microlearning without forcing it. A user can master one, ten, or one hundred concepts in a session. The learner is empowered to manage their own learning. Additionally, we couple microlearning with our patented Confidence-Based Learning^® model, which identifies areas of uncertainty and strengthens them through scientifically scheduled repetition. This method not only enhances retention but also builds confidence in learners’ abilities to perform critical tasks.

Conclusion

Microlearning has significant potential in corporate training and development, but it must be applied thoughtfully. Understanding when it works best—primarily as a refresher, as Roddy Roediger suggests—and when it might fall short will help you craft a learning strategy that leverages its strengths while addressing its limitations.

Ready to see how microlearning can elevate your training strategy? Start by evaluating your current learning needs and explore how microlearning can complement your efforts for more dynamic and impactful outcomes. Remember, the goal is not to replace traditional methods but to enhance them, creating a more agile and effective learning culture.

4 Things to Consider When Preparing Your Accountants for Annual CPE Training Requirements

Annual CPE compliance is an integral part of maintaining the integrity and expertise of your accounting firm, but can also be a source of stress and disruption. Ensuring that your team is complying with these requirements requires strategic planning and foresight. Here are four key considerations when developing learning plans for CPE compliance.

1. Evaluate the Trade-Offs of Billable Hours

One of the primary concerns for any accounting firm is the potential loss of billable hours when employees are completing CPE Compliance hours. This is a crucial aspect to consider as it directly affects your firm’s profitability. While compliance is non-negotiable, finding a balance between learning time and client work is essential. Encouraging your team to plan their workload in advance can help keep projects on track while they focus on readiness.

2.  Evaluating Training Effectiveness

Evaluating the effectiveness of your CPE training is crucial to ensure continuous improvement. This involves:

• Gathering Feedback: Encourage participants to share their experiences and suggestions. This feedback is invaluable for refining future training sessions.
• Monitoring Progress and Outcomes: Use analytics tools to track learning outcomes and identify areas for improvement.

3.  Tailoring Training to Individual Needs

Not all accountants are at the same level of expertise or have the same learning needs. Identifying knowledge gaps is crucial for effective CPE training. Consider:

• Conducting Pre-assessments: Determine what each accountant already knows and where they need to improve. This helps in designing a more tailored learning experience.
• Creating Personalized Learning Paths: Utilize adaptive learning technologies that adjust content based on the learner’s knowledge and preferences.

4. Streamline Annual CPE Compliance Process

Technology can play a pivotal role in streamlining the annual CPE compliance process. Consider online learning platforms designed to provide insights into workforce knowledge gaps and suggest tailored learning paths. Choose a platform that allows for easy authoring and integration into your existing systems, making it a valuable tool in your compliance arsenal. Leveraging such technology ensures your team is not only meeting their annual CPE compliance requirements, but also equipped with the latest industry knowledge.

Conclusion

Completing annual CPE compliance doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By considering the trade-offs of billable hours, identifying knowledge gaps and leveraging the right technology, you can ensure your team is well-equipped and confident. This strategic approach not only enhances your firm’s compliance readiness but also contributes to a knowledgeable and resilient workforce. Remember, the key to success lies in preparation and the smart allocation of resources. Ready to empower your accountants? 

Annual Accounting CPE Requirements in Less Time

A large public accounting firm came to Amplifire looking to reduce annual training time without compromising quality or readiness. Two adaptive learning modules were created, Auditing Accounting Estimates and Critical Assessment of Audit Evidence, and were implemented for almost 3,000 auditing professionals. This case study highlights the time savings, higher pass rates, and 61% knowledge gap that was uncovered through utilizing Amplifire.  

Download the case study.

Elevating Nursing Practice: The Power of Competency-Based Education

Nursing professionals have the most significant impact on patient outcomes and staff satisfaction, and the need for proactive development is clear. Nursing leaders across the country are taking action, implementing training models and staffing solutions to address skills gaps and foster a sustainable workforce.

Hear how nurse leadership at distinguished organizations, including Intermountain Health, and Colorado-based, UCHealth, are thinking about the challenge of up-skilling their nursing staff and nurse managers. This webinar offers a deeper understanding of how these organizations are enhancing their competency and skills-based training while ensuring workforce adaptability.

Featuring:

PANELISTS:
Amanda Feild, MSN, RN, NE-BC, PCCN
Director, Nursing Professional Practice and Magnet Program, Intermountain Health 

JoAnn DelMonte, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC
Vice President – Professional Development & Practice, UCHealth

MODERATOR:
Kristie Invie, SVP Client Solutions, Amplifire  

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SAX LLP Launches Innovative E-Learning Platform

Parsippany, NJ, June 25, 2024 — SAX LLP – a Top 100 accounting, tax, and advisory firm – is thrilled to announce the launch of its innovative talent development initiative, leveraging the adaptive e-learning platform, Amplifire. This initiative addresses the need for continuous skill advancement amidst the rapid changes brought about by automation, globalization, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Recognizing the diminishing shelf-life of traditional skills in the accounting profession, SAX’s platform aims to equip professionals with skills that address modern challenges, with a continued learning approach that helps them to keep up with the ever-changing industry. The firm’s new initiative leverages Amplifire’s brain science-based, adaptive learning platform, which tailors the learning experience to each individual’s specific needs, focusing on specific learning gaps rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. This patented method accelerates the time to competency and enhances long-term retention of key information.

The program is structured around a flipped learning model, where employees engage with online courses at their own pace and convenience, followed by participatory, live virtual workshops. These workshops are designed to simulate real-world scenarios, fostering an environment where learners can apply their knowledge, interact with peers, and gain insights from the firm’s internal experts. The program will offer SAX’s client-facing CPAs and tax professionals courses ranging in topics, such as tax compliance, auditing, soft skills, and beyond.    

At SAX LLP, the company’s growth strategy is centered on innovation and leveraging cutting-edge technology. 

“Innovation and leveraging cutting-edge technologies are paramount to SAX’s overall growth strategy,” said SAX LLP CEO and managing partner Joseph Damiano. “By adopting advanced technologies such as AI, the firm enhances its efficiency in traditional accounting tasks while ensuring accuracy and compliance.”

SAX’s flexible learning solution is available worldwide, allowing team members across the U.S. and India to access. Moreover, the collaboration with peer firms through the Accounting Alliance enriches the learning ecosystem, providing a broader spectrum of courses and expertise.

“By investing in our team’s continuous development, we are not only preparing them for the challenges of today but also empowering them to lead in the evolving landscape of the accounting and advisory industry,” said SAX LLP Director of Learning & Development, Nick Romanowski.

SAX’s commitment to fostering an environment of continuous growth and development is a testament to its dedication to excellence and innovation. This new professional learning initiative seeks to set a new standard, expediting career progression and enabling the firm to swiftly adapt to industry changes.

About SAX LLP

SAX LLP is a Top 100 accounting, tax, and advisory firm serving the needs of privately held companies, family-owned businesses, nonprofit organizations, and high-net-worth individuals. With offices in Parsippany, NJ, Ewing, NJ, New York City, NY, and Mumbai, India, SAX has specialized expertise that benefits clients in our largest vertical markets. SAX provides added value to clients through advisory services that include but are not limited to Cybersecurity and Managed IT, Investment Banking, Transaction Advisory, HR Consulting, Valuation, Forensic & Litigation and Wealth Management. SAX has been nationally ranked and listed among the Top Accounting Firms by NJBIZ, INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA), Accounting Today and Forbes. For more information, please visit www.saxllp.com.

About Amplifire

Amplifire is a next-generation adaptive learning platform with more than four billion learner interactions and is an innovator in high-stakes workforce training for critical roles. The Amplifire platform harnesses advances in cognitive and learning science to create personalized learning and drive successful outcomes. The platform’s adaptive algorithm guides millions of learners to mastery across healthcare, accounting and professional services, government, military, food service, corporate, and education segments, providing unique learner analytics that offer valuable insights. For more information, please visit www.amplifire.com.

3 Key Takeaways from Advancing Training for your Clinicians: A Conversation with Tampa General Hospital

In the dynamic landscape of healthcare, where advancements in technology and patient care continually evolve, the role of training for clinicians is pivotal. In a compelling podcast discussion hosted by Mariah Muhammad for Becker’s Healthcare, Rachel Feinman, Vice President of Innovation at Tampa General Hospital (TGH), and Austin Smith, Director of Healthcare Alliance Development at Amplifire, delved into the transformative impact of advancing training methodologies for healthcare professionals. Here are three key takeaways from their enlightening conversation:

1. Build a Resilient Workforce Through Innovative Training Methodologies

A resilient healthcare workforce is fundamental to delivering consistent, high-quality care amidst evolving patient needs and healthcare challenges. “Looking at and reevaluating the way that we think about training is part of an even broader initiative and strategic goal around team member resiliency,” says Ms. Feinman. “Team members who are better trained feel more empowered to do their job.” Mr. Smith echoed these sentiments, highlighting Amplifire’s commitment to supporting healthcare organizations in cultivating a culture of innovative learning. 

By facilitating ongoing education and professional development through accessible, engaging learning platforms, Amplifire contributes to workforce resilience by equipping clinicians with the skills and knowledge needed to confidently navigate complex healthcare environments. Modernized training accelerates the onboarding process by leveraging previous clinician experience, and saving time by not retraining individuals on knowledge they already have. This has been especially successful in onboarding to Electronic Health Records like Epic. 

“We train and deploy at scale,” says Mr. Smith. Experienced clinicians might not need to sit through hours of classroom-based training, but instead can take an asynchronous Amplifire module to assess and solidify knowledge and get them to the floor in a fraction of the time.

2. Personalization and Customization Enhance Training Effectiveness

This personalized approach not only accelerates the onboarding process but aligns training content with the latest healthcare protocols and technologies, ensuring clinicians are well-prepared to deliver high-quality care through adaptive learning technologies that harness brain science-based methodologies to customize educational content for each learner.

Traditional training models in healthcare often follow a one-size-fits-all approach, where clinicians receive standardized education irrespective of their prior experience or learning style.  “Like many things, COVID was the impetus for a lot of change. And I think that was the case around workforce training,” says Ms. Feinman. The shift towards remote and virtual training necessitated a reevaluation of training strategies. Instead of uniform classroom sessions, TGH embraced personalized training experiences tailored to individual learning needs.

Ms. Feinman emphasized that treating each clinician as a unique learner significantly enhances engagement and knowledge retention. By leveraging data insights and platforms like Amplifire, TGH now delivers targeted micro-learning modules that address specific needs identified through data analytics.  “We have access to a lot of data,” Ms. Feinman continues. “Now we can target training down to the team member, down to the shift, or down to the unit that needs it.” This targeted approach not only streamlines training processes but produces behavior change, ensuring that clinicians are proficient and confident in applying their skills directly to patient care scenarios, without adding unnecessary burden.

3. Integration of Technology Drives Efficiency and Patient Outcomes

The integration of AI and personalized learning methodologies will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of healthcare training. 

Ms. Feinman underscored TGH’s commitment to leveraging AI not as a replacement for human expertise but as a tool to augment clinician capabilities and streamline operational efficiencies.  “Our goal at TGH is leveraging AI to help our team members focus on the aspects of their job that they need to feel better about the work that they do,” says Ms. Feinman. Specifically, she discussed examining the nurse manager role. “What we were asking of these nurse managers across systems is just too much.” Ms. Feinman states. 

Reimagining the nurse manager role through technology and AI optimizes operational workflows and empowers clinicians to operate at the top of their licensure. By reducing administrative burdens and enhancing decision-making support, AI-enabled tools allow clinicians to focus more on patient care, thereby fostering a resilient and motivated workforce.

Additionally, innovative strategies such as virtual enablement on the inpatient side are showing success maximizing clinician talent and improving staff resiliency. “If our team members are able to effectively manage and address patients virtually, and they can increase the number of patients they’re able to serve by leveraging that technology, then it’s better for the team member and better for the patient,” says Ms. Feinman. 

Mr. Smith highlighted how Amplifire’s AI capabilities facilitate rapid content development and deployment, significantly reducing the time and resources traditionally required for training. By automating routine tasks and enabling personalized learning pathways, Amplifire empowers healthcare organizations to scale their training initiatives without compromising individualized attention to learners.AI-enabled training not only enhances clinical proficiency but also plays a critical role in mitigating risks such as infection rates. By delivering targeted training modules based on real-time data analytics, healthcare systems can proactively address challenges like healthcare-associated infections, leading to improved patient safety and overall healthcare quality.

Amplifire and Tampa General Partnership Brings Innovation to Practice

“The partnership we have with Amplifire really exemplifies the reason we do this kind of innovation work,” says Ms. Feinman. “We are just scratching the surface on opportunities to collaborate across training and education,” says Mr. Smith, about the burgeoning partnership with TGH.

The insights shared underscore a transformative shift in healthcare training paradigms. By embracing personalized, technology-driven approaches to training, healthcare organizations like Tampa General Hospital are not only enhancing clinical proficiency but also fostering a resilient workforce capable of delivering exceptional patient care.

To listen to the full podcast by Becker’s Healthcare, click here.

How Innovative EHR Training Can Improve Clinician Well-being

Healthcare is experiencing widespread burnout. Through extensive research, a group of healthcare organizations committed to improving the EHR experience through shared research, standardized surveys, and benchmarking, has identified EHR-related factors as burnout contributors. But the good news is, pinpointing specific EHR experience factors, like tool inefficiency, lack of training, poor proficiency, allows for directed intervention and improvement. 

Hear how experts delve into the realm of EHR training, sharing insights on successful strategies and pitfalls to avoid. 

Featuring:

PANELISTS:
Jenna Anderson
Strategy and Operations Director, Arch Collaborative 

Erin Banaszak
Supervisor, PROpel Team, Enterprise Clinical Informatics, Froedtert

MODERATOR:
Anne Hyland, EHR Program Director, Amplifire  

Fill out the form below to watch the webinar:

What did the pandemic do to distractions during online learning? 

It is hard to overstate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on everyday life. Downtown real estate markets collapsed as remote office work became the norm. Supply-chain issues caused widespread food insecurity and prescription medication shortages. Lockdowns even changed how birds sing.  

Education was similarly disrupted. Within weeks, over 90% of classrooms abruptly shifted from in-person to online. At the same time, the upheaval caused by lockdowns and students’ concerns about the virus caused them to report increased anxiety, difficulty sleeping, concentration problems, and greater susceptibility to distractions. 

Amplifire’s Dr. Matthew Hays and Scott Kustes teamed up with Dr. Elizabeth Bjork of our Science Advisory Board to investigate how this disruption affected learners’ ability to stay engaged while learning online. Because learners have interacted with the Amplifire platform over 4.5 billion times, there were more than enough data points to let the researchers quantify the impact of the pandemic. 

Their first step was to define what constituted an interruption. Over the course of five studies, they evaluated increasingly rigorous ways to detect within the data when a student became distracted, from simple mean-and-standard-deviation approaches to more advanced statistical methods. They then compared the interruption rate during the peak of lockdowns – April and May of 2020 – to the same period in the years before and after. The researchers had hypothesized that there would be clear increases in the frequency of interruptions when lockdowns were most intense. 

Instead, they found no effect of the pandemic.

We asked Dr. Hays to explain. “You’ll see these clickbait headlines that say ‘scientists stunned’ and it turns out they just found a bug that they didn’t think lived in that part of the country anymore,” he said. “But I really was stunned. We pulled the data in different ways and re-ran the analyses to make sure that we weren’t somehow missing an impact.”

The researchers consulted with several other experts in learning and metacognition to interpret the findings. The consensus that emerged: Because Amplifire was designed from the start to be used online, it was immune to the disruption that so dramatically affected classroom learning. 

The researchers’ findings and conclusions were published in the Journal of Intelligence, thus informing the broader scientific community about what we might expect from the next massive disruption of student learning. Further, the interruption-detection methods introduced can help educators identify frequently interrupted students (who may therefore be struggling to learn due to external factors rather than a lack of effort or aptitude). Click here to read the paper in full.

Transforming Initial EHR Education: A Partnership between UW Medicine, Tegria, and Amplifire

Summary: UW Medicine’s EHR Education Plan

Case Study from KLAS Arch Collaborative

In 2022, UW Medicine faced a staffing crisis with high turnover rates, so they undertook a comprehensive review of their onboarding training program. Recognizing the need to expedite clinician onboarding without compromising quality, UW Medicine evaluated traditional eLearning as well as adaptive learning, which combines adaptive functionality with cognitive, science-based techniques to expedite the learning process, forge long-lasting retention, and promote seamless real-world applications. They made the strategic decision to adopt adaptive learning and partnered with Amplifire.

The Amplifire platform offers proficient clinicians a faster path to progression, and those who need more support receive a personalized learning experience. Amplifire’s analytics also provide insights into learner performance and content effectiveness. The implementation occurred in phases, guided by a steering committee and supported by Tegria. Tegria played a pivotal role by advising, curriculum mapping, mentoring, authoring content, and facilitating feedback sessions. Since the Amplifire implementation, the platform has revealed knowledge disparities, saved significant time, and generated positive learner feedback. The success of the phased approach, resource allocation, and collaboration between UW Medicine and Tegria contributed to Amplifire’s effectiveness in addressing the staffing crisis and improving onboarding efficiency.

Background

Findings

How UW Medicine benefitted from the Amplifire implementation:

• Amplifire analytics: These analytics gave visibility into learner knowledge, revealing a blend of confidently held misinformation, uncertainty, and mastery across different courses. This information brought to light that many people would have gone to the floor unprepared.
• Time savings: UW Medicine’s instructor-led courses were up to eight hours long, but once the content was transformed and placed into Amplifire, a learner’s training time was trimmed to an average of two hours. This information led the teams to realign UW Medicine’s onboarding training strategy and timeline, figuring out how to optimally use the extra time and send clinicians to the floor faster.
• Learner feedback: The feedback collected via surveys was overwhelmingly positive. The main themes from the learners’ feedback included these points:
  • The Amplifire training saved time because clinicians no longer had to review content they already knew
  • Learners gained UW Medicine–specific knowledge
  • Individuals who were skeptical of the new platform recognized its value since the system conveniently walked them through the necessary tools

About KLAS

KLAS is a data-driven company on a mission to improve the world’s healthcare by enabling provider and payer voices to be heard and counted. Working with thousands of healthcare professionals, KLAS collects insights on software, services and medical equipment to deliver reports, trending data and statistical overviews. KLAS data is accurate, honest and impartial. The research directly reflects the voice of healthcare professionals and acts as a catalyst for improving vendor performance.

To learn more about KLAS and the insights we provide, visit KLASresearch.com