Date of Conferral

11-15-2024

Degree

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (D.H.A.)

School

Management

Advisor

Leah Grebner

Abstract

Implementing electronic health records (EHR) is critical for modernizing healthcare systems; however, existing research has indicated these initiatives are fraught with challenges. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is responsible for providing care to millions of veterans and has encountered significant obstacles in its EHR modernization efforts, leading to budget overruns, extended timelines, and operational disruptions. EHR implementations within the VA are particularly complex due to underestimated costs, lengthy schedules, and unforeseen organizational hurdles. As a result, the VA’s EHR project has faced numerous setbacks, including delays and pauses in future deployments, creating a pressing need for effective strategies to enhance implementation success. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify strategies for improving EHR implementation within the VA while enhancing end-user satisfaction. The study focused on healthcare professionals within the VA system, integrating insights from existing literature to identify solutions to the healthcare administration problem. The diffusion of innovation theory guided the study, which provides a clear framework for understanding how new technologies are adopted and integrated within complex organizational settings. The analysis revealed several critical strategies for successful EHR implementation, including addressing disruption through effective change management, enhancing user training, establishing clear standards, promoting interoperability, managing financial expenditures, and assessing organizational readiness. Successful EHR implementations can positively impact social determinants of health data outcomes by improving access for vulnerable populations within the VA system.

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