Training and Onboarding: Unlocking the Full Potential of Your Chronic Care Management Software

Ashlesh Khadse
April 15, 2024
6:58 am
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Only 2.3% of all eligible patients received CCM services when CMS first started the CCM program in 2015.

The program was meant to redefine the healthcare structure for chronic care and initiate the digital transformation of healthcare services.

Looking at the growth trajectory over the last couple of years, the number of patients enrolled in the program is expected to be in the millions. It is quite an impressive number, which also indicates the growing relevance and importance of chronic care in the American healthcare system.

Technology has simplified a lot of things in the healthcare landscape, especially the chronic care management software. Which proved to be the connecting link between healthcare services, patients, and providers. It has improved the care delivery time, and by enabling continuous monitoring of patients without even the need to visit a healthcare facility, it has become a game-changer for many.

Today, around 50 million people are eligible for the CCM program, but the problem is that many clinics fail to capitalize on the CCM program with ineffective training and oversight over the chronic care management software.

But is it so tough to train patients, providers, and staff on chronic care management software?

Well, let’s find that out in this blog below and let it be your guide to effective training and onboarding for the chronic care management software.

Key Considerations for Training and Onboarding

Every CCM software vendor you meet will emphasize chronic care management software training. Preparing for a completely new process, many ignore the chronic care management software onboarding process, leading to complications in the program’s sustainability.

So, here are some of the key consideration for training and onboarding with chronic care management software:

1. User Identification:

The most common mistake most of us commit is not understanding who is providing chronic care management software training. For your practice, it is important to understand the people who are going to use the chronic care management software on a daily basis. Generally, it will include clinicians, care coordinators, care managers, and administrative staff.

It can also include patients in some cases if the chronic care management software you’ve chosen is quite complicated to understand. Though there are ways to deal with that, read how to make your CCM software user-friendly here.

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2. Training Format:

Once you have identified your user base or the target group using the software, it is time to choose the right chronic care management software training program. The training model can differ depending on the understanding levels or number of members users. For example, a small user group opting for an in-person training program would be recommendable and appropriate. On the other hand, online training modules via video conferencing can also be an effective way to provide chronic care management software onboarding training.

However, while here, it is important to know the pros and cons of the training model you choose. For instance, in in-person training, you can provide hands-on chronic care management onboarding experience and address any difficulties the users might face in real-time. Though other models usually lack the flexibility you get in person, they can prove to be effective if implemented correctly and provide training resources with video tutorials and guidebooks.

3. Content & Structure:

Every chronic care management software implementation comes with various unique features and functionalities. Here, it is important for you to understand that not every feature of the software is accessible to everyone. For instance, the sign-off process can be accessed by physicians only, and the billing staff can only access billing features and generate reports.

Depending on the complexity and the functionality of the software you need to prepare the outline of the key functionalities and workflows in the practice that the software addresses. After that, recognize which user group needs to access which functionality of the software and structure the chronic care management software training with regards to that.

4. Data Migration & Integration:

Since the chronic care management software onboarding process majorly depends on data, it is important for the software users to know the flow of data. Simplify the data migration process from the existing to the new software.

Along with that, tell them about the intricacies how the data will be integrated into other systems to give them a brief understanding of the workflow and data flow in your practice and chronic care management software. For example, how the data generated from the remote patient monitoring devices will be integrated in the EHR and how it will reflect on the patient portals will give them an idea about the clinical workflow and also make them understand the virtual care delivery process in a better and simplified way.

5. Support & Resources:

During the updates and other changes in the software, there is a high possibility that the users will face some kind of problems in the normal functioning of the software. Often, this aspect of the training is ignored, leaving the users clueless about what to do in such cases.

Though the support and resources to solve such issues are readily available, a lack of awareness disrupts the entire process. For such problems, describe, explain, and demonstrate the support mechanisms available to the users after the initial training. This will not only enable optimum utilization of resources but also shorten the time to problem-solving.

Best Practices for a Smooth Implementation

Chronic care management software implementation is a complex process, and training is an essential component of it. Applying best practices for CCM software training can help you with a smooth implementation.

Below are the best practices to overcome challenges with CCM software implementation:

1. Develop a Clear Communication Plan:

The key to the successful implementation of CCM software lies in the transparency and effective communication between all the stakeholders. It will directly encourage data-driven decision-making in your practice and result in defining a smooth workflow for your practice. Develop a clear communication plan where everyone is connected in real-time and updated about any activity done regarding care delivery.

2. Involve Champions:

Another best practice for onboarding staff on CCM software is to identify enthusiastic staff members and give them the opportunity to lead their peers. This is important because not everyone is comfortable with using technology, and having the wrong leader can disrupt the entire process. So, identify a chronic care management software implementation champion and drive effectiveness into your practice with chronic care management software.

3. Pilot Launch:

The thing with software is that it can work miracles during the development process, but its deployment can lead to several loopholes in the process. This is one of the challenges with CCM software implementation. To overcome this, one of the best practices for CCM software training is to launch the pilot version of the software for a small group of people.

This way, you can easily identify and solve most of the problems that can arise within the software. It will also stand as a mark of whether or not the software is ready for full implementation.

4. Gather Feedback and Iterate:

One of the best practices for smooth chronic care management software implementation is to continuously monitor the software’s and users’ progress during the training and onboarding process. It will help you understand the real-life, real-time challenges the users face while using the software. According to the feedback, you can adjust the training plan accordingly and ensure a smooth implementation of the software with effective and hands-on training.

Onboarding Processes

The onboarding process is often complicated and requires a proper structure for the software to be perfectly interested in the existing workflow. Create and manage a structure with onboarding schedules to ensure the process is transparent and easy to understand for everyone.

Ensure the chronic care management software suits your current workflow and that everyone understands the structure to provide seamless and well-coordinated care delivery. However, during the onboarding process, make sure that you take proper data security measures and adhere to the compliances.

During this time, you might face challenges such as achieving interoperability or system integration issues. Vendor support plays a crucial role in implementing a seamless onboarding process.

Patient Engagement Strategies

The success of your CCM program depends not only on the successful implementation of the CCM software but also on patient engagement. The best way to engage patients with their care over the software is to educate them about their condition and explain to them briefly the benefits of the CCM program.

Along with that, also explain to them the unique features of the CCM software that would help you drive higher patient engagement. You can also ask the dedicated care provider to provide them with resources and support for patient self-management. Explain the communication features like ‘secure messaging’ and ‘appointment scheduling’ so that the patient can use your CCM software effectively to facilitate patient communication engagement, ultimately resulting in improving overall health outcomes.

Conclusion

Training of your care staff and onboarding of patients are two of the base pillars for the implementation and sustainability of your CCM program. As the medical industry is going through the digital shift, it is better for your healthcare practice to be prepared for future change.

Along with that, to ensure that the training and support process is ongoing so that program credibility is maintained. Also, it helps address the pain points in the program and prepare for scaling. However, for this, the smooth implementation of the chronic care management software is extremely important as it improves the efficiency of your practice and results in better patient outcomes.

So, if you are planning to start your CCM program, ensure that you make training and onboarding crucial cornerstones for its successful implementation.

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Frequently Asked Question’s

1. How long does CCM software training typically take?

Depending on the type of training mode you choose, the CCM software training can last from a few days to a couple of weeks.

2. What are the different training methods available?

Here are the most common types of training models used for chronic care management software:

- In-person Training Sessions
- Online Training Sessions
- On-demand Video Tutorials

3. How can we ensure data migration goes smoothly?

The best practice for data migration in chronic care management software to go smoothly is to create a migration plan and stick to it. Defining what data will be going from where and where it will reflect will help you understand its success level.

4. What ongoing support does the software vendor offer?

Ongoing support provided by the software vendor usually depends on the package you’ve chosen. However, the ongoing support usually offered by vendors is:

Help desk
Community forums
Software updates and patches
User training and documentation
Customization and consulting services

5. How can we measure the success of our training program?

The best way to measure the success of the Chronic Care Management software training program is by assessing learner reactions, knowledge gain, staff efficiency, higher patient engagement, and business impact. Use surveys, tests, observations, and performance metrics to track progress at each level.

6. What role does ongoing support play in ensuring the successful adoption of chronic care management software?

Ongoing support from the software vendor is crucial for successful CCM software adoption. It helps users troubleshoot issues, access new features, and optimize usage, ultimately enabling smoother implementation and maximizing the software’s impact on chronic care management.

7. What are some common pitfalls to avoid during the implementation process?

Here are some common pitfalls to avoid during chronic care management software implementation: