The process of EHR implementation can be lengthy and involved. However, things will likely go much more smoothly when an office’s leadership takes the time to get physicians involved and provide the doctors with strong training and technical support.

Richard Ferrans, the vice president and CMIO at Memorial Hospital in Mississippi, told Fierce EMR that these are some of the most important things healthcare offices can do to increase their chances of meeting all the meaningful use requirements.

In order to adhere to all of the government’s rules for participating in the incentive programs, physicians need to use EHRs in a manner that drives quality. Simply implementing a certified system is not enough. This is why providing doctors with the support they need will increase an office’s chances of satisfying the meaningful use regulations.

"You can't get around the support issue," Ferrans told the news source. "You've got to give just a ton of end-user support. It's required for success."

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT says that the agency’s Regional Extension Centers are one place medical offices can look for this support. EHR vendors also often provide extensive technical training.