Change Management Best Practices for Healthcare Technology Investments

Change management is the process of helping people identify, select and accept new processes. These processes may involve introducing new tools or technologies, changing care protocols, evolving criteria for evaluating certain conditions, or optimizing workflows to help improve efficiency. Regardless of the driver behind it, a solid change management process requires a well-planned, structured approach — and it begins earlier than you may think. From stakeholder alignment to training programs to ROI measurement and beyond, change management in healthcare is everyone’s job. Read on for a step-by-step guide to change management best practices in healthcare technology adoption, including a Q&A with our own Baxter experts.

Why Change Management Matters in Healthcare Technology Adoption

In healthcare systems today, the stakes are high. When you invest in a new connected medical device implementation to help accelerate diagnoses, tailor interventions or deliver more personalized care, successful change management relies upon the quality of your planning. There are many frameworks available, but most share three fundamental phases of change management:

Before the Change

In the earliest days of change management, teams should agree upon the problem(s) that need to be solved. This may involve educating key stakeholders on why the issue is important, gathering a team of champions and agreeing on a vision for the future state.

During the Change

In the case of adopting new technology in healthcare, this is when a solution is selected and introduced. From creating a roll-out plan to user training to gathering feedback, effective communication is critical throughout.

After the Change

Change management doesn’t end at implementation. Project leaders must continue measuring ROI and other success metrics post implementation to improve the likelihood of success.

Best Practices for Implementing Change with Healthcare Technology

Implementing change in a healthcare organization can be challenging — but with the right approach, it can also be rewarding. While details may differ across health organizations, the following are some change management best practices to consider:

• Align key stakeholders: Gather your team of champions, change agents, users and supporters. The greater diversity you can achieve in terms of roles, perspectives and experiences, the better your chances will be of long-term, widespread adoption.
• Consider a phased rollout: Start small, learn what you can and apply those learnings to the next phase. Whether you structure your approach based on teams (e.g., piloting a new technology in one unit before moving on to another) or features (e.g., starting with one module of a product before adding others), a phased approach can make large-scale change more manageable.
• Plan for ongoing training: Successful training programs are designed for the long term. Consider an ongoing model to help reinforce key concepts, avoid overload and maximize knowledge retention.
• Keep feedback loops open: Just like training, gathering feedback should not be a one-time activity. Whether it’s through direct conversations, focus groups, surveys or other channels, leaders should solicit feedback in many ways, act on it and then solicit more. Continuous communication powers continuous improvement.

Our teams know what it takes to help health systems choose the right change management process and make the most of their technology investments. We sat down with our own Najia Khawar, Senior Director, Project Management Office, and Ryan Hochworter, Head of Digital Solutions, who shared what real-world success looks like — and what it takes to achieve it.

Q: What are the best practices for successful technology adoption in hospitals?

Khawar: “Alignment is key. Involve the right teams and the right leaders early on in a project. On our own, none of us can see the full picture of what will be required to implement any given technology. You don’t want to wait until you kick off a project to realize you need another person or team’s input. Do this discovery up front, so you can have the right resources and infrastructure in place from the beginning.”

Hochworter: “One common pitfall is trying to take on too much change at once. In the world of connected devices, there are so many integrations and features you can take advantage of: integrating with reporting, alarms, dashboards, smartphones, reminders, etc. That may be where you want to end up, but from a change management perspective, a staged roll-out might set you up for better adoption.

“One approach is to focus on one clinical initiative at a time. Want to help address falls? Let’s hone in on the features that can help address falls first, get everyone comfortable using them, and then move on to the next use-case.”

Q: How should health systems structure training for new medical technology?

Hochworter: “First, when it comes to training, shorter is often better. Think about the short videos we watch online; they’re quick and easy to digest. Training can be the same: many small pieces, each focused on one specific goal.

“Next, remember that training isn’t a single point in time. Recurring training is important, especially for features you want your teams to use the most.

“Lastly, make sure to communicate how a given feature relates to the trainee’s job. Why are they learning this? What will it help them do better than they can do today? Give them a stake in the new workflow to help them understand the need for change.”

Q: How can hospitals measure technology adoption and staff engagement?

Khawar: “Reporting is a powerful tool for measuring adoption — and, ideally, you should plan for it before roll-out, not after. Decide what metrics will be most useful for tracking your progress against a given initiative, and set up your reports accordingly. It’s easier to do this kind of planning before roll-out, rather than trying to back your way into it down the road.

“User surveys are another good way to go. It’s important to gather feedback early and often. If users are facing challenges, dig deeper to find out whether it’s a technology issue, a training issue or something else. Take all that feedback, act on it, and then survey again. When you gather feedback often, and take action on it, that’s when change management can become more exciting and less painful.”

Turn Strategy into Success with Purposeful Change Management

Healthcare technology adoption is about so much more than the technology itself. Successful, long-term adoption relies on proactive, people-centered change management. Ready to plan for your next project? Our teams are here to help. Contact us today.

Featured Contributors

Najia Khawar, Senior Director, Baxter Project Management Office | Baxter

At Baxter, Najia leads a national PMO overseeing complex healthcare technology deployments across hospitals and health systems. With over 15 years of experience in healthcare operations and digital transformation, she specializes in… Read Full Bio

Ryan Hochworter, Head of Digital Solutions | Baxter

Ryan is a healthcare leader with over 20 years of experience driving digital transformation. At Baxter, he leads teams that develop technology-enabled strategies to address clinical complexity, healthcare value, and accessibility. Ryan has worked with...Read Full Bio