Effective change management is the lifeblood for the success of digitally enabled Health programs

Change Management for Hospital Information Management System (HIMS)

The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress. Charles Kettering

Health transformation through digital means is not about technology but about people, changing the mindset and embracing the change.

In this context it is most important for any digitally enabled health transformation project to ensure that the change through HIMS implementation is sustainable across all user groups. Core users, such as doctors and nurses, need to understand why the change is happening, how it can benefit them individually, and how it will impact their day-to-day activities.

Additionally, it is important to communicate how integrated HIMS will make their work easier. Clear communication and training can help ensure a successful implementation and adoption of the new system.

The ADKAR model for change management is a widely used framework for managing change and can be effective in digital transformation projects. 

The model includes five stages:

A-Awareness of the need for change

D- Desire to participate and support the change.

K- Knowledge on how to change.

A- Ability to implement the desired skills and behaviors.

R- Reinforcement to sustain the change.

Creating desire is considered one of the most difficult stages of change management .This is because it requires creating a sense of urgency and motivation among different groups of users to support the change. It involves communicating the benefits of the change, addressing resistance and concerns, and creating a sense of ownership and enthusiasm among users. Additionally, it is important to involve users from the beginning in the process and provide adequate information, training, and support to help them understand how the change will improve their work and benefit the system.

Managing change and sustaining outcomes requires a clear vision of the impact of the change, a thorough understanding of the change, a well-designed plan, effective implementation, and clear communication. 

The steps to prepare for and manage change include:

Vision of the impact of change: Clearly define and communicate the goals and benefits of the change to all stakeholders.

Understand change: Identify the scope and impact of the change, the areas of the work that will be affected, and the resources needed to implement the change.

Plan Change: Develop a detailed plan that includes timelines, resources, roles, responsibilities, and contingencies.

Implement Change: Implement the plan, providing training, support, and resources as needed. Monitor progress and adjust the plan as needed.

Communicate Change: Keep all stakeholders informed of progress, address concerns, and provide feedback.Document the process of change and trigger point. Communicate the benefits of the change and how it will improve the health service delivery.

Reinforce change: Monitor the progress of the change and take steps to sustain it.

Overall, managing change requires a comprehensive, participative, interactive and collaborative approach that involves all stakeholders, clear communication, ongoing monitoring and follow up support.

A training plan is an essential component of change management and implementation. It should be designed to ensure that users have the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively use the new system. 

A comprehensive training plan should include but not limited to:

Training Sessions in Groups: Conduct classroom, hands-on computer, and handholding training sessions for users to learn and practice the new system.

Training Materials: Develop user-friendly training materials, such as manuals, guides, handbook,ebook, and videos, that can be used for self learning or reference.

Master Training: Provide master training to a select group of users who will serve as trainers or subject matter experts for their facility.

Learning Management Portal: Create a learning management portal to provide users with access to training materials, schedules, progress tracking and certifications.

Review and Feedback: Encourage users to provide feedback on the training,trainers and make adjustments/improvement as needed.

Assessment: Assess users' understanding and proficiency in using the new system through quizzes, exams, or practical assessments.Repeat training if needed.

Certification: Provide certification to users who have successfully completed the training and demonstrated proficiency in using the new system.

Post-Training Support: Provide ongoing support and assistance to users to ensure they can effectively use the new system in their day-to-day activities. This can include hotlines, help desks, refresher sessions or follow-up training sessions.

Overall, a comprehensive training plan that includes a combination of classroom teaching, hands-on computer practice, and handholding , user-friendly training materials, master training, a learning management portal, review and feedback system, assessment, certification, and post-training support can help ensure that users are able to effectively use the new system and sustain the change.

“Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” John F. Kennedy

Change management inception workshop at Muzaffarpur DH was held on 16th January 23 for the roll out of HIMS in all public health facilities of Muzaffarpur district.