Implementing new software during the pandemic was a challenge for healthcare organizations everywhere. But for Major Health Partners (Shelbyville, IN), which recently went LIVE with Expanse Patient Care, choosing to be an early adopter transformed their implementation into a remarkable opportunity for partnership.
CIO Carol Huesman championed the decision to move forward as an early adopter. A longtime MEDITECH collaborator, Huesman was eager to implement the web-based, mobile solution for nurses and therapists. Her enthusiasm was contagious.
“You know, it sounds scary to be an early adopter, but I convinced our administration we HAD to do it,” she said. “I’ve never seen a development team so engaged as during this implementation. I was impressed.”
Being an early adopter meant MHP had MEDITECH’s undivided attention, enabling the healthcare organization to contribute to the software’s advancements.
“I get excited when I see the tools for our clinicians,” said Huesman. “I want the latest and greatest for them, and I want things to be seamless. Expanse Patient Care has given us all of that and more.”
Nurses’ input evident in the details
According to Sara Lewis, RN, clinical informatics specialist at MHP, Expanse Patient Care reflects a tremendous amount of end-user input from both practicing nurses at MEDITECH and nurses at customer sites.
"The software is so efficient and easy to use, and is providing us a more complete picture of the patient,” said Lewis.
She added that Expanse Patient Care also brings the nurses’ EHR view and user experience in line with their physician colleagues.
“When you’re part of a care team, you’re working together on a patient. Knowing exactly where to find data is like speaking the same language as the physicians,” said Lewis. “It’s especially important during transitions of care, when crucial information could fall through the cracks.”
Another safeguard is the new hand-off routine, which pulls forward the most relevant patient information into widget-based templates, ideal for viewing at the bedside.
“In our busy ED, hand-offs are a great way to keep the team on the same page, without having to go through the entire chart,” said Lewis. “It’s efficient, quick, and maybe even safer.”
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