Evolution – removing paper and digitising the hospital

PURPOSE: A transition from paper to Electronic Health Records has numerous benefits, including better communication and information exchange and decreased errors by medical staff. However, if managed poorly, it can result in frustration, causing errors in patient care and reduced patient-clinician interaction. Furthermore, a drop in staff morale and clinician burnout due to familiarising themselves with the technology has been mentioned in previous studies. Therefore, the aim of this project is to monitor the change in morale of staff of the Oral and Maxillofacial Department in a hospital which underwent the change in October 2020. Objectives: To observe staff morale during transition from paper to Electronic Health Records; to encourage feedback. METHODS: After carrying out a Patient & Public Involvement consultation and receiving local research and development approval, a questionnaire was distributed to all members of the maxillofacial outpatients department on a regular basis. RESULTS: On average, around 25 members responded to the questionnaire during each collection. There was a noticeable divergence in responses week on week according to job role and age, but minimal difference is noted from gender point of view after the first week. The study emphasised the position that not all members were happy with the new system but only a small minority would want to return to paper notes. CONCLUSION: Staff members adapt to change at different rates, which are multifactorial in nature. A change of this scale should be monitored closely to allow for a smoother transition and ensure staff burnout is minimised.