What kind of EMR training works, and what doesn’t, in real clinics
EMR or clinical management system training is usually seen as a key milestone in the project.
It is carefully prepared, scheduled, compressed into a few days… and then considered complete.
However, the same thing happens in many clinics:
after a couple of weeks, the system is no longer used as it was explained, basic questions reappear, and part of what was learned has been forgotten.
The problem is that real adoption does not start on training day, it starts afterwards.
That is why training needs to be designed for the moment when the EMR is actually used in daily practice.
1. Confusing intensive training with effective training
In many projects, training is planned as a closed block:
many hours, a lot of information, everything explained “all at once”.
During those days, the team keeps up, understands the workflows, and feels that the system is manageable.
The problem comes later.
The volume of information is high, and much of it still lacks real context for the user.
When the EMR starts being used without support, that knowledge has nothing to anchor to and quickly fades.
Training works better when it leaves room for learning by doing, not just by listening.
2. Teaching the entire system from day one
Another common mistake is trying to show all the EMR’s capabilities from the very beginning.
The intention is good: to make sure the team “knows everything”.
In practice, the opposite happens.
Critical functions are mixed with features that will not be used for months, and users struggle to distinguish what is essential from what is not.
In real clinics, the most effective training prioritizes everyday tasks, what allows the team to work from day one, and leaves the rest for when the system is already part of the routine.
3. Training in an ideal environment that does not exist
Training sessions usually take place in a controlled setting:
- no interruptions
- “perfect” cases
- time to think
But real EMR use happens:
- with patients waiting
- with constant phone calls
- with partially define decisions
- under time pressure
When training does not prepare users for this context, the gap is too large.
And the system starts to be perceived as something that “gets in the way”, even if it was well understood in theory.
4. Ending training too early
In many projects, training is considered finished on the last day of the course.
From that point on, the team is expected to “already know”.
However, the most important questions do not arise during training, but when the first real cycles are completed, when something does not fit or an exception appears.
If there is no reinforcement at that point, the team improvises.
And improvised solutions are rarely consistent across users.
That is why a key part of training is planning follow-up sessions after the first weeks of real use, when the team already has meaningful questions.
5. Not clarifying priorities from the start
A constant source of frustration is not knowing:
- what is mandatory
- what is recommended
- what is purely informational
When everything seems equally important, users protect themselves:
they either over-document or record just enough to move forward.
Effective training helps users prioritize, rather than simply explaining fields and screens.
6. Teaching how to use the EMR without explaining why
Learning where to click is not enough.
When users do not understand the purpose of what they are recording, motivation drops quickly.
When each action is connected to its real impact — safety, traceability, team coordination — the system stops feeling like an obligation and starts to make sense.
This does not make training longer, but it completely changes how the EMR is perceived.
7. Not leaving clear internal references in the clinic
After training, many clinics are left without a clear internal point of support.
Questions circulate, are resolved inconsistently, or are avoided altogether.
When key users consolidate knowledge and act as daily references, learning does not disappear: it sticks.
Training does not end when the vendor leaves, but when the team can support itself.
8. Measuring training by attendance instead of real use
Training is often considered successful because “everyone attended”.
But attendance does not mean adoption.
Real use may be minimal or incorrect.
That is why it is essential to evaluate, weeks later, which parts of the system are being avoided and where blockers are still appearing.
Final reflection
EMR training does not fail because of a lack of content or a lack of hours.
It fails when the team is not supported at the moment they start working on their own.
Real success is not that the system is understood on the last day of training,
but that it is still used thoughtfully weeks later, when real life begins.
