Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems are often hailed as the digital backbone of modern healthcare, but for community hospitals—those small, rural facilities with 25 to 50 beds—the reality of implementing and optimizing EHRs is more complicated. As healthcare continues to evolve, so does the pressure on these institutions to keep up with digital transformations, even when the technology doesn’t always work in their favor.
The Cost Barrier
One of the largest challenges community hospitals face is the financial burden of implementing enterprise-level EHR systems like Epic or Oracle Cerner. These platforms are powerful and comprehensive—but they’re also built with larger health systems in mind. The high licensing fees, extensive IT requirements, and lengthy implementation timelines often put these solutions out of reach for smaller hospitals operating on tighter budgets.
To mitigate these costs, many community hospitals join a Group Purchasing Organization (GPO). By partnering with a GPO, hospitals can access discounted pricing, shared resources, and pre-negotiated contracts for major EHR systems. It’s a strategy that helps get the technology in the door—but it’s not without trade-offs.
One System, One Way
The structure of most GPOs demands that all member hospitals use the EHR system in the exact same way. That means the same features, same templates, same reporting capabilities—regardless of the hospital’s unique patient population, staff size, or care delivery model. While this uniformity makes technical support and training more scalable for the GPO, it often limits the ability of individual hospitals to tailor the system to their specific needs.
A rural hospital might not need the same specialty tools as a suburban facility with large specialty centers. But under the shared system, both facilities get the same setup—and must adapt accordingly.
Limited Support, Big Expectations
Another major pain point is the lack of dedicated support. Community hospitals often receive minimal hands-on help when it comes to customizing workflows, managing data, or troubleshooting issues. IT staff are usually small, with team members wearing multiple hats—and in many cases, the burden of EHR optimization falls to clinical staff already stretched thin.
Without robust vendor support, many hospital teams find themselves relying on peer forums, trial-and-error, or overworked GPO consultants to make the system work for them.
Optimizing in a Rigid Framework
So, what’s the path forward for community hospitals looking to get more out of their EHR investment?
- Create an Internal Optimization Task Force: Designate a small team of clinical and administrative users who can regularly review pain points, explore system capabilities, and advocate for change within the GPO’s allowed framework.
- Leverage Super Users: Invest in training a few “power users” who can become internal experts. These users can help onboard new staff, develop workaround solutions, and act as a bridge between frontline users and IT.
- Push for GPO Flexibility: When possible, band together with other like-minded hospitals within the GPO to advocate for more customizable features or alternative modules that better suit your local needs.
- Invest in Third-Party Support: Sometimes the best way to optimize is by bringing in outside consultants who specialize in EHR customization for small hospitals. While it’s an added expense, it can lead to more efficient workflows and better patient outcomes.
- Focus on Staff Feedback: Regularly solicit feedback from clinical and administrative staff to understand where the system falls short—and where small changes could make a big impact.
Partner with Morgan Hunter Healthcare
If your community hospital is struggling to get the most out of its EHR system, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Morgan Hunter Healthcare’s expert consulting team specializes in EHR optimization, customization, and support for small hospitals and rural facilities. Whether you’re part of a GPO network or working independently, our consultants help you tailor your system to fit your hospital’s workflows—not the other way around.
Contact us today to discover how we can help you improve system performance, reduce staff burden, and deliver better care through smarter EHR solutions.
