Running head: "POWER UP!

" A CLINICAL SYSTEMS POWER USER

TRAINING

"Power Up!" A Clinical Systems Power User Training Program

Michelle Marzullo
AET/570
July 20, 2015
Dr. Gregory Dlabach

"POWER UP!" A CLINICAL SYSTEMS POWER USER TRAINING

"Power Up!" A Clinical Systems Power User Training Program

Introduction
Temple University Health System (TUHS) is a $1.4 billion dollar
academic health system based in Philadelphia, PA. TUHS is dedicated to
providing access to quality patient care and supporting excellence in medical
education and research. With more than 9,000 employees, 4 provider
facilities, a physician practice organization and an affiliated medical school,
TUHS is one of the largest healthcare organizations in the city. As part of the
organizations commitment to their employees, the Information Services and
Technology (IS&T) Department provides education and hands-on training to
the TUHS community in a host of critical, clinical software applications
Scope and Intended Audiences
In as effort to assist TUHS employees and medical and nursing
students to work efficiently and provide a quality patient experience, the
Training and Client Services Group of the IS&T Department has designed an
advanced training track for clinical staff. The Clinical Systems Power User
Training Program, Power Up! is designed to position and empower current
key members of the clinical staff to provide just in time support across all
campuses and disciplines of the organization. While all new employees
receive appropriate systems training as part of the onboarding process, there
is no current system in place to provide support or reinforcement once they
are actively working on the floors. Power Up! a train the trainer program

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will prepare a system-wide support team of power users who have an

advanced knowledgebase and skillset in the most commonly used clinical
applications.
The intended audience for this program would include clinical staff
(attending physicians, residents, nurses, personal care assistants, unit clerks,
social workers, case managers, physical and occupational therapists, nursing
instructors, etc.) who have satisfactorily completed their introductory period,
have departmental approval, and have demonstrated proficiencies in the
following applications: SMS Invision Registration, TDS/MIS Desktop 7000
Inpatient System and MedHost Emergency Department System. The first
class will be comprised of 45 employees (15 power users per campus) and
will be a mixed group of job functions, based on identified needs.
Program Goals
"Every organization can attribute their success in large part to an
effective training program, but it cannot serve the needs of the employees
unless there is an organized plan" (HR Professionals Magazine, n.d.). This
training program strives to develop the key skills, competencies, experiences
and confidence of clinical systems power users so that they can successfully
support and monitor use of the systems on a day-to-day basis. The goals of
the Power Up! program are as follows:

"POWER UP!" A CLINICAL SYSTEMS POWER USER TRAINING

To support all staff by providing the knowledge and skills

necessary to provide patients with a safe and quality healthcare
experience

To develop a collaborative network of engaged and motivated

employees within TUHS

To develop a team of power users with the skills, competencies

and confidence to support staff in clinical areas across the
organization

Program Objectives
At the conclusion of the 3-month training program, Power Up! Students
will be able to:

Demonstrate mastery with the TUHS core clinical applications

Identify and troubleshoot common errors made when using the

core clinical applications

Support and mentor clinical staff using the applications

Asses staff knowledge and skills in these applications and make

recommendations for future support

Describe additional IS&T learning resources

Needs Analysis
According to Royse, Thyer and Padgett (2010), needs assessments are
attempts at estimating deficiencies (p. 55). Throughout the first quarter of
FY16, the Training and Client Services group worked with employees and

"POWER UP!" A CLINICAL SYSTEMS POWER USER TRAINING

administrators throughout the health system to identify and explore various

training needs and/or gaps. Through various methods and sources of
information, it was determined that a need for additional training and
application support is needed for staff after the initial classroom training
during onboarding. There is a great deal of concern that this lack of
knowledge, skill and confidence will have negative effects on the patient
care experience, thus making it a system-wide priority to be addressed.
This initial assessment processes provided a baseline indication of the
level of support needed in the clinical areas, the ability of current employees
to contribute to this learning process and the support of additional training
resources by department and senior management. Employees often arrive
at TUHS with little to no previous experience with the three core clinical
applications. The lack of knowledge can be frustrating and detrimental as
the employee begins working on the floor. The difference between actual
the actual level of job performance and the expected level of job
performance indicates a need for training (HR-Guide, LLC, 2013). Through
this program, an internal, easily accessible, just in time support system will
be established. In addition to reviewing the current training program and
documentation, data was collected through various sources, including a
system-wide learning and development e-survey, observations of system use
on clinical units, interviews with key stakeholders and interdisciplinary focus
groups across the organization.

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Learning and Development E-Survey

One of the most enlightening tools used was the system-wide learning
and development e-survey. This survey of all employees was a pulse-check
a way to gather employee opinions, perceptions and attitudes towards
learning and development at TUHS. Distributed via Survey Monkey,
responses were higher than expected, at over 5,000 responses across the
health system. This information will help the Training and Client Services
Group develop solutions like the Power Up! program to improve the work
environment and improve that patient experience.
Clinical Area Observations
Over a period of several weeks, the Training and Client Services team
observed employees using the core clinical applications on-unit. They were
able to identify common issues and frequently asked questions that came up
in day to day use of the systems. Workflows were also observed and
documented to incorporate in the power user technologies.
Stakeholder Interviews
Information regarding the ongoing training need was also gathered
from stakeholders through 1:1 interview with the Training Manager. Sessions
with key individuals from administration, physician and nurse management,
lab directors, as well as long-term and newer volunteers identified common
trends and areas of opportunity from multiple vantage points. These

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interviews provide an additional perspective on the system use on the units

and validated the need for additional support and resources.
Interdisciplinary Focus Groups
These group sessions done face to face, as well as via conference calls,
were comprised of employee volunteers and potential program participants
from across the health system. Primarily used as collaborative and collective
brainstorming sessions, these focus groups gathered feedback on the
potential program content, structure, activities, priorities, and possible
roadblocks or incentives.
Budget
Financial support, from the organization as well as from donations, is a
critical component to the success of this program. The expenses and income
budgets are as follows:
Budget Items
PERSONNEL
Instructors/Facilitator
s
Support Staf

Description

Annual Expenses

Training & Client

Services Group

$20,000

1/3 salaried time

Training Coordinator

$12,500

salaried time
eLearning
Instructional
Designers

IS&T Department
Instructional Designer

$20,000

salaried time
FRINGE BENEFITS
Incentive Bonus

Upon successful
completion of the

$22,500

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program
($500/participant 45
participants MAX)
EXTERNAL STAFF
Contractors

*all in-house staff

$0

Design and printing of

course materials

$2,250

Learning
Management System
Website
Design/SharePoint
EQUIPMENT

*already in place

$0

*already in place

$0

Computer Hardware

*company provided

$0

Clinical Application
Software
TRAVEL

*company provided

$0

Transportation &
Mileage
FACILITIES

*all on campus

$0

Training Rooms

*company provided

$0

Food

Provided by Philadelphia
Catering Co. for
participants and training
staff

$6,500

MATERIALS
Courseware
TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Continental
breakfast
Bottled water and
assorted drinks
Cookies and mini
pretzels
Boxed lunches

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Lunch & Learn

Sessions
SUPPLIES,
TELEPHONE,
POSTAGE
Office Supplies

Nine follow-up sessions

following conclusion of
training

$4,500

Pens, Pencils, Training

Room Supplies

$500

MISCELLANEOUS
Other Expenses

$1,250

TOTAL EXPENSES

$90,000

Budget Items
IS&T Department
Budget
TUHS Employee Fund
Donation Allocation
TOTAL INCOME

Description

Annual Income
$75,000
$15,000
$90,000

Staffing Plan
There are a variety of individuals who will play significant roles in this
training program.
Title
Program
Planner/Training
Managers

Role
This individual provides oversight of all instruction
provided by the Training and Client Services
Group. He/she will conduct the 1:1 stakeholder
interviews and oversee the development and
implementation of the training program and
activities. He/she will make sure that the program

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budget is approved and followed and be

responsible for marketing and communicating all
program details across the organization. This
individual will have 5+ years experience with the
clinical applications and demonstrated success
with program development and implementation
Instructional Staf
(2-3)

The Instructional Staff will consist of members of

the Training and Client Services Group. These
staff members will be experienced in facilitating
group trainings, demonstrate a high level of
proficiency in all clinical applications and be
familiar with the principles and methods of adult
education. Their responsibilities will include
leading training classes and activities, acting as
mentors for those in the program, assessing
students and providing post training motivation
and support. These individuals will have 3+
years experience in an adult education or

Training Coordinator
(1)

training setting.
The training coordinator will be responsible for
maintaining the program activities in the LMS,
registering participants, reserving rooms,
coordinating materials and overseeing other

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program logistics. This individual will have 1-3

years experience in an administrative capacity.
Technical
Support/IS&T Help
Desk

The IS&T Help Desk will provide technical support

for both the training staff and participant in the
program. They can help troubleshoot hardware
and application issues, provide log-in information,
reset passwords and alert users regarding system
maintenance and downtime.

Stakeholders and Goals

Stakeholder

Partnership Goal

Ways to Build

President, CEO,

To support and promote

Support
Present evidence of

CMO, CNO (all

the Power Up! Training

training program

locations)

Program across all

success and its positive

organizational entities

effects on organizational

and regional healthcare

culture, employee

setting.

satisfaction and
engagement and patient

Department Heads &

To understand how

outcomes.
Share success stories of

Directors

Power Up! can assist

program with

employees in day to

employees on unit and

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IS&T Leadership

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day activities and to

encourage making

promote and assist

connections and

grow the program in

building relationships

individual departments.

with power users in their

To understand and

locations.
Share knowledge of

communicate how

clinical systems to

Power Ups goals and

enhance program and

objectives align to the

help build

organizational mission

knowledgebase and

and vision. To build

support system through

program momentum

duration of the program.

and support at all

stages of
implementation. To
provide support to
training facilitators
Clinical Staf

throughout program.
To support and build

Contact power users

relationships with

with questions when on

power users on units

unit and seek support

and apply knowledge

just in time. Share

and skills to day to day

experiences with other

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activities.

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employees and help

build support and
enthusiasm for program.

Communication Plan
As the audience for organizational learning and development continues
to evolve and change, and the global workforce diversifies and develops,
organizations must find ways to interact with their employees, target
potential training audiences and promote opportunities for learning and
development within the workplace. Through the use of an integrated
communication and marketing plan, we can focus efforts on different tactics,
activities, media and channels in an effort to promote the Power Up!
Program. Establishing a clear and strong connection between what we are
offering and to whom it is being offered is the first step. This information
will:

Help gain senior management or executive level approval and buy-in

prior to the program roll-out

Show the learner what value exists in the completion of the program
and how it will benefit them

Attract potential new learners to take advantage of something

considered to have value by other employees and the organization as
a whole
As stated by Cafarella and Dafron (2013), communicating

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messages that education and training programs are useful and

meaningful to potential participants is critical to ensuring program
participation (pg. 314)Marketing & Communication Plan
Logo

Slogan
Fact Sheet

Power Up to the next level!

Marketing Channels

To include:
Program Description and Target Audience
Program Goals and Objectives
Program Requirements
Training Schedule/Structure (3 day intensive,
2 subsequent full day trainings, 9 Lunch &
Learns over the rest of the year)
Dates for Information Sessions and link to
webpage with more information
Contact information for Program Coordinator
To include:
Email blasts
Bulletin Board notices
Advertisements on system PC screen savers
Announcements in other training classes
Intranet advertisement
Word of mouth
Information sessions

Going forward, strategies that could be used to market the Power Up!
Program are:

Build a strong value proposition for both the organization and the
employee

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Make connections for employees to demonstrate whats in it for

them

Leverage in-house promotional and advertisement channels like

email, bulletin boards, intranets, word of mouth, flyers, etc.

Make training easily accessible and attractive to the employees

Build relationships and identify training champions to help

build support and momentum

Leverage executive buy-in and support

Continuous evaluation and measure the ROI of the program,

making adjustments as necessary to keep the audience engaged
and involved

With the proper marketing plan and complimenting strategies, we can

hope to achieve:

Increased enrollment

Increased positive attitudes towards training and technology

Higher levels of employee engagement and retention

Enhanced learning experiences and positive behavioral changes

In our role as educators, trainers and facilitators, we are tasked with

finding ways to develop relationships, practice real-world skills and help
learners to think at a higher level and growth personally and professionally.
Through the Power Up! Program, employees can continue to develop the

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skillsets that will help them navigate through diverse territory and help
address the needs of fellow employees. As we continue to develop training
programs like Power Up! adopting an integrated marketing approach will play
a significant role in successful implementation of the program and program
sustainability.
Program Evaluation
It will be important to the various stakeholders to look at the course
outcomes and evaluate if students achieved the expected learning outcomes
and what the impact has been on the organization as a whole. The
information received through the program evaluation process will help inform
future decisions regarding this program, as well as additional trainings
offered by the Training and Client Services Group. If necessary, changes to
the course content, delivery methods and activities could be made as a
result of data gathered through evaluation. Also, depending on the results of
the various evaluation methods, a decision could be made to expand the
number of participants, make the program the cornerstone of a larger,
system certification or completely abandon the program.
At various points within the program design, implementation and
delivery process, various individuals will be part of the evaluation process,
including:

Training Manager

Instructors/Facilitators

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Program Participants

Stakeholders at various levels

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Learner Satisfaction Survey/Course Evaluation

The purpose of this evaluation is to provide qualitative data to show if
learners are satisfied with the training experience, if they are able to put the
new knowledge and skills into practice almost immediately and what
components or topics may be missing from the content. This data helps
understand how well training was received by audience and provides
feedback about experience that can be applied to future sessions. This type
of evaluation, done immediately following completion of the program, will
measure a participants opinion, not necessarily the actual learning that
occurred. However, these types of course evaluations and satisfaction
surveys can help drive program and content development and improvement.
Pre and Post Training Assessments
Analyzing information involves examining it in ways that reveal the
relationships, patterns, trends, etc. that can be found within it (Community
Tool Box, 2014). The purpose of this assessment is to gain a better
understanding of how this training is affecting both program participants and
other TUHS employees. This type of assessment will help determine
students knowledge and skill levels before and after training.
Whether that results gathered are ultimately used for program
management, improvement planning, policy making or recommendations for

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future action, they can determine what is working or not working. Program
evaluation clients often expect evaluators to come up with ways of telling
whether the program achieved its objectives whether the intended
outcomes were realized and why (McDavid, Huse & Hawthorn, 2013, pg.
12). Program and process evaluations can have significant implications for
both the individuals and organizations involved.

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References
Biech, E. (Ed.). (2008). ASTD handbook for workplace learning
professionals. Alexandria, VA:
ASTD.
Caffarella, R. S., & Daffron, S. R. (2013). Planning programs for adult learners:
A practical
guide (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Combs, W. L., & Davis, B. M. (2010). Demystifying technical training:
Partnership, strategy, and execution. San Francisco, CA: Wiley.
Community Tool Box. (2014). Collecting and Analyzing Data. Retrieved from
http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/evaluate/evaluate-communityinterventions/collect-analyze-data/main
HR-Guide, LLC. (2013). Needs Analysis: How to determine training
needs. Retrieved from
http://www.hr-guide.com/data/G510.htm
HR Professionals Magazine. (n.d.). How to Build a Training
Department. Retrieved from
http://hrprofessionalsmagazine.com/how-to-build-a-trainingdepartment/
Razik, T. A., & Swanson, A. D. (2010). Fundamental concepts of educational
leadership and management (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

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Royse, D., Thyer, B., & Padgett, D. (2009). Program evaluation: An

introduction (5th ed.).
Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

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