The right digital adoption platform for HIS projects

A hospital information system (HIS) can be carefully planned, implemented, and technically approved. Project plans are adhered to, milestones are reached, and approvals are documented. Formally, the project is successfully completed.

But this formal perspective falls short. Because it does not answer the crucial question: Is the HIS used in everyday life in such a way that it noticeably reduces the workload?

This question does not arise in project meetings. It arises where documentation, organization, and decisions are made under time pressure. When doctors work between patient changes. When nurses carry out handovers. When processes have to work without detours because there is simply no time for them.

This is exactly where the success of a HIS project is decided. Not at go-live – but in everyday use.

The project ends with go-live. At least in organizational terms. Operationally, however, a new phase begins that is surprisingly similar in many hospitals: shortly after implementation, support requests increase. Key users become permanent points of contact. IT answers technical questions that actually arise during the process. At the same time, workarounds are established – not out of rejection, but out of pragmatism.

The HIS works correctly from a technical standpoint. However, it is not yet stable from an organizational standpoint.

The reason for this rarely lies in the system itself. Often, there is no structured answer to the question of how new processes can be anchored in everyday life. Use is assumed, but not actively supported. Knowledge has been imparted, but is not available when it is needed most.

This is a critical issue for CIOs and IT managers. Uncertainty in use leads to incorrect data in the HIS, unstable processes, and increased support costs. This has a direct impact on the perception of IT within the company.

Training courses are an indispensable part of any HIS project. They provide orientation and teach the basics. However, what they can only do to a limited extent is ensure safety during ongoing operations.

There are often days or weeks between training and real-world application. When the specific situation arises, the knowledge is not present or does not fit the context exactly. Under time pressure, employees then fall back on familiar patterns.

Added to this is the diversity of roles in hospitals. Medical services, nursing, functional areas, and administration work with the same system, but with completely different requirements. Generic training concepts can only reflect these differences to a limited extent. Additional language barriers, such as those caused by international teams or changing personnel, further complicate matters. Especially in complex training situations, this leads to a lack of confidence in everyday work.

The high dynamics of change further complicate matters. Releases, new modules, regulatory requirements, and internal process adjustments continuously create new training needs. The effort increases, but the lasting effect remains limited.

This makes it clear that training is necessary but not sufficient to ensure long-term use.
 

CIOs are responsible for HIS projects not only as IT projects, but also as part of ongoing hospital operations. The decisive factor is whether the system can be operated reliably, securely, and economically.

A key success factor lies outside the realm of traditional IT control: user behaviour. Incorrect or unsafe use has a direct impact on data quality and thus on patient safety.

At the same time, usage cannot be prescribed. It arises where processes are understood, confidently mastered, and practicable in everyday life. If this confidence is lacking, the need for support increases.

Adoption thus becomes a central issue.

In a hospital environment, digital adoption means more than just an additional aid in the system. It is not primarily about click paths, but about support that takes effect precisely at the moment of use.

Knowledge is not imparted in advance and accessed later, but provided in context. It is role-dependent, situation-appropriate, and embedded in the actual workflow. For employees, this does not feel like training, but rather like guidance in their everyday work.

For CIOs, this creates an operational lever. Digital adoption is transformed from an abstract goal into a tool that can be used to support usage, cushion change, and stabilize operations.

The tts performance suite does not view digital adoption as an add-on, but rather as a structural supplement to the HIS. It creates an enablement level that secures usage and makes changes in operations manageable.

The majority of support-related inquiries after HIS implementations arise from uncertainties in process execution. This is precisely where the tts performance suite comes in, providing context-sensitive support directly in the HIS—step by step, role-based, and without media discontinuity.

Experience from comparable HIS and enterprise IT projects shows that this can reduce the volume of support-related inquiries by around 25 to 40 percent. At the same time, dependence on key users is noticeably reduced.

This approach also has an impact on releases and process changes. Adjustments are accompanied directly in the system instead of being explained downstream. This often shortens hypercare phases by 20 to 30 percent, as employees develop stable routines more quickly.

Added to this is scalability. Content can be maintained centrally and deployed for different roles, locations, and shifts. AI-supported on-demand translations of context-sensitive help reduce the manual translation effort considerably – by up to 90 percent in suitable scenarios – and make multilingual enablement economically manageable.

Context-sensitive support in the working process also ensures that new employees gain confidence in their actions 25 to 40 percent faster, while ongoing operations remain stable.

For CIOs, this means one thing above all else: predictability.

Digital adoption proves its worth where HIS projects come under pressure in everyday use. For CIOs and IT managers, these are usually not exceptional cases, but recurring situations in the life cycle of a system. This is precisely where the tts performance suite shows its strength.

Go-live and hypercare phase

The first few weeks after go-live determine whether a HIS will transition to stable operation or require ongoing adjustments. In this phase, uncertainty in use leads to a particularly high number of queries.

The tts performance suite supports employees directly in the HIS with their daily tasks. Standard questions are clarified in the workflow without having to go through a hotline or key user.

This reduces the pressure on IT and the project team and significantly shortens the phase of increased attention.

Introduction of new HIS modules and functions

New modules bring new processes with them. Even well-trained employees quickly reach their limits in everyday work when details are missing or rarely used functions need to be applied confidently.

Context-sensitive guidance in the HIS provides step-by-step support for new processes. Employees can use functions without interrupting the process or searching for external help. For CIOs, this means faster benefits from enhancements with less support effort.

Process changes during ongoing operations

Whether adjustments to documentation, new billing logic, or changed internal standards—process changes are part of everyday life in hospital operations. Without targeted support, inconsistent use can quickly arise.

The tts performance suite makes new or changed process steps directly applicable. Notes and instructions appear exactly where the process is executed. This allows changes to be introduced without slowing down operations or triggering new waves of training.

Onboarding new employees

High turnover and shift work make structured training difficult. New employees often encounter a running system with limited support capacity.

The tts performance suite provides a reliable guide. New colleagues quickly gain confidence in their tasks, regardless of shift or location. For CIOs, this contributes to several goals: less training effort, more stable processes, and less dependence on individual knowledge carriers.

Regular releases and system updates

Every release brings changes – even if they seem minor at first glance. Without accompanying enablement, however, they still lead to questions and uncertainty.

Targeted notes and updated guidance in the system allow changes to be explained precisely. Employees understand what has changed and can continue working with confidence. Operations remain stable, even as the system evolves.

These use cases show that digital adoption is not a one-time project, but an ongoing task. For CIOs and IT managers, it becomes manageable when support is systematically provided where the work actually takes place.

A digital adoption platform does not deliver its benefits through maximum functional depth, but through targeted use in the right places. Especially in hospital operations, a pragmatic approach that reduces workload instead of creating new complexity pays off.

A sensible starting point is specific pain points in the business. Processes or functions that regularly trigger queries are more suitable than a blanket approach. There, the benefits for specialist departments and IT are quickly apparent.

Equally important is a clear distribution of roles. IT retains the controlling role and ensures integration, stability, and governance. Business departments and key users contribute their process knowledge and maintain content where it makes sense from a technical perspective. This division of labor reduces dependencies and increases acceptance.

Defining clear goals is also crucial. Instead of abstract expectations, measurable metrics are useful, such as:

• Development of support ticket numbers,
• Duration of training for new employees,
• Feedback from business departments.

Last but not least, digital adoption should be understood as a continuous process. HIS systems continue to evolve, as does the organization. A solution such as the tts performance suite accompanies this change in the company. Step by step, without additional pressure.

For CIOs and IT managers, this creates an enablement approach that integrates into everyday life and has a lasting effect.

A hospital information system is only successful if it functions reliably in everyday use. Not technically, but organizationally. This is precisely where it is decided whether an HIS investment will prove its worth or tie up resources in the long term.

For CIOs and IT managers, this means that the project does not end with the go-live. It continues in operation – in the stability of processes, in the security of use, and in the relief of IT and specialist departments.

The tts performance suite consistently addresses this point. It supplements the HIS with an enablement level that supports employees in their work processes, accompanies changes, and makes adoption controllable. This means that usage is not left to chance, but is systematically secured.

The result is a controlled operation from an implemented system. And digitalization becomes a reliable part of everyday clinical practice.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions from CIOs and IT managers about digital adoption in HIS projects

Isn't a digital adoption platform just another training tool?

No. Training courses impart knowledge in advance. A digital adoption platform such as the tts performance suite supports employees at the moment of use. The focus is not on learning, but on performing tasks in the HIS safely. Training courses remain useful, but are supplemented by performance support in everyday work.

How does a digital adoption platform differ from an LMS?

An LMS organizes training courses and documents learning progress. A digital adoption platform supports employees directly in the HIS while they are working. While the LMS imparts knowledge, a DAP ensures that this knowledge is applied confidently in everyday work. Both systems complement each other but pursue different goals.

Can the benefits of a digital adoption platform be measured?

Yes. Typical metrics include:

• Development of HIS-related support tickets,
• Duration of training for new employees,
• Frequency of use of support content.

This data creates transparency and enables targeted control.

Does it make sense to use it even if the HIS is already productive?

Especially then. Many challenges arise during ongoing operations, such as releases, process changes, or personnel changes. The tts performance suite can be used independently of the project status and supports the sustainable use of existing HIS landscapes.

How does the tts performance suite fit into KHZG and digitization programs?

Enablement is a cross-functional task. The tts performance suite supports KHZG projects by ensuring that new digital solutions are accepted and used correctly in everyday life. This turns technical implementation into real added value for the business.

Doesn't a DAP increase the complexity of the system landscape?

On the contrary. Used correctly, it reduces complexity because knowledge is available where it is needed. Instead of additional documents, training appointments, or queries, integrated support is provided within the HIS itself.