# Strengthening Cerner Implementation for Health Professions Trainees to Optimize Learning and Reinforce Veteran Care (SCHOLAR)

> **NIH VA I50** · EDITH NOURSE  ROGERS MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSPITAL · 2022 · —

## Abstract

Project Background: Change management efforts for VA’s organizational transformation to replace the
existing electronic health record (EHR) have primarily focused on supporting VA employees, while less
attention has been given to the unique needs of health professions trainees (HPTs), who play a critical role in
delivering Veteran care. Preliminary findings from VA’s initial EHR transition site indicate that many HPTs
experienced challenges accessing and using the EHR, which adversely impacted their education and their
ability to deliver Veteran care. Improvement efforts are urgently needed to ensure HPTs have rapid uptake and
use of the new EHR while mitigating negative impacts on education and Veteran care.
Project Objectives: The main goal of this proposal is to identify and address HPTs’ needs during VA’s EHR
transition. We will combine health services research and human-centered design (HCD) methods to identify
potential improvement opportunities for HPTs’ EHR transition. This proposal was developed in partnership with
the Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) and the Office of Electronic Health Record Modernization (OEHRM)
to address their shared goal of improving HPT experience with VA’s EHR transition. Our specific aims are to:
 Aim 1: Identify and understand HPTs’ EHR transition challenges and needs.
 Engage HPTs, clinical educators, and academic affiliates at VA EHR transition sites to evaluate HPTs’
 experiences, including timely and appropriate EHR access, EHR transition attitudes, EHR confidence, EHR
 use behaviors, clinical education, and Veteran care delivery.
 Aim 2: Design a prototype intervention to improve EHR transitions for HPTs.
 Engage an expert panel of OAA, OEHRM, Cerner, academic affiliates, and HPTs to identify parameters for
 an EHR transition intervention and work with Aim 1 stakeholders to design a prototype intervention.
 Aim 3: Assess prototype intervention acceptability, feasibility, and impact on EHR use.
 Pilot test the Aim 2 prototype intervention at two sites undergoing EHR transitions to establish acceptability
 and feasibility, and compare its impact on EHR access and use relative to two control sites.
Project Methods: We have designed a multi-phased evaluation to understand EHR transition for HPTs and
develop an intervention to improve their EHR experiences. We will use surveys, qualitative interviews, and
EHR use data to understand HPT experiences with the EHR transition (Aim 1). We will use expert panel
methods to develop consensus on parameters for an intervention to improve the EHR transition for HPTs, and
we will engage HPTs in HCD methods to develop a draft prototype of the intervention (Aim 2). We will then test
the prototype at two EHR transition sites and use surveys and interviews to assess intervention acceptability
and feasibility. We will also compare EHR access and use relative to two control sites (Aim 3).
Expected results: We will identify practices that improve HPT experience across four le...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10416608
- **Project number:** 1I50HX003528-01
- **Recipient organization:** EDITH NOURSE  ROGERS MEMORIAL VETERANS HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Seppo T Rinne
- **Activity code:** I50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-01-01 → 2024-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10416608

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10416608, Strengthening Cerner Implementation for Health Professions Trainees to Optimize Learning and Reinforce Veteran Care (SCHOLAR) (1I50HX003528-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10416608. Licensed CC0.

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