Create a Step-by-Step Plan for a Successful NextGen Upgrade

By Jessica Busch, Support Services Director, MTS

Staying on top of NextGen software updates can feel overwhelming. First, you’ve got major releases such as the latest spring release 6.2021.1, bringing in new enhancements, features, and fixes that can create a lot of change for your organization. These big releases typically only come out once or twice per year.

Then there are smaller monthly patch updates to fix known issues on a regular basis. These are released more frequently, taking the Microsoft “patch Tuesday” approach, so that you don’t have to leave annoying issues until the next major release.

Lastly there are small updates for NextGen ancillary products, medications, formularies, and more.

With all of these updates to maintain a healthy system, it’s no wonder some organizations struggle to stay on top of it all. The following are some strategies to help you run a successful NextGen upgrade project so you can get your practice back to what it does best—taking care of patients.

 

Determine your “why”

Before you get started, you need to firm up the reasons why you need to implement a new release or patch update. NextGen Enterprise Spring ’21 Release (v6.2021.1) is the latest release and if you aren’t sure about the important reasons you need this new version, click here to find out why this release is different. However, for any release there are some ready resources to help figure out your “why.” (Note that these resources are all available on the NextGen Success Community, which requires a NextGen login for access.)

• Read the NextGen Overview Brochure on new major releases. These will give you quick highlights on the best items this release has to offer and is a great option to share with others in your organization to help make your case on why this release is important for your practice.
• Review the Release Notes. These documents are released for every patch update and list each known issue fixed. You can easily search on the KI (Known Issue) number if you have one available. If you’ve been waiting for an important fix, this is where you’ll find it.
• Watch available New Feature Webinars. These give you a nice visual presentation of what to expect in the new release. Many times, these are recorded so you can watch them when it’s most convenient for you. If you can attend a live session, this is a great time to ask the presenter any questions you might have.

 

Create your plan

Practice management (PM) and electronic health record (EHR) systems are critical foundations of your medical practice. Never assume you can throw a new release or patch into your production environment without planning and testing.

Here are the best practices to creating your NextGen upgrade project plan.

1. Project team and roles – Determine who is going to be on your project team and what role they will play.
2. Technical requirements – Review the new infrastructure requirements with your technical team.
3. Test environment – Pick a non-production database for testing that isn’t being used for other projects.
4. NextGen application inventory – Start a list of all NextGen ancillary applications such as Rosetta, NextGen Communication Services, and Advanced Audit that may also need to be upgraded.
5. Gap analysis – Perform this critical analysis to understand the differences between where you are now and where you are going to end up, including implications around customized templates.
6. Change log – Start a log of anything you are changing in test so that you can keep track of what you need to change in production.
7. Testing plan – Create a formal testing plan that is uniquely designed for your organization (starter guides from the EHR vendor may only be the beginning).
8. Training – Determine a plan and resources for any training needed.
9. Before and after to-do list – Start a before and after upgrade to-do list to make sure your practice doesn’t miss a beat in the process.
10. Go-live support – Have a plan for how to support employees on go-live day (or days).
11. Communication – Finally, make sure you are creating a good communication plan so everyone in your organization knows what to expect.

Following this approach will help you successfully navigate your next upgrade. If you’re still feeling overwhelmed and need some help, MTS has resources to help! We have decades of NextGen experience to offer, with experts to help with everything from migration and testing, to hosting, to end-user training. Contact us today at info@medtechsolutions.com.