ADAMS TWP — After years of planning and preparation, a local organization has brought its database into the digital age.

As data storage and compilation technology continues to improve, MHY Family Services has joined a growing list of organizations that have digitized their records, increasing efficiency, eliminating redundancies and automating analytics.

The township-based organization was recently selected as a winner in the Agency Operations Award category at Foothold Technology’s Users’ Conference in New York City on June 28.

MHY receive $600 with the recognition.

Before last November the organization’s health records were all done on paper. Staff typed or handwrote every patient’s name and information numerous times for numerous sheets, organizing them by hand in folders and file cabinets.

The old system was rife with redundancies, with staff members entering and reentering a patient’s name and information endlessly with each new sheet or chart.

“All our charts were organized manually,” said Jen Lewis, assistant director of quality improvement. “We didn’t have anything that would easily compile all our documentation.”

MHY realized the need for improvement and partnered with Foothold Technology, an electronic record, EHR vendor and human services software provider, to make the switch.

After years of planning and preparation, the new system went live in November.

MHY immediately saw results.

“We’re able to configure outcomes ... within moments compared to what we were able to do before,” said Amy Smith, MHY director of development.

With the digital system in place, administrators and approved staff have near-instant access to patient records, letting them spend less time sifting through paper and more time with patients.

But even with the system up and running smoothly, Lewis still had to get staff on board.

“We had a lot of resistance at first,” Lewis said. “So, we increased our training. It was a difficult transition.”

Switching to digital meant staff had to learn a new system with different policies and procedures that govern the way they input and access patient data. Meanwhile the old system had been in place for years.

To help those having trouble with the transition, Lewis formed a team to train and work with staff members to best equip them to work with the new system.

They encouraged people to meet and talk about what aspects they found difficult and ways to better understand the new process.

Lewis said MHY was uniquely prepared to deal with the difficulty, as much of its work revolved around resolving interpersonal issues and problem solving.

“We used the language we were already familiar with, our problem-solving language, and our culture,” Lewis said.

She encouraged any organizations trying to make a major change to lean on the strengths already built into the organization or company culture.

Making such a drastic switch would have to be a team effort, Lewis said, and would require a commitment on the part of the staff.

Even then, it’s going to take a lot of time and effort, but in the end, it was all worth it, she said.

“It wasn’t until a couple months ago that we started hearing from people, who started talking about ‘Now I see the benefits of it,’” Lewis said.

Despite the difficulty, MHY handled the transition well. So well, in fact, that in addition to the award, Foothold Technology asked MHY representatives to speak at an upcoming conference about how they did it and the things organizations should know about making the switch.

Smith recommends organizations start with researching what it would take to install a digital records system and if they have the resources to pull it off.

“For smaller organizations this is a hefty investment,” she said. “It can be tough financially, so be prepared for that. (However), the benefits will truly, truly negate those costs.”

While the cost is high, Smith said they paid what they expected and didn’t run into unexpected cost overruns.

Additionally, organizations can apply for grant funding, like MHY did, to help offset the cost.