Towards a Provider Builder Maturity Model to Empower Clinicians to Actively Participate in Electronic Health Record Design.

Background: Engagement of clinicians who understand clinical workflows and technology constraints can accelerate the development and implementation of better electronic health record (EHR) designs that improve quality and reduce burnout. Provider builder programs can accelerate clinical informatics education for a broader coalition of clinical specialties.

Objective: In this State of the Art / Best Practice paper, we aim to (1) propose a provider builder maturity model informed by the experience of three institutions using a single EHR vendor (Epic Systems©) and (2) describe the program elements and relationships necessary to advance along this model to yield organizational benefits.

Methods: We used a modified version of the Glaser State-of-the-Art approach, gathering consensus among a small group of experts at institutions with successful provider builder programs. The model was updated through meetings with a larger group of experts and then feedback from presentation at national conferences and the American Medical Informatics Association's Maturity Model Working Group.

Results: The final maturity model describes the characteristics and suggested next steps beginning from Planting the Seed (Stage 0) and progressing through Lone Wolves (Stage 1), a Community of Builders (Stage 2), Organizational Structure (Stage 3), a Council of Builders (Stage 4), and Informatics in the Room Where it Happens (Stage 5). We also describe the journeys of 3 organizations through these stages.

Conclusions: A provider builder maturity model can help guide organizations on their journey engaging clinicians in collaborative EHR design to promote quality and safety and reduce burnout.