In nearly every care community, there is a nurse or aide whom colleagues quietly turn to when the electronic record does something unexpected. They are not on the helpdesk's payroll, but they answer questions, show shortcuts and calm frustrated coworkers. A super user program turns that informal help into a deliberate, supported structure.
Done well, it reduces calls to IT and to your vendor, speeds up adoption of changes, and gives frontline staff a voice. Here is how to build one for PointClickCare or any other EHR, in general terms.
A super user is a frontline employee with extra training and time to help peers use the system well. They are not a replacement for IT, and they do not need administrative permissions. Their role is:
First-line help for how-to questions on their unit and shift
A channel to send problems and ideas up to IT, clinical leaders and the vendor
Early testers of workflow changes and updates
Informal coaches who model good documentation habits
Pick for attitude and credibility, not just seniority. Good candidates are:
Respected by peers and approachable
Comfortable with technology, or eager to learn
Willing to teach without judgment
Reliable in following policy, since peers will copy what they do
Spread across roles and shifts
Cover nights, weekends and each role: nurses, aides, medication aides, unit clerks, therapy and the business office as appropriate. A super user who works only weekdays leaves a hole when the system acts up at 2 a.m.
As a rough guide, aim for at least one per unit per shift, adjusted for your size. A small building may need three or four; a multi-facility operator will want a network of them.
The most common reason programs fail is that super users are expected to help others on top of a full assignment. Decide up front:
Whether they receive protected time for training and meetings
How the role is recognized, such as a title, a stipend, a performance review note or a development path
How their supervisor supports them, since managers set the tone
Super users should know more than the average user, and know where to find answers. A sensible plan includes:
Deeper training on the workflows they will support, using your facility's own configuration
Guidance on how to answer a question and when to escalate
Basic security habits, such as not sharing passwords and spotting phishing, so they can model them
A short orientation on what information they should never access or share beyond their role
Keep a shared reference, such as a one-page guide for common questions and a list of who to call, and update it as things change.
A short, regular meeting, perhaps monthly, keeps the group connected. Use it to:
Review the most common questions and decide how to fix the causes, whether through training, a workflow tweak or a configuration request
Preview coming vendor updates and decide how to prepare staff
Share tips and recognize wins
Collect feedback on what is slowing staff down
Give super users a simple way to report issues, such as a shared mailbox or form, with a clear promise about response time.
You do not need elaborate analytics. Track a few simple indicators:
Volume and type of helpdesk tickets about how-to questions, trending over time
Documentation quality or timeliness measures that clinical leadership already follows
Staff feedback on whether help is available when they need it
Time to adopt a new workflow after a change
If how-to tickets are not declining, look for causes: too few super users, unclear escalation or recurring training gaps.
Programs fade when the first group burns out or leaves. Rotate or refresh members regularly, onboard new ones with a short checklist, and make succession part of the plan. When a super user leaves, ask who they trained and what they learned.
UnityCare IT works with long-term care teams on EHR optimization and can help set up the escalation path between your super users and the helpdesk, so the right issues reach the right people quickly.
A helpdesk your staff can call or text when something stops working.
Call or text: 405-285-3845
New customers: start@unitycareit.com
Existing customers: support@unitycareit.com
Address: UnityCare Technologies, 2524 N Broadway Ste 554, PMB 947974, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034-4172