Training, Governance, and Observation: How Providence Aligns IT With Care Delivery

Reducing burnout by easing technology burdens has become central to Providence’s IT strategy, so it’s not surprising that SVP of Clinical & Revenue Cycle Applications Adar Palis focused in on repeated complaints about slow logins, inconsistent workstations, and frequent timeouts. And that scrutiny prompted the launch of the EasyPass and Clinical Workstation Modernization programs.

“We really want to focus on giving back time to our caregivers,” he said. “Why does it take so long to log into a computer? Why is every PC different? We wanted to make the environment as easy as possible so they could spend more time with patients.”

To address these frustrations, Providence standardized its desktops using virtual desktop technology and introduced badge-enabled single sign-on, which allows clinicians to tap into any workstation and access their applications instantly. “Now they just tap and go from room to room,” Palis explained. “You would never have thought that something as simple as logging in and out of a computer could take away so much frustration and time.” The combination of reduced login delays and consistent interfaces has significantly decreased time lost to repetitive tasks, particularly for nurses moving between multiple patient rooms.

Seeing is Believing

Workflow observation was essential to identifying these inefficiencies. Palis emphasized that IT teams must leave their offices to shadow clinicians: “If IT sits behind this wall and never gets out into the hospitals to observe workflows, you won’t be able to pick up these things.” Observing nurses logging in repeatedly, sometimes spending several minutes per computer, made clear the scale of the problem and helped build the case for investment.



Importantly, this approach distinguishes between systemic problems and training gaps. If inefficiencies stem from lack of familiarity with features or shortcuts, they can be addressed with targeted education. If they are organization-wide issues, technical interventions become necessary. “You need to understand if it’s a training opportunity or a systematic problem occurring all over the organization,” Palis said.

Continuous Training to Reduce Burnout

Clinician education at Providence is not limited to onboarding or system go-lives. Palis described training as an iterative process designed to adapt alongside clinicians’ growing familiarity with systems. “Even when you go live, putting someone through four or eight hours of training is just scratching the surface,” he said. “It’s a constant state of learning.”

Providence’s clinical informatics team, composed of nurses and providers, rounds regularly to reinforce skills, teach shortcuts, and introduce updates directly in clinical settings. This hands-on model also allows informaticists to observe workflows and offer personalized tips. “They might not know about a shortcut or order set that could save them time,” Palis noted. “Our team can sit down and say, let me show you this tool.”

Staging training in phases helps avoid overwhelming staff during onboarding while still improving efficiency over time. “Six months in, you’re more comfortable,” Palis said. “That’s when we can teach you shortcuts and efficiency tips.” This layered approach has proven particularly effective for managing frequent updates and introducing emerging technologies like ambient documentation.

Providence relies on vendors to train its informaticists, who then train staff. “Vendors don’t know our organization,” Palis said. “Our informaticists get the training, and they can tailor it to the workflow. Take the 25-page manual and show clinicians how to use the system to take care of patients.” This method allows Providence to address differences across hospitals and units, recognizing that workflows vary widely across specialties.

Rationalizing Applications Through Governance

Managing more than 2,