In this Becker’s Healthcare Podcast episode, Lori Reece of uPerform interviews Nicole Brady, IS Training Manager, and Allison Holtman, Epic Ambulatory Clinical Principal Trainer, of Access Community Health Network (ACCESS) to explore how their small but agile training team has transformed Epic education and delivered measurable organizational impact.
The ROI of Smart Training
ACCESS’ new approach to Epic education supported the rollout of electronic prior authorizations, which now account for 99% of all pre authorizations at ACCESS.
The successful shift to electronic prior authorizations demonstrates the value of quality training and has resulted in:
- 15-25% drop in denials
- 30% reduction in help desk requests
- 130+ hours saved on prior authorizations monthly
Just as importantly, faster authorizations translated into meaningful patient benefits, including:
- Faster access to medications and services
- Fewer care delays
- Reduced pharmacy frustration
- A smoother, more positive patient experience overall
CASE STUDY: How a Small Training Team Scaled Big Impact Across 35 Health Centers
Feeling the pressure of limited staff and a geographically dispersed footprint, Access Community Health Network (ACCESS) recognized a traditional classroom-based training model was neither practical nor scalable. Instead, ACCESS implemented a streamlined, virtual-first approach grounded in early collaboration, structured feedback loops, and user-centered design — centralizing training directly within Epic. As a result, ACCESS improved operational efficiency, strengthened clinician workflows, and enhanced the patient experience.
Download the case study to read the full story.
A Training Strategy Grounded in Three Guiding Principles
Despite limited resources, ACCESS consistently returns to three core principles that guide how training is designed, delivered, and continuously improved.
1. Collaborate Early: Building strong relationships between trainers, analysts and clinicians from the start makes a measurable difference.
By involving key stakeholders early, the team can:
- Design training that reflects real, day-to-day clinical workflows
- Stay aligned with organizational and operational goals
- Develop hands-on, user-centered simulations that resonate with learners
This early collaboration helped the team successfully scale training across 35 care sites across the Chicagoland area.
2. Keep Feedback Open: ACCESS prioritizes open communication and structured feedback loops between IS and clinical teams.Through established workgroups and ongoing dialogue, clinicians have a real voice, allowing the team to:
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- Identify pain points early
- Adjust training quickly
- Co-create solutions that truly support end users
This approach reduced friction during change initiatives and strengthened trust between teams.
3. Understand the “Why”: Understanding the “why” behind change is essential to designing training that works.When the team clearly understands the purpose of a new workflow or implementation challenge, they can:
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- Create practical, targeted training
- Build realistic simulations, including patient-perspective experiences with tools like MyChart
- Support both provider adoption and patient experience
This clarity helps bridge the gap between technology implementation and real-world clinical impact.
Scaling Training Impact with Limited Resources
Nicole and Allison emphasize that these principles have carried ACCESS this far and will continue to guide their work moving forward.
The episode shows how a streamlined, modern training approach, grounded in collaboration, feedback and user-centered design, can:
- Scale ongoing support
- Improve adoption
- Elevate care outcomes
Even for small organizations with limited resources, the right training strategy can deliver outsized impact.
Download the ACCESS case study
ACCESS’ success with its new training model demonstrates the impact quality training can have on clinical outcomes. Download the full case study to learn more about how this small but mighty training team continues to drive measurable results and deliver value to its clinicians.