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Go-Live · Stabilization

What should we do when the same workaround keeps appearing after go-live?

Treat recurrence as a signal that the issue needs classification and governance. Determine whether the workaround compensates for a training gap, unclear local ownership, access problem, policy gap or suspected defect. A repeated workaround should not quietly become the permanent process.

Useful for: Managers, trainers, super users and application support

First checks

Work through the workflow before escalating blindly.

  1. Describe the workaround without patient information.
  2. Identify the intended standard workflow.
  3. Classify why staff are using the workaround.
  4. Count how often it recurs by broad category.
  5. Assign an owner to approve, replace or retire it.

Ownership questions

  • Who owns the standard workflow?
  • Who may approve a temporary workaround?
  • Who owns training reinforcement?
  • Who escalates suspected defects?
Avoid making the problem worse

Common failure patterns

  • Normalizing unofficial workarounds indefinitely.
  • Creating clinical workarounds outside governance.
  • Collecting patient examples when a no-PHI description is sufficient.

When to escalate

Security, patient-safety, access and suspected production-defect workarounds should be escalated immediately through authorized channels.

Related resources

Continue with the closest workflow tool.

First 10 Shifts kitPost-go-live workflow guidePost-go-live support
Boundary: Your organization’s approved policy, configuration, security controls and escalation process always control. HelpEpic is independent workflow guidance, not clinical advice or official Epic support. Never send HelpEpic patient names, DOBs, MRNs, screenshots, records, passwords, tokens or confidential internal information.