I often compare an EHR implementation and go-live to getting a new smartphone. Out of the box, it's a powerful tool, but it doesn't truly become effective until you start to download applications, add your email and contacts, and pick a personal picture as your background.

Just like your new smartphone, EHRs aren't ready to perform at their best out of the box and always require some degree of personalization. EHR personalization may sound like one more step in a long, multi-staged implementation and go-live, but it can often be the difference between adoption and rejection.