The Challenge
Following a merger, a two-hospital healthcare system was replacing aging Pyxis medication-dispensing technology with Omnicell as its existing vendor contract approached expiration. The conversion supported broader goals of standardizing operations, improving workflows, and adopting higher operating standards across both hospitals.
The $10M+ program extended beyond replacing dispensing cabinets. It included pharmacy software, EHR interfaces, inventory systems, physical installation, and changes to how staff accessed, dispensed, and managed medications. The scope spanned two pharmacies, medical-surgical units, two emergency departments, operating rooms, and additional patient-care areas.
Preparing staff for the transition required more than teaching them to use new equipment. Existing workflows needed to be documented, compared with future-state processes, and reviewed for gaps. Training then needed to address the responsibilities of physicians, nurses, technicians, and pharmacy personnel, including specialized roles within those groups.
The implementation also took place during the national opioid crisis, when controlled-substance dispensing, wasting, and tracking protocols were under particularly close scrutiny. Those workflows demanded careful attention throughout documentation and training.
The central delivery challenge was preparing more than 2,000 staff through in-person training within an aggressive six-week window. Training had to keep pace with a unit-by-unit deployment schedule while ensuring staff across all three shifts completed the required training and certification before working with the new system.
Trainer availability, simulators, and training rooms were limited. Last-minute staffing cuts further reduced training capacity, requiring me to take on nearly all training delivery alongside my project management responsibilities.
My Role
I served as one of four project managers under a PMO Director, with responsibility for workflow documentation and validation, training development and delivery, change management and go-live support planning.
I documented legacy and current-state workflows, reviewed proposed future-state processes for gaps, and maintained the supporting documentation. I translated those workflows into training materials tailored to physician, nursing, technician, and pharmacy roles.
My responsibilities also included coordinating training for a workforce of more than 2,000 people and developing the go-live support strategy, aligning staff preparation with the implementation schedule across both hospitals.
How I Approached It
Established the workflow foundation for training.
I documented legacy and current-state processes, reviewed future-state workflows for completeness, and maintained the implementation record. I then translated the finalized workflows into role-specific training materials for physicians, nurses, technicians, and pharmacy staff, including specialized responsibilities within each group. This connected classroom instruction to the processes staff would follow after deployment.
Adapted training delivery to reduced resources.
When last-minute staffing cuts reduced training capacity, I stepped in as the primary trainer and facilitated nearly all sessions. We maintained an aggressive schedule of more than 10 training sessions per day, supplemented by weekend sessions to accommodate all shifts.
I coordinated training against the unit-by-unit implementation schedule, preparing staff across all three shifts as their units transitioned. This required balancing role-specific instruction with limited trainer availability, simulators, and training rooms.
Aligned staff readiness with unit deployment.
I tracked training completion against required staff rosters and unit deployment dates, making outstanding requirements visible before each transition.
Staff who missed their deadline were documented and scheduled for make-up training. Under the hospital’s requirements, they remained ineligible for shift scheduling until training was complete. Completion records supported both individual certification documentation and organizational recordkeeping.
Made standardized workflows practical for frontline staff.
I translated finalized workflows into role-specific instruction covering how staff would perform their responsibilities in the new system. Particular attention went to controlled-substance dispensing, wasting, and tracking, helping staff understand the required steps and documentation under the hospital’s approved protocols.
Supported frontline adoption of new workflows.
Some experienced staff were hesitant to move away from familiar routines. I used a personable, direct approach to address concerns, build confidence, and reinforce expectations. This combined practical support with clear accountability, helping staff adjust to the transition and apply their training in daily work.
Coordinated around-the-clock go-live support.
We established a central command center at each hospital for the first two weeks following go-live. Consultants were onboarded to the new system and protocols and provided support around the clock across all shifts.
I helped manage the support team and coordinated its work while also providing hands-on assistance onsite. This extended staff preparation beyond the classroom, giving users access to help as they applied the new workflows during patient care.
Results
More than 2,000 staff completed the required training across both hospitals through the six-week program and follow-up sessions for those who missed their initial deadlines.
The implementation launched on schedule and finished within the planned timeline despite reduced training resources and occasional hardware and software issues.
For two weeks following go-live, command centers at both hospitals provided around-the-clock support across all shifts, helping staff apply the new workflows and address issues as they arose.
What I Learned
The experience reinforced that workforce readiness needs to be managed as closely as technical deployment. Individual completion tracking, role-specific instruction, and coordination with unit deployment schedules made it possible to identify outstanding requirements and arrange make-up training.
Stepping in as the primary trainer kept delivery moving after staffing cuts, but it also concentrated delivery responsibility in one person. For a similar implementation, I would prioritize backup training capacity earlier while preserving the individual readiness tracking and around-the-clock support that helped carry the transition through go-live.