Executives often see early enthusiasm. But by the second week, if the solution adds logins, interrupts care, or lives outside the EHR, frontline use drops. When that happens, value analysis committees start asking whether the tool is driving measurable outcomes inside real workflows—not just in demos.

Frontline reality: workflow fit decides adoption

Implementation research consistently finds that integration into existing workflow is a primary predictor of adoption. Tools that force context switching or duplicate work lose momentum quickly. Design around the exact steps clinicians already take—open chart, review, decide, act—and cut the extra steps.

• Launch inside Epic/Cerner (e.g., SMART on FHIR context launch).
• Write back to the record without double documentation.
• Show the exact screen where action happens; avoid open-ended “portals.”

The alert‑fatigue trap

Interruptive alerts look effective in a demo. In production, high override rates and alert fatigue erode trust. By week‑2, clinicians have formed habits; if your tool fires too often or without context, it will be ignored.

• Prefer non‑interruptive cues (in‑workflow banners, panels, or task lists).
• Gate interruptive alerts behind strong precision thresholds and clear actionability.
• Audit override reasons; prune or tune alerts that add noise.

The login burden: SSO or abandonment

Every extra login compounds risk. Clinicians already spend significant time in the EHR; additional credentials add friction and fatigue. Single Sign‑On (SSO) reduces login time and makes usage more likely to persist past week‑2.

• Use EHR SSO and context—no separate usernames/passwords.
• Minimize click‑depth from chart to action in three steps or fewer.
• Cache state so users return to the last patient/context automatically.

Why APIs and workflow visuals matter now

API‑based interoperability (FHIR/SMART) has become table stakes for certified health IT, and buyers increasingly verify integration claims. It’s not enough to say “we integrate”—you must show exactly where in Epic or Cerner your tool lives and how it reduces steps.

Conclusion: Adoption is workflow, not features

Week‑2 survival comes down to whether clinicians see your solution as part of their normal flow. Embed in the EHR, trim interrupts, and remove logins. That’s how pilots turn into scaled deployments.

Next steps & enterprise CTAs

References & methods

Evidence‑safe

This article synthesizes peer‑reviewed implementation research on workflow integration and alert fatigue, adoption studies on login burden/SSO, and U.S. policy/standards documents on interoperability (FHIR/SMART). Provide the detailed citations in the linked Evidence brief.

• Workflow integration & implementation science — Methods → Evidence brief
• Clinical decision support & alert fatigue — Methods → Evidence brief
• SSO & login burden studies — Methods → Evidence brief
• Interoperability (FHIR/SMART) & certification context — Methods → Evidence brief