What Counseling Centers Can Expect During Their EHR Implementation
Anyone who has lived through an EHR onboarding knows it can feel like an uphill battle. Transferring years of student records, migrating files from a dated system, and trying to keep services running smoothly in the middle of it all can feel overwhelming.
But it doesn’t have to be. At Regent University’s Psychological Services Center, Director Dr. Robbie Kuschel recently shared how his team transitioned from their old system to Medicat with less stress, more support, and a surprisingly smooth experience.
In this Q&A, you’ll hear directly from Dr. Kuschel about the challenges they faced before switching, what the onboarding journey was really like, and why Medicat has been a game-changer for their counseling operations.
Q1 – Can you tell us about your role as Director of Counseling at Regent?
Dr. Kuschel: My role is a mix of administrative and clinical. I carry a smaller caseload while overseeing budget, program evaluation, and clinical supervision. I also sit on committees and make sure the counseling center runs smoothly.
Q2 – How busy does your counseling center get, and how is staffing organized?
Dr. Kuschel: Right now, we’re building up after summer and seeing about 20 clients a week, but at full capacity, it’s closer to 40.
We have:
- Four full-time counselors
- An assistant director
- A handful of student clinicians
- A volunteer clinician
- A psychiatric nurse practitioner
- An office manager
- A graduate assistant
Q3 – What challenges led you to look for a new EHR solution?
Dr. Kuschel: We were using another platform for about 10 years. It worked well for private practice but not for a university setting. It focused heavily on billing and insurance, which isn’t our primary concern. We needed better analytics and program evaluation tools, plus CCMH integration for CCAPS assessments. Our old system just couldn’t deliver.
When I came across Medicat, it was an easy decision. It was built for higher education, offered the analytics we needed, and integrated seamlessly with CCMH.
Related reading: The 7 EHR Features Clinic Leaders Love
Q4 – What stood out most when you first saw Medicat?
Dr. Kuschel: The interface and customization options impressed us right away. Most EHRs have analytics, but Medicat’s are designed specifically for university counseling centers. Within just four weeks of going live, I’ve already used the analytics multiple times for administrative requests. That immediate impact has been huge.
Q5 – How was the onboarding process for your team?
Dr. Kuschel: Honestly, as painless as you could expect something like this could be. It’s a big project, and you have to dedicate the time, but Medicat (and you, Katie!) made it organized and manageable. I actually enjoyed customizing forms; it felt like building something new.
The adjustment was not really much of an adjustment at all. The biggest factor in success was our team buy-in. Before even scheduling a demo, I had everyone review Medicat’s website and videos. We agreed to move forward only if we all saw the value. That early buy-in made onboarding a collaborative effort rather than something “done to” the team.
Q6 – So, four weeks in, which features are making the biggest difference so far?
Dr. Kuschel: The integrated workflow. Clients check in through the portal, pop up in the calendar, and we can open charts or start notes right from there. Documentation is faster—we’re often two-thirds done before the client leaves the office.
Staff love the ability to customize calendars, reservations, and blocks. Our assistant director uses the supervision tools heavily. And honestly, every few days someone discovers a new feature and yells down the hall, “Did you know it could do this?!”
Q7 – What advice would you give to other universities starting their onboarding journey?
Dr. Kuschel: Three things:
- Hit save. When building forms, save constantly. Nothing’s worse than losing hours of work.
- Schedule a soft launch. We jumped straight from zero to a full lobby of students in one day, which was stressful. A soft launch would have eased the transition.
- Involve your whole team. From the start, include staff in decision-making, form design, and setup. It builds ownership, excitement, and smoother adoption.
And I’ll say it again—hit save.
Key Takeaways
EHR onboarding can be a positive experience that allows your clinic and providers to learn, grow, and improve your workflow. Regent University’s Counseling Center proves that with the right support, leadership, and technology, the process can actually strengthen your team and set you up for long-term success.
For Dr. Kuschel and his staff, Medicat turned what could have been weeks (or even months) of stress into a smooth transition—delivering faster documentation, streamlined workflows, and counseling-specific insights in just the first few weeks of use.
We’re grateful to Dr. Kuschel and Regent University for sharing their journey.
Ready to see how Medicat can simplify your counseling center’s onboarding and unlock better care? Schedule a demo today.
