Key Points:
-
There is
a simple step a practice can take towards clinical automation
that does not have a huge cost associated with it
-
Is the
Electronic Medical Record vendor your friend or merely trying
to sell you a product?
Preamble
Too many groups decide they want an
EMR (electronic medical record) but are
unprepared because of a lack of existing clinical
automation. That's right, if you are not already automating
your clinical workflow, you are unprepared to move to the next
step. This could be a prescription for disaster. Providers
must become comfortable with technology first, BEFORE they
automate their workflow. We suggest using an intelligent
approach and an internal acknowledgement that it will be a 2+ year
transition in the best of circumstances.
The First Simple Goal
Move
all paper messages to e-mail:
The first step a practice can make
involves simply migrating ALL paper messages that the practice
generates to a totally email based message system. Use
Microsoft Outlook, use Pegasus Mail, use Eurdora, use any well
known e-mail client. The preparation is ensuring that there
will be computer terminals at locations where nurses and providers
regularly visit between patients and that the office staff will
begin to use it. The email system must be secure and stored permanently
onsite. In many situations, this should be an internal email
system and not one which is publicly available.
The
change is simple, the results are profound. Messages that
used to be taken for the provider no longer need hand
transport. Messages are now received by the provider in real
time based on the providers availability. Messages can be
prioritized so that urgent messages are seen first. Messages
can be routed by providers to staff with brief instructions for
follow up. Messages develop a trail of who saw the message,
the time and date, and who is responsible for next activities. Routine follow
up can be routed to appropriate staff and a permanent record can
be kept. Workflow can be automated. A provider can set
up a protocol that all phone inquiries are routed directly to
medical records to have the record pulled and available on the
physicians desk when the message is forwarded to the provider for
action.
Most importantly, the provider
begins to rely on going to a computer for a vital single routine clinical
workflow task. The provider must be satisfied with the
location of the access points to get the information that will in
the future become the focus of clinical information access. That is the paradigm shift
that begins the profound journey towards clinical automation, not
just a tool in a software package.
What
question should be asked to qualify if the practice is ready to
consider more automation or an EMR?:
What
question to ask first? "Has the practice moved all its
messaging to email from paper"? If not, why not?
Unsure of 100% reliance on technology?. Then you are not
ready. This is the first baby step in a long
journey. If an EMR vendor doesn't ask first about your
current messaging automation, show them the
door.
Response: Every
practice should be evaluating how technology can improve their
practice. The efficiency improvements are just too
compelling. The cost can be minimal. The changes are
far reaching and perpetual.
Feel free to send us your
comments and if there is anything that STATpay can do for you,
please let us know!
|
Link