A P R I L 2 0 1 7 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 3 7
flow, documentation efficiencies and patient safety. Count the initially resist-
ant staff at St. John Macomb-Oakland among the converted. "Even the most
die-hard holdouts among us agree that we never want to go back to paper,"
says Ms. Borello-Barnett.
Designed with users in mind
Improved interfaces mean EMR systems are allowing for computer-guided
workflow. Think chronological views of a patient's record, swipe-through
options that limit the need for scrolling and drag-and-drop options that limit the
need for clicking. In other words, interfaces are increasingly built to feel like a
commercial app. And they're increasingly built to work on familiar screens, like
a tablet or smartphone. Some are cloud-based, meaning your data is safe in the
event of a server breakdown.
This increased usability allows for greater customization. For example, the lat-
est platforms provide more flexibility when creating a user dictionary, which
determines how information is categorized and stored. Additionally, when look-
ing at data in a spreadsheet, users are increasingly able to adjust column heights
and widths to their preference.
During documentation, exam fields are automatically filled, using info gath-
ered during patient registration. Some stats (like vital signs) don't need to be
gathered at all; they can be downloaded automatically from patient monitors
that interface wirelessly with newer EMR systems. Systems are even pro-
grammed to remember a clinician's exact and preferred wording for things like
dosing and treatment instructions.
Some newer EMRs also make it possible to customize checks and balances. For
instance, you might program a chart so that it won't advance without the surgical
team first documenting that the pre-op time out took place or won't close out
unless they've checked off the final steps of a procedure, including the logging of
start and end times. Previously, if this information was missed, the charge entry
person might have to spend time tracking down a nurse, consulting an anesthesia