When considering how you get vital clinical data that arrives via “paper” (mail, fax, etc.) into the hands of providers quickly, people often say, “oh, we have scanning.” But what does that really mean?
Paperless healthcare is not here yet!
If you're like me, you see your physician regularly for your annual exam. When you reach a certain age, man or woman, one needs to consider routine screenings for cancer. I reached a milestone age for one of those routine screenings this year. You know, the one where you stay home so you can be prepared for a quick run to bathroom. Don't worry, I won’t go into details, but I’m grateful to say that I’m good for another 10 years. The one thing that amazed me during my outpatient visit, other than the kindness from the nursing staff, was now much paper remains in an ambulatory/outpatient setting.
Lab Data Integrity and Patienty Safety
Ensuring the Safety and Effectiveness of Laboratory Data in Electronic Health Record Systems
Resources: Paper from CDC's Lab Program Division
The CDC’s Division of Laboratory Programs recently published a paper: The Essential Role of Laboratory Professionals: Ensuring the Safety and Effectiveness of Laboratory Data in Electronic Health Record Systems. This paper offers excellent cautions, guidelines and advice for both lab professionals and IT staff who work on LIS or EHRs.
Do your transplant physicians have all the information they need?
Does your transplant team have all the info they need?
I often read that every detail matters when caring for patients. The evaluation process is complex and peri-transplant treatment decisions leave little room for error. But what happens when physicians don’t have all the information in the transplant information systems? Care decisions may need to be made despite some patient data missing in the database. Or at the very least, decisions are delayed while waiting for additional information.
Lab Interoperability Challenge #1: Data Delay
How Structured Medical Data Helps You and Your Patients
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently reported the current adoption rate of electronic health records by physician practices stands at just under 40%. Hospitals are slightly higher, at 44%. This represents a significant gain – nearly triple the rate in 2010 when incentive funds from the U.S. government were first discussed.
