Implementation of EHR system at a Primary Care Setting

Maab S. Khalil MD, MS-HCI student

Faculty Advisor: Brenda Boone, PhD, RN

BACKGROUND PROJECT APPROACH DISCUSSION

One of the most important benefits of EHR systems is
• An electronic health record (EHR), is the systematized collection of Preparation Phase:
legibility. Historically, illegible handwriting has been a prime
patient and population electronically-stored health information in • Interview provider regarding request.
a digital format source of medication errors. The Center for the Advancement
• Develop and design a workflow process.
of Health (2007) stated that more than 60% of medication
• Recruitment of doctors and nurses,
• A primary medical practice in Little Rock, Arkansas with outdated
errors in hospitals traced to poor handwriting.
technician, and billers.
paper medical records and financial billing system, provides • Simulation EHR implementation training
outpatient medical care for community residents for the past five According to Wilson (2018),before an EHR system is
with EHR credential trainer.
decades. The paper medical records are stored in file cabinets implemented, there is a need to evaluate the financial and
behind the receptionist's desks and storage rooms. Go-Live Phase: employment status of the firm. If the firm is at a stage where
• The EHR is operational. technological advancements can be made successfully, and
• The paper record system has seen several shortcomings in the • Constant surveillance. the employees are capable of learning how to manage it,
primary practice, this includes, the cost in copying patient records, only then the implementation should be processed.
transport and storage of records; records easily damaged or lost;
Post-Go-Live Phase:
difficulty to interpret and analyze the record due legibility, and its
negative impact on the environment. • Collecting feed from the end user. Kennebeck et al. (2015) analyzed variance study on the impact of
• Meet with stakeholders regarding EHR on patient flow metric in the pediatric emergency
the data collected and results from department at CCHMC during rollout. ED patients were observed
• The primary practice limited services have resulted in a decrease in four-time events of 2-week duration and nine months after
end-user.
in patient metrics, such as an increase in the length of stay (LOS).
This has made the primary practice an underwhelming state in • Update policies, procedures, and get EHR implementation. The results showed that during
the quality of care and standards. approval on changes with implementation with increase of volume and stress there was a
stakeholders and staff. decrease in the LOS.

PURPOSE METRIC CATEGORIES COMPARED NEXT STEPS & OPPORTUNTIES

Interoperability:
• Create the experiences patients want. From looking for a
provider, to scheduling an appointment, to receiving an
• Improving patient and provider interaction and communication, as well as health care
appointment reminder and tailored wellness tips via an
convenience
EHR application.
Decrease Work load:
Door to Doc 92 min Paper record
• Enabling providers to improve efficiency and meet their business goals • Deliver great service in the patient access center. Support
• Providing accurate, up-to-date, and complete information about patients at the point of care Door to Doc 42 min Pre-Go Live EHR patients on their preferred channel, whether it’s by
• Enabling quick access to patient records for more coordinated and efficient management phone, chat, text, mobile app, or website. Proactively
• Helping providers improve productivity and work-life balance Door to Doc 39 min Go Live EHR surface insights and recommend preventative services,
• Helping providers more effectively diagnose patients, reduce medical errors, and provide like wellness programs, that improve patient health and
safer care reduce costs.
Legibility:
• Personalize patient follow-up. Care teams have the ability
• Helping promote legible, complete documentation and accurate, streamlined coding and
to track the patient’s care longitudinally with clinical and
billing
non-clinical information and share educational materials
Patient Safety: to make sure the patient is adhering to his/her care plan.
• Enabling safer, more reliable prescribing

Security:
• Securely sharing electronic information with patients and other clinicians