Another popular discussion point at HIMSS2010 is the intrinsic need for workflow change when practices move to an EMR. Simply installing a new solution will not necessarily fix process issues and inefficiency. As our brand new EVP of Sales stated “EMR is, and should be, more than just a pretty screen.”
You are introducing a new element that must change the way you work. For instance the process of a nurse putting a folder on an exam room door, to notify the doctor that a patient is ready (sometimes accompanied by a little green flag on the door frame), will be unnecessary and redundant. The number of these processes and workflows that need to be reviewed, and adjusted accordingly, will greatly depend on each practice’s current state of documentation, but everything should be evaluated.
This massive evaluation isn’t in vain, every change should be an improvement and every improvement, great or small, will have a ripple effect that at the end of the day will improve patient care and patient safety. Ultimately, that is the overriding goal. (Oh, and cost savings…but that’s understood, right?)
More Reading:
www.emrandhipaa.com (don’t miss the comments here)
"Workflow of the Workflow"
Dr. Greiver: Workflow is King