Describe A way to collect patient information into the EHR
Answers
Physician frustration over the functionality of electronic health record (EHR) systems has been escalating. While the source of physician unhappiness stems from the belief that expensive technology should make their work life easier, the reality is that this technology requires greater physician involvement at a time when many practices struggle to maintain adequate patient volumes and remain financially solvent. The disquiet over the current state of technology was well documented in a recent Medical Economics survey of nearly 1,000 physicians in which 45% of responding physicians said patient care had grown worse since they implemented an EHR system. Nearly a quarter of internists said the quality of care was significantly worse. While the message came through loud and clear in this survey, what can we learn from the silent minority about using data in their EHRs—including their Meaningful Use quality reports—to improve the quality of care they deliver? Jennifer Brull, MD, a solo family practitioner (FP) in Plainville, Kansas, shares office space, staff and services with four other FPs, four midlevel practitioners, and a nurse midwife. When she and her colleagues first implemented an EHR in 2007, she screened only 43% of her eligible patients for colorectal cancer; in the next few years, with the help of EHR reminders, she raised that rate to 90%. She also used the EHR to increase her patients’ recommended mammography rate from 65% to 99%.