A needs analysis for computer-based telephone triage in a community AIDS clinic.
This study describes the complexity of the telephone-triage task in a community-based AIDS clinic. We identify deficiencies related to the data management for and documentation of the telephone-triage encounter, including inaccessibility of the medical record and failure to document required data elements. Our needs analysis suggests five design criteria for a computer-based system that assists nurses with the telephone-triage task: (1) online accessibility of the medical record, (2) ability to move among modules of the medical record and the triage-encounter module, (3) ease of data entry, (4) compliance with standards for documentation, and (5) notification of the primary-care physician in an appropriate and timely manner.
Henry
S B
SB
Section on Medical Informatics, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305.
Schreiner
J G
JG
Borchelt
D
D
Musen
M A
MA
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000451:nursing*; D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D003151:Community Health Centers; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013689:Telephone; D014218:Triage