A process for consolidation of redundant documentation forms.
Forms capturing redundant data can lead to duplicate documentation. This can be a source of patient and staff frustration, as well as data errors. The definition of a process aimed at examining the data captured on forms documenting similar aspects of patient care is necessary to avoid this problem of duplicate documentation. A data-driven systematic process for consolidation of the multiple redundant forms used in various patient care areas across a healthcare delivery system is proposed and tested using the 21 intake forms currently used by a regional Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). The analytic and subsequent reporting processes used in this project provide a systematic method of forms consolidation that can be applied to other settings.
Cowden
Shannon
S
University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. smc2@u.washington.edu
Johnson
L Clark
LC
D000043:Abstracting and Indexing / Q000379:methods; D000465:Algorithms; D003628:Database Management Systems / Q000458:organization & administration; D004282:Documentation / Q000592:standards*; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006801:Humans; D019451:Information Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D009737:Nursing Records / Q000592:standards*; D010343:Patient Admission; D018511:Systems Integration; D018875:Vocabulary, Controlled