Transformation of Emergency Department processes of care with EHR, CPOE, and ER event tracking systems.
Mercy Medical Center, North Iowa implemented electronic health records (EHR), computerised provider order entry (CPOE) and event tracking systems in the emergency department (ED) as part of hospital-wide implementation of clinical information systems. This case study examines the changes in outcomes and processes in the ED following implementation. Although the system was designed to enhance efficiency, there was a significant increase in the mean length of stay (about 17 minutes, or 15%) in the ED after implementation. This surprising finding was examined in relationship to the multiple process-of-care changes in the ED.
Vartak
Smruti
S
Center for Health Policy and Research, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, 5229 Westlawn, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. smruti-vartak@uiowa.edu
Crandall
Donald K
DK
Brokel
Jane M
JM
Wakefield
Douglas S
DS
Ward
Marcia M
MM
D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006751:Hospital Information Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000639:trends*; D050316:Medical Order Entry Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D017146:Models, Organizational; D015397:Program Evaluation; D061665:Time-to-Treatment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data