title: Impact of an electronic health record on follow-up time for markedly elevated serum potassium results.
abstract: Follow-up of abnormal ambulatory laboratory results is often suboptimal. The impact of an ambulatory electronic health record (EHR) on follow-up of markedly elevated blood potassium (K( +)) results was investigated via a retrospective medical record review-before and after EHR implementation-of patients at an adult primary care practice who had a nonhemolyzed K(+) ≥ 6.0 mEq/L. In all, 188 patients in the pre-EHR group and 30 in the EHR group satisfied inclusion criteria. The mean K(+) for the 2 groups was 6.3 mEq/L. The EHR group had 4.5 times the odds (95% confidence interval = 1.3-15.8) of having their episodes of hyperkalemia followed up within 4 days. Patients in the EHR group were also more likely to have their blood K(+) rechecked within 4 days (63.3% vs 43.6%; P = .044). An ambulatory EHR with a results management system improves documentation and time to follow-up for patients with markedly abnormal lab results.
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Jenny J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Carlton
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000592:standards*; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006947:Hyperkalemia / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies