title: Using electronic health record systems to optimize admission decisions: the Creatinine case study.
abstract: Many medical organizations have implemented electronic health record (EHR) and health information exchange (HIE) networks to improve medical decision-making. This study evaluated the contribution of EHR and HIE networks to physicians by investigating whether health information technology can lead to more efficient admission decisions by reducing redundant admissions in the stressful environment of emergency. Log-files were retrieved from an integrative and interoperable EHR that serves seven main Israeli hospitals. The analysis was restricted to a group of patients seen in the emergency departments who were administered a Creatinine test. The assessment of the contribution of EHR to admission decisions used various statistical analyses and track log-file analysis. We showed that using the EHR contributes to more efficient admission decisions and reduces the number of avoidable admissions. In particular, there was a reduction in readmissions when patient history was viewed. Using EHR can help respond to the international problem of avoidable hospital readmissions.
authors.affiliation: Ono Academic College, Israel; Tel-Aviv University, Israel ofir.benassuli@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ofir
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ben-Assuli
authors.affiliation: The College of Management Academic Studies, Israel.
authors.forename: Itamar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shabtai
authors.affiliation: Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leshno
mesh_terms: D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood*; D020000:Decision Support Systems, Clinical; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D066275:Health Information Exchange / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D010343:Patient Admission
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine
keywords: clinical decision-making; databases and data mining; e-health; electronic health record; information technology health-care evaluation