Comments on: Some Words Of Encouragement For New Users http://www.medicalrecordshow.com/some-words-of-encouragement-for-new-users/ Wed, 06 Apr 2011 18:40:10 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Robert Rowley, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Practice Fusion http://www.medicalrecordshow.com/some-words-of-encouragement-for-new-users/comment-page-1/#comment-123 Robert Rowley, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Practice Fusion Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:41:32 +0000 http://www.medicalrecordshow.com/some-words-of-encouragement-for-new-users/#comment-123 My commendations on this excellent review of the approach to implementing EMRs. I look at this both from the perspective of a practicing physician who made the EMR transition in his one practice, and also from the perspective of Chief Medical Officer of Practice Fusion, a hosted, online free EMR. Our own experience about old records was simply to decide on a “go live” date, and switch over. We kept the old paper charts for reference for a time (about 3 months), and used them side-by-side with our wireless notebook computers that we’d take into exam rooms with us – and as we saw patients, we could pull pertinent items out of the paper chart for scanning, and then retire the paper to offsite storage. My belief is that exhaustive scanning of old charts and putting them in the EMR is unnecessary and wasteful of time and resources. The primary use of scanned documents now is capturing paper correspondence received in the mail on a going-forward basis. On rare occasion, we need to go back and pull an old paper chart from offsite storage, but this is exceedingly rare (once a year maybe, or less). Getting used to the EMR interface, and recognizing it as a tool to aid in moving you through the work day is another very good point you make. With good templates, charting is about as fast as paper note-taking, but much more thorough, legible (of course), and useful to others. Wearing my EMR vendor hat, your approach is exactly what has guided our product development and support. Again, compliments on an article well-written! My commendations on this excellent review of the approach to implementing EMRs. I look at this both from the perspective of a practicing physician who made the EMR transition in his one practice, and also from the perspective of Chief Medical Officer of Practice Fusion, a hosted, online free EMR.

Our own experience about old records was simply to decide on a “go live” date, and switch over. We kept the old paper charts for reference for a time (about 3 months), and used them side-by-side with our wireless notebook computers that we’d take into exam rooms with us – and as we saw patients, we could pull pertinent items out of the paper chart for scanning, and then retire the paper to offsite storage. My belief is that exhaustive scanning of old charts and putting them in the EMR is unnecessary and wasteful of time and resources. The primary use of scanned documents now is capturing paper correspondence received in the mail on a going-forward basis. On rare occasion, we need to go back and pull an old paper chart from offsite storage, but this is exceedingly rare (once a year maybe, or less).

Getting used to the EMR interface, and recognizing it as a tool to aid in moving you through the work day is another very good point you make. With good templates, charting is about as fast as paper note-taking, but much more thorough, legible (of course), and useful to others.

Wearing my EMR vendor hat, your approach is exactly what has guided our product development and support. Again, compliments on an article well-written!

]]> By: Encouraging New EMR Users | EMR and HIPAA http://www.medicalrecordshow.com/some-words-of-encouragement-for-new-users/comment-page-1/#comment-122 Encouraging New EMR Users | EMR and HIPAA Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:57:14 +0000 http://www.medicalrecordshow.com/some-words-of-encouragement-for-new-users/#comment-122 [...] think we need more people like this that offer some words of advice and encouragement for new EMR users. Start slow, don’t hesitate [...] [...] think we need more people like this that offer some words of advice and encouragement for new EMR users. Start slow, don’t hesitate [...]

]]> By: John Lynn http://www.medicalrecordshow.com/some-words-of-encouragement-for-new-users/comment-page-1/#comment-102 John Lynn Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:25:35 +0000 http://www.medicalrecordshow.com/some-words-of-encouragement-for-new-users/#comment-102 It's unfortunate that you haven't gotten more comments on this post. It's a great one that more people should read that are getting started with an EMR implementation. I loved your example of a paper chart being like Linus and his blanket. I'm always happy to find another EMR/EHR blogger. It’s unfortunate that you haven’t gotten more comments on this post. It’s a great one that more people should read that are getting started with an EMR implementation. I loved your example of a paper chart being like Linus and his blanket.

I’m always happy to find another EMR/EHR blogger.

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