ABSTRACT
Hospital and healthcare's "most wired" organizations were surveyed to determine the evaluative criteria in the selection of bedside devices for clinical documentation. Ranked results of the characteristics are presented. Results can be used to inform nurse executives about selection criteria to consider.
Subject(s)
Documentation/methods , Electronic Data Processing/organization & administration , Hospital Information Systems/organization & administration , Nurse Administrators/organization & administration , Chief Executive Officers, Hospital , Decision Making, Organizational , Humans , Systems Integration , United StatesABSTRACT
As the conversion to an electronic health record intensifies, the question of which data-entry device works best in what environment and situation is paramount. Specifically, what is the best mix of equipment to purchase and install on clinical units based on staff preferences and budget constraints? The authors discuss their evaluation of stationary personal computers, workshops on wheels, and handheld tablets related to timeliness of data entry and their use of focus groups to ascertain the pros/cons of data-entry devices and staff preferences. An assessment of the implications for costs related to the timeliness of data entry is also presented.
Subject(s)
Computers, Handheld/statistics & numerical data , Documentation/methods , Electronic Health Records/organization & administration , Microcomputers/statistics & numerical data , Nursing Records , Point-of-Care Systems/organization & administration , Attitude of Health Personnel , Attitude to Computers , Choice Behavior , Computers, Handheld/economics , Documentation/economics , Equipment Design , Focus Groups , Humans , Interior Design and Furnishings , Microcomputers/economics , Nursing Evaluation Research , Nursing Records/economics , Nursing Staff, Hospital/psychology , Patients' Rooms , Time Factors , User-Computer InterfaceABSTRACT
Selecting the right types and quantities of computers to support data entry to an inpatient Electronic Medical Record (EMR) can be challenging. In addition to software and hardware considerations, many other variables affect the decision including staffing levels, hospital workflows, and floor plans. Rush University Medical Center (RUMC) developed a tool to help identify the quantity of devices needed in a Patient Care Unit (PCU). RUMC successfully used the tool in selecting the quantity of devices needed for the implementation of a new EMR and Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) system. This case study describes the use of the tool to determine quantities of PCU devices, the advantages and disadvantages of different types of computing devices for bedside documentation and areas that require special considerations in the selection of devices.
