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Case Study: Electronic Medical Records Make Life Easier for Pediatricians
Dr. Richard Ripple, Kahului, Hawaii
Challenge: Dr Ripple wanted to automate his office but admits he knew very little about the technical side of computers. He had reviewed a few electronic record systems but needed one that would address the unique aspects of pediatrics. Patient visits in a pediatric practice require the physician to get the essentials rapidly and usually involve multiple chief complaints. Symptom oriented pediatric visits require the involvement of the parents to help define and understand the issues as well as assist with the treatment plan. Dr. Ripple also needed an EMR that would produce a comprehensive clinical note to insure maximum insurance reimbursements.
Solution: Dr Ripple\'s search led him to discover ChartWare. Learning that the ChartWare electronic medical record is a 5 star rated product was all the more encouraging for Dr. Ripple. The ChartWare implementation process would not require him to reduce his productivity like many of those template driven systems. ChartWare would be installed with a deep clinical vocabulary and charting outlines. Having immunization records, growth charts, problem, allergy and medication lists updated each time he charted would have a positive affect on efficiency and improve quality of care as well.
Results: Dr. Ripple found the charting system easy to learn and adapt to. As he explains it "I can emphasize whatever aspects are important to me, including using my own phrases." He finds this feature extremely useful, since documenting intuitive, quick clinical decision making can be reflected in each clinical note generated by using ChartWare. His ChartWare chart notes are so clear and complete that his fees are never downcoded.
Case Study: Healthcare system finds an EMR that won't slow them down.
Paynesville Area Healthcare System, Paynesville, Minnesota
Challenge: This rural healthcare system operates multiple sites each with a varied mix of inpatient and outpatient services. The sites include a hospital with an emergency department, a long term care facility and 7 clinics. Ancillary services include acupuncture, physical therapy, lab, x-ray and pharmacy. Because the healthcare system is geographically fragmented each individual site was maintaining a separate paper chart. Paynesville's goal was to find a cost effective EMR that could be centrally located but widely accessible from their multiple sites. Other requisite EMR attributes affecting the selection process included ease of use, adaptability to customization requests and features such as alternative data entry formats, reminders, medication lists and search capabilities for quality assurance research.
Solution: Dr. Timothy Malling's search for an EMR took several years and over 20 vendors were reviewed. He knew that ChartWare had what Paynesville was ultimately looking for. ChartWare's clinical knowledge base could easily satisfy the EMR needs of the Paynesville healthcare system while possessing the necessary flexibility to meet users' requests for modifications. There would be no need spend the first 6 months building our clinical vocabulary. Unlike the other EMRs ChartWare would not require providers to reduce their production in order to learn the system.
Results: ChartWare has kept pace with the needs of a growing healthcare system without compromising either productivity or quality of care. Providers spend less time charting and do not stay late to get caught up because most notes are finished by the time the patient encounter is completed. The nursing staff is very happy with ChartWare as they now have on demand access to a complete patient medical record making nursing care more about nursing and less about finding the chart. The physicians taking call have a patient's entire medical history, medications and problems and allergy lists at their fingertips. ChartWare has enhanced not only patient care but the bottom line as well.
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