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Which EMRs Offer Workflow Management Systems?

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DrK Posted: 06-25-2005 1:52 AM
Opus313 of NextGen posted what I think is critical commentary around the ability of an EMR to adapt to the workflow of the varying specialties. In other words, the workflow of a FP office is much different vs. that of an OB or Derm officeand thus a once size fits all design is suboptimal.

An example might be that I as an FP see a pt. with a suspected URI and I start at the beginning by collecting subjective information about when the URI began, etc. I then do my Objective exam, Assessment and Plan. The points at which labs and tests are ordered follows this SOAP note approach to flow.

HOwever, how would a Pulmonary doctor treat the same problem? Basically, SOAP seems like a primary care approach (I think) and so I suspect other specialties, like Pulmonary for the above URI, might take a different approach.


So, how does your EMR specifically allow for variances in workflow between specialties or for an individual who wants to have a specific sort of flow?

In fact, if I recall correctly, GHinson wanted to have a PAOS note or something like that.

Lowell

Lowell Kleinman, MD www.drkleinman.com www.old-fashionedhousecalls.com

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Any EMR should have give doctors the ability to easily add and delete entire sections and topics, and to drag and drop these sections and topics to change the workflow, in addition to changing the section and topic descriptions.
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Originally posted by DrQuit



So, how does your EMR specifically allow for variances in workflow between specialties or for an individual who wants to have a specific sort of flow?


Lowell



Since you asked: www.jmjtech.com/attachments/white_papers/workflow_of_workflow_white_paper2Titled.pdf

This white paper should be useful for anyone who is interested in workflow concepts.
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Great article, Contarian! Another one for the Must Read section.

So, the question now is, "Which EMRs have true workflow management systems"?

Lowell

Lowell Kleinman, MD www.drkleinman.com www.old-fashionedhousecalls.com

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Dr Quit:

I agree to a great degree what the article is saying. It is very concise in defining how the whole EMR should be laid out. And, I also agree with what Jaguar is saying about the granularity of this function. From what I have seen, most of the decent EMR's have functionality similar to what is described in the article. But the the granularity of the workflow management system will expand in the next few generations. We already have the ability to 'switch on / switch off' or 'resequence screens'. However, we have been working on pushing this level of control to the next level - Controlling all elements on specific screens. In this regard, I do disagree with the article that a program can not be 'evolved'. Yes, the base needs to be in place to begin with, but the degree of evolution will change over time and become more fine tuned to accomodate many needs.

However, the catch is not in the program itself, but to what degree will this be used? I think I have posted this in the past, but most practices slow down or altogether stop once they have mastered the 'Need' features (basic appointments, Coding, Charting and Billing). Very few take the next step and go the the 'Want' (advanced) features where most of the productivity gains are. It is my belief that EMRs will evolve in this direction and quickly. But the benefits of this feature are hard to demonstrate to a busy doctor. This may be the equivalent of exercising - everyone knows it's good for them and they should do it - but very few actually do!
Naveen V. DoctorsPartner EMR & PM http://www.emr-electronicmedicalrecords.com
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Originally posted by Robert Gleeman
[br
In my opinion, PrognoCIS can handle most specialty-related workflow issues with selectable templates.

PrognoCIS, for example, found several pediatric features, such as interactive CDC Growth Charts and vaccination batch tracking, that could not be handled with templates alone. These pediatric workflow features are now "built-in" features of PrognoCIS, to be used or ignored, but fully available at all times.



I believe these things are examples of features and not workflow management. The workflow management system describes the manner in which these features are presented in the actaul encounter. On the surface, this may seem like a subtle difference. However, I think it speaks to the heart of flexibility of an EMR.

In other words, a flexible EMR is one whereby the user can create the right workflow for his/her practice by creating the right workflow definitions and placing them in the exact order desired. Many of the features we talk about are tasks and it's the workflow management system that allows these tasks to be assembled in a way that is specific to each user.

Here is an important excerpt from this great article that can help us better differentiate EMRs from eachother:

If the EMR user manual has long sections
devoted to “workflow” of the kind the user must accomplish (“Click here, then click here,
then here, here, here and here…”), the user is workflow engine.
If the EMR can be instructed in what to do—automatically—based on who, what, why,
when, where, and how, it is an EMR workflow management system. Further, if that
instruction can be customized to your local circumstances and preferences, then the EMR
is a workflow management system that can both generate your electronic patient
documentation and increase your practice productivity.

Lowell

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quote:
Originally posted by sanvas


I think I have posted this in the past, but most practices slow down or altogether stop once they have mastered the 'Need' features (basic appointments, Coding, Charting and Billing).



I have been guilty of this lately. I have installed my EMR and even though new features have come out, I have not incorporated some of them even though they will clearly help.

I am not sure why except that it's easy to become complacent. The auto-updates should be forced :)

Lowell

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I've posted DrQuit's NextGen PDF samples for "Knee Payne Jnr" on the downloads page
(http://www.emrupdate.com/showdownloads.aspx?rootpath=downloads)

NextGen EMR- Ort_referral_Ltr.pdf
NextGen EMR- Master_Im.pdf
NextGen EMR- ORT_master_prototype.pdf

Nick Harrington email me or Skype: nickharrington emrupdate.com
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants" Sir Isaac Newton 1676

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The above, sent to me by Opus, are examples of how an EMR with a workflow manager can be used to allow for flexibility. Bob shared with me that with some relativeley minor training, the user can learn how to work the workflow manager so as to customize the note to reflect their pasrticular workflow.

Lowqell

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Back to the initial question--workflow. I think the standard is the H&P, then SOAP note. If I were a pediatrician doing well-baby exams, however, I would want my growth chart, milestone list, vaccines given, etc AS a template, NOT as separate features where data is tracked. I wouldn't want to enter data on one screen and then click over to see how it plots out. Its great if you have the chart, but how is the office visit recorded in a succinct manner?

Same question with OB. I don't want to enter data on one screen and have it populate a second screen that I then have to view for a complete office visit.

There are many specialties that use standard "workflow", but require specialized templates. Pediatric and OB are two specific areas where there truly is a specialized need.

Now a question for vendors and physicians alike--what better ways are there to structure workflow to make a visit faster? Example--seeing a diabetic patient for 3 month f/u in primary care--can this basically be pared down to a flowsheet issue--check fasting glucose, check HGBA1c, cholesterol up to date, check wt, BP, Optho appt?, feet OK? No infections? Should you as a PCP restructure your workflow away from a standard SOAP note into more of a flowsheet where all this data shows on one screen?

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Originally posted by azalea_runner


I think the standard is the H&P, then SOAP note. If I were a pediatrician doing well-baby exams, however, I would want my growth chart, milestone list, vaccines given, etc AS a template, NOT as separate features where data is tracked. I wouldn't want to enter data on one screen and then click over to see how it plots out. Its great if you have the chart, but how is the office visit recorded in a succinct manner?

There are many specialties that use standard "workflow", but require specialized templates. Pediatric and OB are two specific areas where there truly is a specialized need.



I believe that these are separate issue from those related to a workflow management system. The workflow management system allows you to organize the workflow definitions the way YOU want them. Those definitions can be manifested in a progress note or a template. A template allows for specific workflow definitions to be called up for something specific like a URI.

Also, some of the workflow definitions have triggers associated with them and these can be specific in certain templated approaches to problems. A diagnosis of pharyngitis in the pharyngitis template might trigger a strep screen, for example.

The succint manner that you describe for yourself might not be the same for someone else. Hence, a workflow management system allows for this in that things can be adjusted according to the resource (NP, MD, etc.).

Lowell

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quote:
Originally posted by azalea_runner


Now a question for vendors and physicians alike--what better ways are there to structure workflow to make a visit faster?



I think this, too is where a workflow management system applies. There are too many varying approaches to documentation. Some would want to use a flowsheet for a particular problem and others would want to use a SOAP format. An EMR with a workflow management system allows for both styles to be accomodated.

Lowell

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Originally posted by azalea_runner

Back to the initial question--workflow. I think the standard is the H&P, then SOAP note. If I were a pediatrician doing well-baby exams, however, I would want my growth chart, milestone list, vaccines given, etc AS a template, NOT as separate features where data is tracked. I wouldn't want to enter data on one screen and then click over to see how it plots out. Its great if you have the chart, but how is the office visit recorded in a succinct manner?

Same question with OB. I don't want to enter data on one screen and have it populate a second screen that I then have to view for a complete office visit.

There are many specialties that use standard "workflow", but require specialized templates. Pediatric and OB are two specific areas where there truly is a specialized need.

Now a question for vendors and physicians alike--what better ways are there to structure workflow to make a visit faster? Example--seeing a diabetic patient for 3 month f/u in primary care--can this basically be pared down to a flowsheet issue--check fasting glucose, check HGBA1c, cholesterol up to date, check wt, BP, Optho appt?, feet OK? No infections? Should you as a PCP restructure your workflow away from a standard SOAP note into more of a flowsheet where all this data shows on one screen?




Given this example of how you would like to see workflow, if you wanted to see data, your routine would be to enter the data and once the last value was entered, the graph would appear. There are no extra clicks to perform this feature in a workflow system.

Or the system could be set up so that when the nurse opens this particular patient’s chart, the vitals screen appears. As soon as the data is entered into the vitals screen she is done and logs out. When you open the patient’s chart, the graph is presented first. Once you are finished looking at the graph, you would select OK and the next screen would appear. This could be your physical, review of past problems, anything you want. The reason why you would want to add the extra click of OK after viewing the graph is so the system can document automatically that you reviewed that section. I like to think of workflow as automation of your exam. Why should I click on the physical template if after reviewing labs I always do the physical? Why not have the system bring it up automatically when I’m finished the previous work. Reviewing and documenting is work, moving to the next item is flow. Workflow management automates this function.

One of the many beauties of workflow management is that data gets presented to you automatically. I don’t have to view a screen with small writing, drop down lists and radio buttons filling the screen to provide as much information as possible thus reducing clicks. Workflow in a system that has workflow management is like reading a book and watching the pages turn for you.
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quote:
Originally posted by azalea_runner


Now a question for vendors and physicians alike--what better ways are there to structure workflow to make a visit faster? Example--seeing a diabetic patient for 3 month f/u in primary care--can this basically be pared down to a flowsheet issue--check fasting glucose, check HGBA1c, cholesterol up to date, check wt, BP, Optho appt?, feet OK? No infections? Should you as a PCP restructure your workflow away from a standard SOAP note into more of a flowsheet where all this data shows on one screen?





Great question I think and although the basis of the question is visit speed, it also brings up important additional implications with respect to how my data can be organized and accessed in such a way as to be fast, provide useful functionality to the end user, help the practice to improve quality of care through adherence to national standards and also maybe provide data on the DOQIT and P4P side of things?

If you take your specific example, which is diabetes management, NextGen has added Disease Management templates which are formatted as a flowsheet, much as you describe. Your data is gathered from various data entry locations and displayed on your summary flowsheet screen. Items, e.g. A1Cs, blood glucose, foot inspections, filament testing, etc., that are part of your care plan or critical pathway for this specific type of patient are based on AMA standards, where they exist. Your patient compliance timing can be changed to meet your own needs and requirements, but we start with the AMA standards. As we are a single point data type of system, updating any of the data points in your progress note or on the health maintenance tables will simultaneously update your flowsheet. Also, the data in NextGen is structured data so that it can be output via query and uploaded as part of a DOQIT initiative or for P4P reporting.

I don't want to overplay our hand here. We have a great deal of work to do to add all appropriate Disease Mangement templates to all our KnowledgeBases, but the design structure is complete and the Diabetes stuff exists in our Primary Care KB today, is installed and clinically running at real sites and can be seen in a NG demo.

Again, sorry for the blatant commercial nature of the post but Azalea Runner did specifically ask for vendor responses.

Opus
Bob Larson NextGen Healthcare 215-657-7010 Too young for Medicare Too old for women to care My posts reflect my own thoughts and are not intended as an official representation of NextGen Healthcare policy or procedure.
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Lowell, I think you bring up one of the most salient points in the EMR industry. It's not just what different doctors look for in workflow, but more importantly, what their expectations are of an EMR altogether.

You have on the one hand CMS pushing for EMR adoption, private entities recognizing that medicine needs to be modernized, and then you have doctors- who know thet they will ultimately have to "cross the chasm".
But what does a doctor expect an EMR to provide?

I will tell you that in our group of about 100 docs, the opinions differ wildly. For some, they really just want a Rx writer with drug interaction software, others want a way to streamline the problem lists and track disease states, and yet others want better documentation for better coding.

Then you have the vendors who are trying to create a system which is robust, clinically valuable, and flexibe enough to cater to what they think the client or market will dictate, while trying to remain competitively priced. Medium-sized groups like ours are already vertically-integrated, and so they are looking for a vendor which can provide an enterprise-wide solution with a central data repository and the ability to manage multiple patients who might have the same name and DOB.

I can tell you that when we picked A4 as a pilot project for one our sites, what we saw in the demo (and on site visits) and what we got were worlds apart. Every vendor will appease you with the line "tell us what you need and we'll build it in during implementation."
BZZZT! WRONG!!
What were doing now is asking for "what comes in the box, what's pre-built." That's how we're making a decision. I think the more effort an EMR company puts in on the front end, the more appealing it'll be to a doctor who's looking.
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