HM16 Session Analysis: Health Information Technology Controversies

Presenter: Julie Hollberg, MD

Summary: Dr. Julie Hollberg, the chief medical information officer for Emory Healthcare, presented an overview of three pressing health information technology (IT) concerns at Hospital Medicine 2016, the “Year of the Hospitalist.” These issues are the use of copy-and-paste functions in electronic charting, alert fatigue, and patient access to electronic charts.

Dr. Hollberg states the key to leveraging healthcare IT to improve the patient and clinician experience is to coordinate people, technology, and the process. She relates that electronic note quality is poor due to lost narratives, “note bloat” (unnecessary text and data), and the use of copy-and-paste.

However, hospitalists themselves are essential in improving documentation. “We have 100% control of what goes into the note,” she describes. Some 90% of residents and attendings use copy-and-paste often. Most of the physicians agree the use of copy-and-paste increases inconsistencies, but 80% of physicians desire to continue the practice. The need for copy-and-paste should decrease as EMRs advance and expectations of note content is more broadly communicated.

Alerts are designed to improve patient safety and are a Meaningful Use initiative. The goal of clinical decision support is to provide the right information to the right person at the right time. However alert fatigue is a concern. Recommendations to address alert fatigue include making alerts non-interruptive, tier basing the alerts by severity, and decreasing the frequency of drug interaction alerts.

Dr. Hollberg also described the benefits of patient access to healthcare information on web portals. These benefits lead to improved patient engagement. Most physician concerns about open access has not been seen in actual practice. For example, only 1-8% of patients say that access to notes causes confusion, worry, or offense.

Key Takeaways:

1. Use of copy-and-paste creates “note bloat” and inconsistencies. The practice is discouraged.
2. Patients prefer access to healthcare information on portals. The benefit to improved access is greater patient engagement.
3. While alert fatigue is a concern, clinicians should still read alerts! TH

Dr. Hale is a pediatric hospitalist at Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center in Boston and a former member of Team Hospitalist.

Presenter: Julie Hollberg, MD

Summary: Dr. Julie Hollberg, the chief medical information officer for Emory Healthcare, presented an overview of three pressing health information technology (IT) concerns at Hospital Medicine 2016, the “Year of the Hospitalist.” These issues are the use of copy-and-paste functions in electronic charting, alert fatigue, and patient access to electronic charts.

Dr. Hollberg states the key to leveraging healthcare IT to improve the patient and clinician experience is to coordinate people, technology, and the process. She relates that electronic note quality is poor due to lost narratives, “note bloat” (unnecessary text and data), and the use of copy-and-paste.

However, hospitalists themselves are essential in improving documentation. “We have 100% control of what goes into the note,” she describes. Some 90% of residents and attendings use copy-and-paste often. Most of the physicians agree the use of copy-and-paste increases inconsistencies, but 80% of physicians desire to continue the practice. The need for copy-and-paste should decrease as EMRs advance and expectations of note content is more broadly communicated.

Alerts are designed to improve patient safety and are a Meaningful Use initiative. The goal of clinical decision support is to provide the right information to the right person at the right time. However alert fatigue is a concern. Recommendations to address alert fatigue include making alerts non-interruptive, tier basing the alerts by severity, and decreasing the frequency of drug interaction alerts.

Dr. Hollberg also described the benefits of patient access to healthcare information on web portals. These benefits lead to improved patient engagement. Most physician concerns about open access has not been seen in actual practice. For example, only 1-8% of patients say that access to notes causes confusion, worry, or offense.

Key Takeaways:

1. Use of copy-and-paste creates “note bloat” and inconsistencies. The practice is discouraged.
2. Patients prefer access to healthcare information on portals. The benefit to improved access is greater patient engagement.
3. While alert fatigue is a concern, clinicians should still read alerts! TH

Dr. Hale is a pediatric hospitalist at Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center in Boston and a former member of Team Hospitalist.

Presenter: Julie Hollberg, MD

Summary: Dr. Julie Hollberg, the chief medical information officer for Emory Healthcare, presented an overview of three pressing health information technology (IT) concerns at Hospital Medicine 2016, the “Year of the Hospitalist.” These issues are the use of copy-and-paste functions in electronic charting, alert fatigue, and patient access to electronic charts.

Dr. Hollberg states the key to leveraging healthcare IT to improve the patient and clinician experience is to coordinate people, technology, and the process. She relates that electronic note quality is poor due to lost narratives, “note bloat” (unnecessary text and data), and the use of copy-and-paste.

However, hospitalists themselves are essential in improving documentation. “We have 100% control of what goes into the note,” she describes. Some 90% of residents and attendings use copy-and-paste often. Most of the physicians agree the use of copy-and-paste increases inconsistencies, but 80% of physicians desire to continue the practice. The need for copy-and-paste should decrease as EMRs advance and expectations of note content is more broadly communicated.

Alerts are designed to improve patient safety and are a Meaningful Use initiative. The goal of clinical decision support is to provide the right information to the right person at the right time. However alert fatigue is a concern. Recommendations to address alert fatigue include making alerts non-interruptive, tier basing the alerts by severity, and decreasing the frequency of drug interaction alerts.

Dr. Hollberg also described the benefits of patient access to healthcare information on web portals. These benefits lead to improved patient engagement. Most physician concerns about open access has not been seen in actual practice. For example, only 1-8% of patients say that access to notes causes confusion, worry, or offense.

Key Takeaways:

1. Use of copy-and-paste creates “note bloat” and inconsistencies. The practice is discouraged.
2. Patients prefer access to healthcare information on portals. The benefit to improved access is greater patient engagement.
3. While alert fatigue is a concern, clinicians should still read alerts! TH

Dr. Hale is a pediatric hospitalist at Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center in Boston and a former member of Team Hospitalist.