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In the high-tech, centrally controlled, integrated OR, interconnectivity also lets
physicians easily archive the images, videos and other documentation they've
generated during surgical procedures into patients' electronic records. The
more components that EMRs connect to, the more users they draw and the
more useful the technology becomes.
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Improved patient management
While EMR systems may be increasingly indispensable, their accessibil-
ity, portability and interconnectivity do not essentially change the way
you perform surgery or lead you to adopt radically different clinical practices.
They're also generally not as visible a technology shift as other advances that
you now rely on, such as minimally invasive surgical techniques and various
methods of intraoperative imaging.
They can, however, have a huge impact on several aspects of patient manage-
ment, enabling more efficient and more reliable delivery of care. From your per-
spective as a surgical leader, this could in fact be EMRs' most valuable use.
In medicine, documentation is everything. If you didn't document it, you didn't
do it. With EMRs, there's no such thing as a lost chart or lost notes. Plus, their
clarity brings improved communication and patient safety. Physicians are
known for their questionable handwriting. But if you're reading the orders or
prescriptions they've input into EMRs, you're not going to miss a word.
Additionally, from the standpoint of the business office, tying EMRs into the
billing system ensures that all case charges are captured.
EMRs can also serve as your ally in monitoring your facility's quality of care
and conducting peer reviews. They effectively track a patient's experience, from
the time they walk in the door through to discharge, noting what type of care
interventions they received and which physicians and staff delivered them. The
existence of such records can go a long way toward resolving many recurring
patient satisfaction concerns.
Optimal patient care depends on accurate patient information. You can
