A lean application in documenting patient education

Health Informatics & Technology Conference

October 20-22, 2014 Double Tree by Hilton Baltimore - BWI Airport, USA

Darrin Doman, Erica Lake, Jessica Van Der Volgen and Jean P Shipman

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Health Med Informat

Abstract :

Objective: To examine institutional workflow processes for providing patient education, apply Lean principles to identify system inefficiencies and recommend improvements to foster compliance with Meaningful Use (MU) requirements. Methods: Team members observed 38 patient/provider interactions in two outpatient clinics and collected data regarding how providers accessed and delivered patient education. Results: Analysis of collected data revealed four key points: ? Variable provider awareness of MU patient education requirements ? Inconsistent processes for accessing and documenting patient education ? Gaps in clinical references, differing personal preferences for reference material ? Technical difficulties searching for/accessing reference information as embedded in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Conclusion: The skill level of the EHR user contributes to the variability of patient education workflow processes. Adequate IT support, relevant and user-friendly patient educational resources and focused training improve provider compliance with MU standards. Standardizing the patient education documentation process reduces waste, adds value and has a positive financial impact.

Biography :

Darrin Doman began his employment with University of Utah Healthcare (UUHC) in 2003. His current duties focus on managing patient education throughout the enterprise which consists of four hospitals and an ever growing number of community clinics. Darrin develops and maintains libraries of custom print and video materials used for patient education. He is also the administrator for the close-circuit patient education TV channel that broadcasts in UUHC?s main hospital. He serves as the chair of the Patient Education Steering Committee and lectures across university campuses in Utah on topics of health literacy and patient education. Outside of work, Darrin enjoys volunteering for local arts organizations and serving on the Board of Trustees for the Rite Care Centers of Utah.