Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-21-2021

College/Unit

School of Medicine

Department/Program/Center

Emergency Medicine

Abstract

Background: Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems are electronic databases for compiling patient records. As healthcare networks expand, it is critical for providers to have access to patient data more broadly. As a result individual healthcare facilities must adjust to enterprise wide EMRs.

Objective: This study examined the operational effects of transitioning from an Emergency Department (ED) specific EMR to an enterprise wide EMR by evaluating throughput metrics in a community ED.

Methods: During a 6-month transition period (July-December 2017) in a community-based, academic ED located in North Central West Virginia, length of stay (LOS) and the following operational metrics were analyzed: door-to-provider times, door to disposition time, average LOS, left without treatment (LWOT) rates, and total ED volumes. These metrics were compared with the prior year’s same 6-month period to account for seasonal variability in patient pathology or ED volumes.

Results: Overall, there was a statistically significant increase in the LOS measures, including door-to-provider time (p=0.0003), door to disposition time (p

Conclusion: An ED-specific EMR to enterprise wide EMR transition in a community ED had a negative effect on the overall efficiency of the emergency department.

Comments

https://www.doi.org/10.33915/fac.3068

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