Jul
29
Written by:
administrator
7/29/2010
Fitchburg, WI (July 20, 2010) - A new method of populating electronic medical records (EMRs) that pulls patient information directly from a medical transcription enables physicians to keep their daily workflow the same, according to a white paper released today by Emdat, a provider of web-based medical transcription software.
Most EMR systems on the market today require physicians to personally scroll through an extensive list of checkboxes for every patient they see. As a result they're forced to spend a large part of their day entering data into a computer. Entitled "Facilitate EMR Success: Discrete Reportable Transcription Shifts Documentation Burden Off Physicians," the white paper cites a finding by the AC Group, a health care technology consultancy, that a physician who sees 40 patients a day will spend an average of 140 minutes entering patient data.
By contrast, Emdat's Discrete accurate Reportable Transcription, or DaRT, allows physicians using an EMR system to maintain their daily workflow and focus on patient care. Doctors can continue to dictate their patient notes orally and send them to a medical transcriptionist, a process that takes an average of only 30 minutes a day. When the transcriptionist types out the dictation using Emdat's web-based platform, DaRT "tags" discrete information contained within the note – for instance symptoms or lab values – providers can create reports and search data within a patient's record just as they would if they entered the information themselves.
While hospitals and clinics have been slow to adopt full-scale EMRs to date, eligible providers can receive federal incentives for doing so, beginning in 2011.
"While legislation taking effect next year is designed to defray the upfront cost of electronic records, providers will still need to find ways to use these systems efficiently," said Emdat CEO Randy Olver. "DaRT helps make EMRs a feasible long-term option by transferring data entry responsibilities away from medical personnel."
One of the potential benefits of DaRT is increased 'buy-in' from physicians, who receive the benefits of electronic records without having to do extensive clerical work, according to the white paper. DaRT was formally launched earlier this year and is compatible with most major EMR vendors.
The document also cites several benefits to the usefulness and integrity of patient records. Unlike standalone EMRs that rely on physicians using a "point and click" method of data entry, DaRT supplies discrete data as well as a narrative note. Therefore, other doctors have access to a more contextual, meaningful summary of previous patient encounters.
In addition, DaRT keeps medical transcriptionists involved in the creation of a patient note, which helps eliminate physician errors. The white paper points to a recent study in which MTs identified mistakes – many of them critical – in 33 percent of physician-created dictations.
"Having information reviewed before it becomes part of the record is consistent with EMR vendors' mission of improving the quality of patient records," the paper says.
The Emdat white paper, "Facilitate EMR Success: Discrete Reportable Transcription Shifts Documentation Burden Off Physicians," is available for download on the Emdat website.