By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    benefits of using protein powder to build muscles
    Protein Powder for Muscle Mass: Everything You Need to Know
    December 12, 2021
    changes brought on by blockchain in healthcare
    Technology In The Healthcare Industry
    March 28, 2022
    What Does Core Body Temperature Say About Health?
    August 17, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    FDA Approves Diabetes Pill
    May 2, 2011
    Patient Gets Drunk on Hand Sanitizer
    June 20, 2011
    Cultivating Health Improvement
    July 20, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: An Electronic Health Record misAdventure
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Medical Records > An Electronic Health Record misAdventure
Medical Records

An Electronic Health Record misAdventure

docnieder
Last updated: August 27, 2012 8:14 am
docnieder
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

We thought we were ready. We had all our training. The staff was pumped. The doctors were apprehensive but willing. Tuesday morning “GO LIVE” began. Fortunately the hardware folks just happened to be in the office installing our dual monitors, so there were two techs present when none of our medical assistants (MAs) could access their tablets. Uh oh…

We thought we were ready. We had all our training. The staff was pumped. The doctors were apprehensive but willing. Tuesday morning “GO LIVE” began. Fortunately the hardware folks just happened to be in the office installing our dual monitors, so there were two techs present when none of our medical assistants (MAs) could access their tablets. Uh oh…

Shortly into the day our office manager discovered that the stand-alone electronic prescribing software we’d been using for years had been turned off since Friday and prescriptions sent electronically since then had never made it to their destinations. Patients were calling. They weren’t happy. And we had no way of knowing who they were because our workflow is to fill the prescriptions, document in the chart and file. Uh oh…

Meanwhile, my MA was still unable to use her laptop to triage my first patient. I was waiting…Dr. K had seen a patient, documented most of her note but she could not put in the plan for some reason. This was a problem that went on all day until it was determined that her ‘profile’ was corrupted. IT promised a fix by the next day. Uh oh…

More Read

MattDunn
5 Big Data Questions with Ryan Brush, Distinguished Engineer at Cerner
Presentation on Meaningful Use and EMR in Research
How to Extend a CAP Checklist for Increased Research Capabilities
The Cost of Resistance: Clinical Coding Optimization
HIPAA Marketing Rule Guidance: Better Than Nothing

Remember being told to “save, save, save”? Dr. I, not big on computers to start with, was humming along only to find out that one of her electronic notes, on a complicated patient, had vanished into the ether due to a Citrix glitch, never to be found again. She was nearly in tears. Uh oh…

Finally, my MA had a patient ready for me to see. Only an hour behind. It was a young man, a new patient in for what the scheduling staff was told was an uncomplicated physical. I remember being told that this patient was perfect for the first day on EHR “He’s young and healthy, a great start to using the Health Maintenance Template”. Except that he was drinking a pint of bourbon daily with a blood pressure through the roof, a urination issue, chest pain and was anxiously depressed. Uh oh…

It is very difficult to have one’s attention divided by electronics when it needs to be concentrating on a real person’s medical issues. If I had to grade myself with how well that first patient was treated by me, it would be close to failing. It felt like a return to medical school–working blind, feeling incompetent, trying to speak two different languages at once (electronic and paper) and never quite sure anything was being done well.

Rumor has it our skills will improve over the next year. My hope, as one of the first primary care offices to go live in our organization, the technical support staff and the doctors can help other offices begin this journey with a refined send off.

This is a hospital “go live” but still hilariously hit close to home:

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Dental health
May 21, 2025
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
Dental health
May 21, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025

You Might also Like

ehr_medical_records
eHealthHospital AdministrationMedical RecordsRadiology

EHRs Play Critical Role in Radiology Decision-Making

January 4, 2015
eHealthMedical Records

Meaningful Use and Documentation of Vital Signs

November 17, 2011

Why You Should Care About Your Personal Health Record and Access to Your Data

June 13, 2014
doctors emailing patients
eHealthMedical RecordsMobile HealthTechnology

Why Won’t Docs Email Patients?

February 28, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?