Children and youth in state or statutory care (children-in-care) are at a higher risk of not having their health needs met than the general pediatric population. A literature review found a paucity of evidence on the health information needed for initial assessments of children-in-care in health record information systems in Canada, particularly when compared with information collected in the comparator countries the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. This qualitative research reviewed six forms currently used in British Columbia (BC) for assessing the health needs of children-in-care, and for planning future health care delivery for these children. The forms were reviewed with social workers, foster parents, and medical care providers to understand how the forms met their needs for health information for initial assessments when a child first enters care. One researcher conducted 31 interviews with 37 participants —a mixture of social workers, foster parents, and medical care providers allowed for source triangulation— in urban and rural communities using a 19-question, nonvalidated interview tool. NVivo-10 was used to inductively encode participant interviews relying on Pava’s 9-step, nonlinear sociotechnical systems approach to identify themes and concepts raised by the interviews. The researcher conducted an informal review of relevant Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) organization documents and method triangulated the results to the interview findings to identify similarities, differences, and gaps. Findings from these two analyses were compared with the literature review findings. The six forms were found to document most of the required information for typical children-in-care provided the forms were available to the care team and completed in full prior to the initial assessment. Additional forms were used for children-in-care with complex health needs. Key health information included parents’ relevant health and social information, prenatal and birth records, medical and social history of the child, immunization record, whether the child had experienced adverse childhood events, and anything that might remind the child of a stressful situation and cause the child an adverse mental or physical outcome. Complexity in acquiring the needed health information comes from a variety of circumstances. For example, the child may transition in and out of care, parents may be unavailable, and social workers, foster parents, and medical care providers may each change while the child is in care. To overcome information-sharing challenges and barriers, research participants recommended several improvements including funding changes to support medical care provider participation, an information-sharing framework, and electronic options such as a centralized child-in-care record with secure email capability. Introducing some practices from other jurisdictions, notably a senior medical advisor role and a medical assessment model, might help address process challenges when health information is missing during the initial medical assessment. These resources would help round out MCFD’s existing conceptual child-in-care health-care framework. Together these changes may support social workers, foster parents, and medical care providers to provide care to and plan for children-in-care. / Graduate / 0723 (Information Science), 0769 (Health Care Management), 0452 (Social Work) / cdthomps@uvic.ca

Objetivo: Avaliar a satisfação e expectativas dos pacientes e médicos antes e depois da implantação de um registro médico eletrônico (RME) de pacientes no ambulatório de clínica médica de um hospital universitário. Métodos: Foram realizadas 389 entrevistas com pacientes e 151 com médicos antes e depois da implantação de um RME comercial no ambulatório de Clínica Médica do Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil. Os médicos foram categorizados por seus anos de graduação (10 anos ou menos e mais de 10 anos). As respostas ao questionário dadas pelos médicos foram classificadas como favorável ou contra o uso de RME, antes e depois da implantação do sistema, recebendo 1 ou 0 pontos, respectivamente. A soma destes pontos gerou uma pontuação analisada por regressão múltipla para determinar quais os fatores que contribuem para a aceitação de RME pelos médicos. Para se avaliar o comportamento de pacientes e médicos em um período em que a implantação já havia entrado na rotina, realizou-se uma terceira etapa de entrevistas com pacientes e médicos. Resultados: O grau de satisfação do paciente era o mesmo antes e depois da implantação (p > 0,05). O tempo de espera para ser atendido foi maior após a implantação de RME (p < 0,0001), embora a percepção dos pacientes tenha apontado para uma direção diferente (p=0,0186). Médicos formados há menos de 10 anos já tinham usado os registros eletrônicos em outros hospitais e clínicas (p=0,0141). Estes médicos tinham expectativas mais positivas antes da implantação (p=0,0018). Este otimismo foi reduzido após a implantação, devido ao mau funcionamento do sistema durante a fase inicial (p=0,0229). A utilização do RME foi maior pelos médicos mais jovens (p < 0,0001). Na terceira avaliação os pacientes mostraram-se muito satisfeitos com o atendimento (porcentagem de mais de 90%). Percebiam a utilização do computador durante a consulta e valorizavam essa utilização. Os médicos com 10 anos ou menos de graduação, percebiam e valorizavam mais as facilidades do registro eletrônico e o utilizavam mais. Em 11 de 18 questões específicas sobre o desempenho de tarefas clínicas os médicos mais jovens julgaram mais fácil utilizar o RME, do que os médicos mais antigos p < 0,05. Questionados especificamente sobre a satisfação com o RME, os médicos mais jovens responderam \"boa\" e \"excelente\" em maior proporção do que os com mais de 10 anos de formados (p=0,0011) / Objective: To evaluate the satisfaction and expectations of patients and physicians before and after the implementation of an electronic medical record (EMR) in internal medicine outpatient clinic of a university hospital. Methods: We conducted 389 interviews with patients and 151 with doctors before and after the implementation of a commercial RME in internal medicine outpatient clinic of the Hospital das Clinicas, University of São Paulo, Brazil. Doctors were categorized by their graduate years (10 years or less and more than 10 years). The answers to the questionnaire given by doctors were classified as favorable or against the use of EMR, before and after the implementation of the system, receiving 1 or 0 points, respectively. The sum of the points generated scores analyzed by multiple regression to determine the factors that contribute to the acceptance of EMR by doctors. To evaluate the behavior of patients and doctors in a period when the implementation had already entered the routine, a third stage of interviews with patients and doctors was carried out. Results: The degree of patient satisfaction was the same before and after implantation (p > 0.05). The waiting time to be attended was increased after the implementation of EMR (p < 0.0001), although the perception of patients has pointed to a different direction (p=0.0186). Doctors graduated less than 10 years had already used the electronic records in other hospitals and clinics (p=0.0141). These doctors had more positive expectations before implantation (p=0.0018). This optimism was reduced after implantation, due to system malfunction during the initial phase (p=0.0229). Utilization of EMR was higher by younger physicians (p < 0.0001). The third evaluation showed the patients were very satisfied with the service (over 90%). They noticed the use of the computer during the consultation and valued such use. Doctors with 10 or less graduation years, perceived and valued more the facilities of electronic medical records and used more. In 11 of 18 specific questions about the performance of clinical tasks younger doctors deemed it easier to use the electronic medical record, than older physicians (p < 0.05). When asked specifically about satisfaction with EMR, younger physicians responded \"good\" and \"excellent\" in greater proportion than the old physicians (p=0.0011)

Este estudo buscou analisar os instrumentos e sistemas de registro de tratamento da tuberculose (TB) em relação à coordenação da assistência prestada aos doentes de TB antes e após da implantação do Sistema Informatizado para Registro da Assistência à TB (SISTB) em um Programa de Controle da Tuberculose (PCT) no município de Ribeirão Preto - SP. Estudo epidemiológico descritivo-analítico, do tipo intervenção. Foram utilizados os instrumentos de registro de acompanhamento da TB (Prontuários Clínicos, Fichas de Registro do Tratamento Diretamente Observado (TDO), Livro de Registro e Acompanhamento dos Casos de TB, TBWEB e SISTB) por meio de um formulário estruturado, com base no Manual de Recomendações para o Controle da TB, bem como do levantamento das variáveis não obrigatórias do TBWEB. A coleta de dados ocorreu no período de março a junho de 2014, considerando o período antes da implantação do SISTB e no mês de abril de 2015, período após a implantação do mesmo. Os dados coletados foram analisados através de distribuição de frequência e teste Qui-quadrado ou Exato de Fisher com nível de significância de 5%, após aprovação do comitê de ética (CAAE 15671713.9.1001.5393). Foi possível observar que houve associação entre os instrumentos de registros e o período anterior da implantação do SISTB com o arquivamento no prontuário, e o posterior com o contato telefônico e endereço do doente de TB (Ficha de Registro do TDO e SISTB); bem como aumento do registro da data de término do tratamento, da situação de encerramento, do resultado do exame de baciloscopia de escarro para controle mensal e teste anti-HIV (Livro de Registro e Acompanhamento de Tratamento dos Casos de Tuberculose); e maior registro de consultas mensais com o médico, atendimento com assistente social, solicitação de exames realizados pelo médico, condições de vida do doente de TB, controle de comunicantes, incentivos sociais oferecidos e uso de álcool e drogas (Prontuário Clínico). Além disso, houve aumento no registro da data dos primeiros sintomas, exame de raio-x e comunicantes; e diminuição do registro sobre a baciloscopia de controle mensal do 1o mês de tratamento (TBWEB). Verificou-se melhora no registro de algumas variáveis após a implantação do SISTB, embora o registro sobre as atividades de vigilância epidemiológica, como o controle de comunicantes, ainda permanecem marginais e o foco da atenção esteja voltado para os doentes de TB e centralizado no atendimento individual / This study analized the instruments and tuberculosis (TB) treatment record systems in relation to the coordination of assistance to TB patients before and after the implementation of the Information System for Registration Assistance to TB (SISTB) in a Tuberculosis Control Program in Ribeirao Preto - SP. Descriptive and analytical epidemiological study, intervention type. It was utilized the instruments of record for monitoring of TB (Medical Records, Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) Registration, Record and Treatment Monitoring of TB Cases Book, TBWEB and SISTB) through a structured form, according to National Recommendations for the TB Control, as well as the lifting of non-compulsory variables\' TBWEB. Data collection occurred from March to June 2014, considering the period prior to implementation of SISTB and in April 2015, the period after the implementation of the same. The collected data were analyzed through frequency distribution and chi-square test or Fisher\'s exact with 5% significance level, after approval by the Ethics Committee (CAAE 15671713.9.1001.5393). It was observed that there was an association between the instruments of records and the period of SISTB deployment with filing in the medical record, and later with the phone contact and TB patient address (DOT Registration and SISTB); as well as higher record date of completion of treatment, the close situation, the result of the examination of sputum smears for monthly control and HIV testing (Record and Treatment Monitoring of TB Cases Book); and largest registry of monthly visits to the doctor, assistance with social worker, test requests made by the doctor, living conditions of the TB patient, communicating control, social incentives and use of alcohol and drugs (Medical Record). In addition, there was an improvement on the record date of the first symptoms, examining x-ray and communicating; and worsening record on the smear monthly control of the first month of treatment (TBWEB). An improvement in the registration of some variables after the implementation of SISTB, although the epidemiological surveillance activities, such as communicating control, are still marginal and the focus of attention is facing TB patients and centered on individual care

A informação coletada de prontuários manuais ou eletrônicos, quando usada para propósitos não diretamente relacionados ao atendimento do paciente, é chamado de uso secundário de dados. A adoção de um sistema de registro eletrônico em saúde (RES) pode facilitar a coleta de dados para uso secundário em pesquisa, aproveitando as melhorias na estruturação e recuperação da informação do paciente, recursos não disponíveis nos tradicionais prontuários em papel. Estudos observacionais baseados no uso secundário de dados têm o potencial de prover evidências para a construção de políticas em saúde. No entanto, a pesquisa através desses dados apresenta problemas característicos a essa fonte de dados. Ao longo do tempo, os sistemas e seus métodos de armazenar dados se tornam obsoletos ou são reestruturados, existem questões de privacidade para o compartilhamento dos dados dos indivíduos e questões relacionadas ao uso desses dados em um contexto diferente do seu propósito original. É necessária uma abordagem sistemática para contornar esses problemas, onde o processamento dos dados é efetuado antes do seu compartilhamento. O objetivo desta Tese é propor um método de extração de coortes de pacientes para estudos observacionais contemplando quatro etapas: (1) mapeamento: a reorganização de dados a partir de um esquema lógico existente em um esquema externo comum sobre o qual é aplicado o método; (2) limpeza: preparação dos dados, levantamento do perfil da base de dados e cálculo dos indicadores de qualidade; (3) seleção da coorte: aplicação dos parâmetros do estudo para seleção de dados longitudinais dos pacientes para a formação da coorte; (4) transformação: derivação de variáveis de estudo que não estão presentes nos dados originais e transformação dos dados longitudinais em dados anonimizados prontos para análise estatística e compartilhamento. O mapeamento é uma etapa específica para cada RES e não é objeto desse trabalho, mas foi realizada para a aplicação do método. As etapas de limpeza, seleção de coorte e transformação são comuns para qualquer RES. A utilização de um esquema externo possibilita o uso parâmetros que facilitam a extração de diferentes coortes para diferentes estudos sem a necessidade de alterações nos algoritmos e garante que a extração seja efetuada sem perda de informações por um processo idempotente. A geração de indicadores e a análise estatística fazem parte do processo e permitem descrever o perfil e qualidade da base de dados e os resultados do estudo. Os algoritmos computacionais e os dados são disponibilizados em um repositório versionado e podem ser usados a qualquer momento para reproduzir os resultados, permitindo a verificação, alterações e correções de erros. Este método foi aplicado no RES utilizado no Instituto do Coração - HC FMUSP, considerando uma base de dados de 1.116.848 pacientes cadastrados no período de 1999 até 2013, resultando em 312.469 registros de pacientes após o processo de limpeza. Para efetuar uma análise da doença cardiovascular em relação ao uso de estatinas na prevenção secundária de eventos evolutivos, foi constituída uma coorte de 27.915 pacientes, segundo os seguintes critérios: período de 2003 a 2013, pacientes do gênero masculino e feminino, maiores de 18 anos, com um diagnóstico no padrão CID-10 (códigos I20 a I25, I64 a I70 e G45) e com registro de no mínimo duas consultas ambulatoriais. Como resultados, cerca de 80% dos pacientes tiveram registro de estatinas, sendo que, 30% tiveram registro de estatinas por mais de 5 anos, 42% não tiveram registro de nenhum evento evolutivo e 9,7% tiveram registro de dois ou mais eventos. O tempo médio de sobrevida calculado pelo método Kaplan-Meier foi de 115 meses (intervalo de confiança 95% 114-116) e os pacientes sem registro de estatinas apresentaram uma maior probabilidade de óbito pelo teste log-rank p < 0,001. Conclui-se que a adoção de métodos sistematizados para a extração de coortes de pacientes a partir do RES pode ser uma abordagem viável para a condução de estudos epidemiológicos / Information collected from manual or electronic health records can also be used for purposes not directly related to patient care delivery, in which case it is termed secondary use. The adoption of electronic health record (EHR) systems can facilitate the collection of this secondary use data, which can be used for research purposes such as observational studies. These studies have the power to provide necessary evidence for the formation of healthcare policies. However, several problems arise when conducting research using this kind of data. For example, over time, systems and their methods of storing data become obsolete, data concerns arise since the data is being used in a different context to where it originated and privacy concerns arise when sharing data about individual subjects. To overcome these problems a systematic approach is required where local data processing is performed prior to data sharing. The objective of this thesis is to propose a method to extract patient cohorts for observational studies in four steps: (1) data mapping from an existing local logical schema into a common external schema over which information can be extracted; (2) cleaning of data, generation of the database profile and retrieval of indicators; (3) computation of derived variables from original variables; (4) application of study design parameters to transform longitudinal data into anonymized data sets ready for statistical analysis and sharing. Mapping is a specific stage for each EHR and although it is not the focus of this work, a detail of the mapping is included. The stages of cleaning, selection of cohort and transformation are common to all EHRs and form the main objective. The use of an external schema allows the use of parameters that facilitate the extraction of different cohorts for different studies without the need for changes to the extraction algorithms. This ensures that, given an immutable dataset, the extraction can be done by the idempotent process. The generation of indicators and statistical analysis form part of the process and allow profiling and qualitative description of the database. The set extraction / statistical processing is available in a version controlled repository and can be used at any time to reproduce results, allowing the verification of alterations and error corrections. The method was applied to EHR from the Heart Institute - HC FMUSP, with a dataset containing 1,116,848 patients\' records from 1999 up to 2013, resulting in 312,469 patients records after the cleaning process. An analysis of cardiovascular disease in relation to statin use in the prevention of secondary events was defined using a cohort selection of 27,915 patients with the following criteria: study period: 2003-2013, gender: Male, Female, age: >= 18 years old, at least 2 outpatient visits, diagnosis of CVD (ICD-10 codes: I20-I25, I64-I70 and G45). Results showed that around 80% of patients had a prescription for statins, of which 30% had a prescription for statins for more than 5 years. 42% had no record of a future event and 9,7% had two or more future events. Survival time was measured using a univariate Kaplan-Meier method resulting in 115 months (CI 95% 114-116) and patients without statin prescription showed a higher probability of death when measured by log-rank (p < 0.001) tests. The conclusion is that the adoption of systematised methods for cohort extraction of patients from EHRs can be a viable approach for conducting epidemiological studies

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2017-01-16T10:13:02Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Áurea Valéria Pereira da Silva - 2016.pdf: 2576793 bytes, checksum: 3b3472812df3319818244bcd2e0482d7 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2017-01-16T10:13:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Áurea Valéria Pereira da Silva - 2016.pdf: 2576793 bytes, checksum: 3b3472812df3319818244bcd2e0482d7 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-01-16T10:13:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Áurea Valéria Pereira da Silva - 2016.pdf: 2576793 bytes, checksum: 3b3472812df3319818244bcd2e0482d7 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-14 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Introduction: OpenEHR is a standardization of Health Information Systems (HIS) that is mainly concerned with the exchange of Electronic Health Records (EHR). One of the major obstacles to the adoption of openEHR is the lack of database persistence specifications. Objective: The aim of this work is the mapping of storage structures from the Archetype Definition Language (ADL) specifications which describe clinical knowledge structure. Method: This research initially makes a systematic mapping about persistence structures that are derived directly from ADL specifications, i.e. without dependences from the Reference Model (RM) of openEHR. A new persistence strategy is proposed and compared with ones found in the literature. Results: Assumptions, criteria and rules were used to present the proposed approach. Its evaluation considered quantitative aspects of persistence structures. Conclusion: The evaluation revealed some advantages of proposed approach, such as: reductions of reference attributes (referential integrity) and redundancy in clinical database; production of unidentified clinical records in relation to the patient; creation of a single base table for each archetype, regardless of its use in the form of slots; scalability of database schema (stable number of database tables), even in the occurrence of recursion through slots. / Introdução: OpenEHR é uma padronização dos Sistemas de Informação em Saúde (SIS) que se preocupa principalmente com a troca de Registros de Saúde Eletrônicos (RES). Um dos maiores obstáculos à adoção do openEHR é a carência de especificações de persistência de banco de dados. Objetivo: O objetivo deste trabalho é o mapeamento de estruturas de armazenamento a partir das especificações Archetype Definition Language (ADL) que descrevem a estrutura do conhecimento clínico. Métodos: Esta pesquisa inicialmente faz um mapeamento sistemático sobre estruturas de persistência que são derivadas diretamente de especificações ADL, isto é, sem dependências do Modelo de Referência (RM) de openEHR. Uma nova estratégia de persistência é proposta e comparada com as encontradas na literatura. Resultados: Foram utilizados pressupostos, critérios e regras para apresentar a abordagem proposta. Uma avaliação considerou aspectos quantitativos das estruturas de persistência, em comparação com o que foi encontrado na literatura. Conclusões: A avaliação revelou algumas vantagens da abordagem proposta, tais como: reduções de atributos de referência (integridade referencial) e redundância em banco de dados clínicos; produção de registros clínicos não identificados em relação ao paciente; criação de uma tabela de base única para cada arquétipo, independentemente da sua utilização sob a forma de slots; escalabilidade do esquema de banco de dados (número estável de tabelas de banco de dados), mesmo na ocorrência de recursão através de slots.

Objetivo: Avaliar a satisfação e expectativas dos pacientes e médicos antes e depois da implantação de um registro médico eletrônico (RME) de pacientes no ambulatório de clínica médica de um hospital universitário. Métodos: Foram realizadas 389 entrevistas com pacientes e 151 com médicos antes e depois da implantação de um RME comercial no ambulatório de Clínica Médica do Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil. Os médicos foram categorizados por seus anos de graduação (10 anos ou menos e mais de 10 anos). As respostas ao questionário dadas pelos médicos foram classificadas como favorável ou contra o uso de RME, antes e depois da implantação do sistema, recebendo 1 ou 0 pontos, respectivamente. A soma destes pontos gerou uma pontuação analisada por regressão múltipla para determinar quais os fatores que contribuem para a aceitação de RME pelos médicos. Para se avaliar o comportamento de pacientes e médicos em um período em que a implantação já havia entrado na rotina, realizou-se uma terceira etapa de entrevistas com pacientes e médicos. Resultados: O grau de satisfação do paciente era o mesmo antes e depois da implantação (p > 0,05). O tempo de espera para ser atendido foi maior após a implantação de RME (p < 0,0001), embora a percepção dos pacientes tenha apontado para uma direção diferente (p=0,0186). Médicos formados há menos de 10 anos já tinham usado os registros eletrônicos em outros hospitais e clínicas (p=0,0141). Estes médicos tinham expectativas mais positivas antes da implantação (p=0,0018). Este otimismo foi reduzido após a implantação, devido ao mau funcionamento do sistema durante a fase inicial (p=0,0229). A utilização do RME foi maior pelos médicos mais jovens (p < 0,0001). Na terceira avaliação os pacientes mostraram-se muito satisfeitos com o atendimento (porcentagem de mais de 90%). Percebiam a utilização do computador durante a consulta e valorizavam essa utilização. Os médicos com 10 anos ou menos de graduação, percebiam e valorizavam mais as facilidades do registro eletrônico e o utilizavam mais. Em 11 de 18 questões específicas sobre o desempenho de tarefas clínicas os médicos mais jovens julgaram mais fácil utilizar o RME, do que os médicos mais antigos p < 0,05. Questionados especificamente sobre a satisfação com o RME, os médicos mais jovens responderam \"boa\" e \"excelente\" em maior proporção do que os com mais de 10 anos de formados (p=0,0011) / Objective: To evaluate the satisfaction and expectations of patients and physicians before and after the implementation of an electronic medical record (EMR) in internal medicine outpatient clinic of a university hospital. Methods: We conducted 389 interviews with patients and 151 with doctors before and after the implementation of a commercial RME in internal medicine outpatient clinic of the Hospital das Clinicas, University of São Paulo, Brazil. Doctors were categorized by their graduate years (10 years or less and more than 10 years). The answers to the questionnaire given by doctors were classified as favorable or against the use of EMR, before and after the implementation of the system, receiving 1 or 0 points, respectively. The sum of the points generated scores analyzed by multiple regression to determine the factors that contribute to the acceptance of EMR by doctors. To evaluate the behavior of patients and doctors in a period when the implementation had already entered the routine, a third stage of interviews with patients and doctors was carried out. Results: The degree of patient satisfaction was the same before and after implantation (p > 0.05). The waiting time to be attended was increased after the implementation of EMR (p < 0.0001), although the perception of patients has pointed to a different direction (p=0.0186). Doctors graduated less than 10 years had already used the electronic records in other hospitals and clinics (p=0.0141). These doctors had more positive expectations before implantation (p=0.0018). This optimism was reduced after implantation, due to system malfunction during the initial phase (p=0.0229). Utilization of EMR was higher by younger physicians (p < 0.0001). The third evaluation showed the patients were very satisfied with the service (over 90%). They noticed the use of the computer during the consultation and valued such use. Doctors with 10 or less graduation years, perceived and valued more the facilities of electronic medical records and used more. In 11 of 18 specific questions about the performance of clinical tasks younger doctors deemed it easier to use the electronic medical record, than older physicians (p < 0.05). When asked specifically about satisfaction with EMR, younger physicians responded \"good\" and \"excellent\" in greater proportion than the old physicians (p=0.0011)

Primary care physicians (PCPPs) have been slow to implement electronic health records (EHRs), even though there is a U.S. federal requirement to implement EHRs. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine why PCPPs have been slow to adopt electronic health record (EHR) systems despite the potential to increase efficiency and quality of health care. The complex adaptive systems theory (CAS) served as the conceptual framework for this study. Twenty-six PCPPs were interviewed from primary care practices (PCPs) based in southwestern Ohio. The data were collected through a semistructured interview format and analyzed using a modified van Kaam method. Several themes emerged as barriers to EHR implementation, including staff training on the new EHR system, the decrease in productivity experienced by primary care practice (PCP) staff adapting to the new EHR system, and system usability and technical support after adoption. The findings may contribute to the body of knowledge regarding EHR system implementation and assist healthcare providers who are slow to adopt EHRs. Additionally, findings could contribute to social change by reducing healthcare costs, increasing patient access to care, and improving the efficacy of patient diagnosis and treatment.

Consolidating patient and clinical data to support better-informed clinical decisions remains a primary function of electronic health records (EHRs). In the United States, nearly 6 million patients receive care from an accountable care organization (ACO). Knowledge of clinical decision support (CDS) tool design for use by physicians participating in ACOs remains limited. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine whether a significant correlation exists between characteristics of alert content and alert timing (the independent variables) and physician perceptions of improved ACO quality measure adherence during electronic ordering (the dependent variable). Sociotechnical theory supported the theoretical framework for this research. Sixty-nine physician executives using either a Cerner Incorporated or Epic Systems EHR in a hospital or health system affiliated ACO participated in the online survey. The results of the regression analysis were statistically significant, R2 = .108, F(2,66) = 3.99, p = .023, indicating that characteristics of alert content and timing affect physician perceptions for improving their adherence to ACO quality measures. However, analysis of each independent variable showed alert content highly correlated with the dependent variable (p = .007) with no significant correlation found between workflow timing and the dependent variable (p = .724). Understanding the factors that support physician acceptance of alerts is essential to third-party software developers and health care organizations designing CDS tools. Providing physicians with improved EHR-integrated CDS tools supports the population health goal of ACOs in delivering better patient care.

This paper seeks to break down how a large scale Electronic Health Records system could improve quality of care and reduce monetary waste in the healthcare system. The paper further explores issues regarding regulations to data exchange and data interoperability. Due to the massive size of healthcare data, the exponential increase in the speed of data generation through innovative technologies, and the complexity of healthcare data types, the widespread of a large-scale EHR system has hit barriers. Much of the data available is unstructured or contained within a singular healthcare provider’s systems. To fully utilize all the data available, methods for making data interoperable and regulations for data exchange to protect and support patients must be made. Through angles addressing data exchange and interoperability, we seek to break down the constraints and issues that EHR systems still face and gain an understanding of the regulatory landscape.

Adoption of electronic health records (EHR) systems in nonfederal acute care hospitals has increased, with adoption rates across the United States reaching as high as 94%. Of the 330 plus acute care hospital EHR implementations in Texas, only 31% have completed attestation to Stage 2 of the meaningful use (MU) criteria. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that hospital chief information officers (CIOs) used for the successful implementation of EHR. The target population consists of 3 hospitals CIOs from a multi-county region in North Central Texas who successfully implemented EHRs meeting Stage 2 MU criteria. The conceptual framework, for this research, was the technology acceptance model theory. The data were collected through semistructured interviews, member checking, review of the literature on the topic, and publicly available documents on the respective hospital websites. Using methodological triangulation of the data, 4 themes emerged from data analysis: EHR implementation strategies, overcoming resistance to technology acceptance, strategic alignment, and patient wellbeing. Participants identified implementation teams and informatics teams as a primary strategy for obtaining user engagement, ownership, and establishing a culture of acceptance to the technological changes. The application of the findings may contribute to social change by identifying the strategies hospital CIOs used for successful implementation of EHRs. Successful EHR implementation might provide positive social change by improving the quality of patient care, patient safety, security of personal health information, lowering health care cost, and improvements in the overall health of the general population.