Our final assignment for our English 2089: Intermediate Composition class was to create a multimedia project. Here, we will attempt to answer the question "How is electronic documentation influencing nursing practice?" This website can be given as a presentation at a local hospital about what computerized documentation includes, the advantages of computerized documentation, the disadvantages of computerized documentation, and what the future holds for computerized documentation.
Technology is rapidly entering the healthcare field and is redefining how nurses practice nursing. Many researchers are looking into one particular question that involves technology - how is electronic documentation influencing nursing practice? One of the biggest technology influences affecting nursing is the implementation of EPIC.
So here's the question you are probably all wondering... what is EPIC anyways? EPIC is "an electronic medical record vendor for both inpatient and outpatient documentation. It replaced the old legacy system and provides electronic documentation of clinical information" (Klehr 169). In other words, EPIC:
So here's the question you are probably all wondering... what is EPIC anyways? EPIC is "an electronic medical record vendor for both inpatient and outpatient documentation. It replaced the old legacy system and provides electronic documentation of clinical information" (Klehr 169). In other words, EPIC:
- is an electronic system for patient registration, appointment scheduling, documentation, billing, and other business related functions.
- is an online communication tool for physicians, nurses, nurses' aides, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathologists, secretaries, patients, etc.
- allows all health care providers to view a patient's chart in a more comprehensive fasion
- allows a patient's data to move across all hospital areas (such as clinics, the emergency departments, and inpatient units)
- is a way to create more accurate health records
![Picture](/uploads/1/9/1/8/19188459/7194831.jpg?577)
You may be wondering "What does EPIC look like?" The picture to your left is an image of the homepage of EPIC. From here, healthcare workers can use the tabs on the left to navigate to the patient summary, chart review, results review, history, notes, documentation flow sheets, etc.
You may be wondering "Why do we have to use EPIC now opposed to the paper charting that we are used to?" With the implementation of EPIC, hospitals hope to better:
- ensure patient safety
- reduce errors
- and to allow patients to become directly involved in the management of their own health services
The video below explains one hospital's implementation towards paperless hospital records. It also explains the goals and advantages of EPIC.