Electronic evidence-based protocols used as a “shared baseline” at the patient bedside may help eliminate unnecessary medical care—and that can lead a health care entity down the road to being a top-performing organization, as one case study illustrates.

IT plays a crucial role in preventing health-care-associated infections (HAIs), according to a new white paper from GE Healthcare IT.

HAIs affect 1.7 million inpatients each year, and are the fourth leading cause of U.S. deaths. Additionally, they cost the U.S. health care system as much as $35 billion each year. According to the GE Healthcare IT report, however, HAIs can be prevented with emerging technologies, such as electronic medical records (EMRs).

As one example, the report highlights the case of Intermountain Healthcare, where 80 percent of care delivery is evidence-based (vs. less than 55 percent for the rest of the industry).

There, evidence-based care protocols are rolled into a clinical information system and used as a “shared baseline” at the patient bedside. Physicians are expected to base their treatments on these protocols, making any necessary adjustments to meet individual patient needs.

Evidence-based protocols can improve accuracy, as illustrated by the work of Anthony Lee, MD, of Columbus Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio. Lee created a Web-based system that automatically calculated a patient’s next dose of insulin. Instead of reviewing multiple pages and performing manual calculations, nurses simply enter two variables and the system instructed what action to take next. As it turned out, nursed calculated the insulin rate incorrectly nearly 25 percent of the time with the paper system, but only 1 percent of the time with the Web-based system (and in 80 percent of cases with errors, the insulin infusion rate was miscalculated by at least one unit per hour).

According to the GE Healthcare IT report, using such evidence-based care protocols for clinical decision support also eliminates unnecessary care, which has helped make Intermountain a top-performing organization. Other health care organizations of all sizes may wish to emulate this practice.

The entire report is available here.

Only a fraction of U.S. physicians have fully implemented and begun to use an electronic medical record (EMR) despite years of widespread availability and incentives, and for many good reasons—but gloEMR is covering resistance with its commitment to truly meaningful use.

The process of vetting and implementing an electronic medical record (EMR) can be challenging for any medical group, with barriers to adoption including excessive perceived costs for setup and maintenance, disruption to physician productivity, and insufficient clinical and financial benefits.

But technological progress, HITECH Act incentives, and consumer demand have all combined to overcome resistance and spur a wave of adoption—and today, many physicians have seen firsthand that the right system can help their practices gain greater efficiency and generate increased revenues.

The key is to adopt the right system, such as gloEMR 6.0, gloStream’s flagship EMR, which has been certified by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT), an ONC-ATCB, in accordance with the applicable certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of HHS.

gloStream guarantees that gloEMR will provide eligible providers with everything they need to achieve meaningful use and qualify for stimulus incentive funding. That means gloStream will provide everything the government requires for customers to be eligible for stimulus payments—and more.

That’s because to gloStream, meaningful use is about more than just meeting government requirements; it’s about making sure clients are completely comfortable using their EMRs and getting the results they need.

gloStream achieves this with its innovative gloDNA process, which allows the company to understand the needs of a practice so gloEMR can be configured the way the individual doctors practice medicine. During this process, gloStream reviews the practice’s needs in order to build a customized solution and recommend process changes that help smooth the transition to a digital environment. It then follows through with a wellness phase designed to make sure clients continue to be truly meaningful users.

That’s what gloStream calls “truly meaningful use,” and that’s its guarantee.

Creating online tools that allow patients to complete cumbersome paperwork online before their appointment and complete other tasks electronically is something both doctors and patients want—because it saves time and money on both sides of the equation.

Patients are ready for physicians to offer a number of new online tools, according to a recent study—and many physicians are ready to do so. Are you?

The Intuit Health Patient Engagement Study, which looked at 556 U.S. medical practices, found that 95 percent of doctors want their patients to fill out medical forms online before their appointments. And most patients are on board: a full 81 percent said they’d like to do these tasks online as well.

One reason is that the current state of medical practices is inefficient. Nearly half of the medical practices surveyed said they regularly run 30 to 60 minutes behind schedule. That isn’t surprising: One-third of practices reported that staff spends three or more hours each day trying to reach patients to communicate follow-up information, and forty-five percent reported that phone interruptions happen so frequently they impact office efficiency.

Patients are unhappy, too: Most of the medical practices surveyed reported that patients complain about spending too much time in the waiting room, filling out the same paper forms over and over, and trying to make appointments, ask questions, and receive lab results.

The current state of medical practices is costly, too: Eighty-three percent of the medical practices surveyed reported that patients have to be reminded more than once before paying a bill.

The solution, according to the survey: “When doctors give patients convenient and easy-to-use online tools, they’ll be amazed at the positive impact an engaged and satisfied patient can have on their staff’s time and their bottom line.”

According to the study, because customers already use online self-service tools today in banking, shopping, and other areas, they’re ready to embrace them in health care.

Fast and easy describes the entire process of EMR implementation at Chicago Nasal & Sinus Center. That’s because the EMR the practice chose, gloStream’s gloEMR, comes with the backing of solid Microsoft technology, ample training, and around-the-clock local support.

Concern about implementation is one of the largest stumbling blocks to transitioning to an electronic medical record (EMR), but the change isn’t always difficult. That’s what Chicago Nasal & Sinus Center found, anyway.

The practice has one physician, a physician assistant, a nurse/surgical coordinator, a CT technician, a receptionist, and practice manager. It sees about 100 patients per week and has about 5,000 active patient files.

To streamline procedures, make the practice more efficient, and save money, Chicago Nasal & Sinus Center explored a number of EMR options. Ultimately, it found gloStream’s gloEMR to be the perfect fit.

“The impetus to explore an EMR was based on our increasing patient volume, the increasing demands of documentation and correspondence, and the upcoming government mandates,” says Practice Manager Becky Pritikin. “The search for an EMR was, at least in part, to decrease the burden of charting and make it more efficient.”

A number of features attracted the practice to gloStream, which uses the latest technology available to offer powerful, single-click access to all patient information, customizable templates, and exceptional voice-recognition technology. “We selected gloStream because of the stable platform (Microsoft Windows) with an established word processing program (Microsoft Word) that we were already familiar with and using,” Pritikin says. “gloStream is a very adaptable system, allowing us to create our own document templates, formatting the EMR in a fashion similar to our paper charts.”

According to Pritikin, employees were very receptive to implementation and took to the training very quickly. Meanwhile, implementation costs have been offset by the $20-billion government stimulus program as well as savings on postage, stationery, and print cartridges.

Digital pen and paper technology can help physicians reach meaningful use more quickly, and only requires three things: a digital pen, digital paper that reads the input from the digital pen, and the software that pulls it all together.

The race to meaningful use is underway—and anyone who is participating should look into digitizing information that has been historically stored on paper. One way to do that is digital pen and paper technology.

Digital pen and paper technology digitizes information you write down, provided that you use a special pen and special paper. The benefit: You write as you normally would, but the information you write can be stored and accessed via your electronic medical record (EMR) system.

If you’re a physician on the road to meaningful use, you’ll want to explore this technology because it can reduce the number of things you need to change when implementing an EMR. That, in turn, will reduce your frustration—and get you up and running more quickly.

Interested? You’ll need three components: a digital pen, the software that prints the digital paper, and the digital paper that reads the input from the digital pen.

Here’s how it works. Your IT provider gives you software that lets you design and print your own forms—in other words, they look exactly like the forms you’re currently using. However, they will contain a subtle pattern of barely visible dots that can be read by the digital pen when you write. Although digital pens are larger than normal pens, they’re not so large that they’re hard to use, and they produce ink so you can see what you’re writing. Everything you write is then uploaded to your computer system—saving you time and improving accuracy.

EMRs don’t have to mean months of lost productivity and income—if you choose the right EMR. gloStream guarantees that you’ll be back to your full patient load within 15 days of gloEMR implementation, or you’ll get your money back.

Downtime is one of the main concerns of physicians reluctant to implement an electronic medical record (EMR). But that doesn’t have to be a concern, thanks to gloEMR.

According to an article in Healthcare IT News, one of the 10 barriers to EMR implementation is the fear of lost productivity. Many physicians believe that they will lose 25 percent of their productivity for three full months after EMR implementation. And who can afford that?

Fortunately, that doesn’t have to be the case. gloStream utilizes an innovative implementation process called gloStream Detailed Needs Analysis (gloDNA). During this process, gloStream gathers all of the information needed to create an ideal EMR or practice management solution for clients—who can be up in running in weeks, not months.

The result is a solution tailored to your needs. “Thanks to the functionality within gloEMR, I have the capability to see a healthy load of patients when I’m in the clinic and still finish all of my charts so that I can leave by 4:30pm,” says one gloStream client.

In fact, the gloDNA process is so successful that gloStream offers a money-back guarantee: If your practice isn’t back to its full patient load within 15 days of your glo-live date, gloStream will provide a refund for gloStream software and services.

Worried that you’ll be stranded by an EMR solution provider that isn’t in the business for the long haul? It’s a genuine concern: Many EMR providers are discontinuing their products and the support for those products, leaving physicians in the lurch. But gloEMR is here to stay.

An increasing number of EMR providers are discontinuing their products and the support for those products, leaving many physicians in the lurch. With gloEMR, you can rest assured:  We’re here to stay.

Many physicians who thought they were using reliable, long-lasting EMRs are feeling stranded because their EMR providers weren’t in the business for the long haul. Some EMR providers are going out of business; others are asking clients to upgrade to their newer solutions and pay a hefty upgrade fee.

Discontinuing a software solution and support for it without giving physicians an affordable and effective alternative has serious ramifications not only for physicians, but for their patients as well.

As a result, gloStream is committed to building all of its software on the Microsoft Office platform. Microsoft Office—a staple of the Microsoft software family—has been around for decades. Moreover, every year Microsoft spends billions of dollars on Office-related research and development, a sure sign that it will be around for many years to come.

When you invest in gloEMR, you know your EMR is here to stay, and that your data is safe and secure—not just when you buy our software, but years down the road. We believe so strongly in our product, we even make it easy for you to switch to another product. We store your data in Microsoft-based formats that are supported by thousands of technology partners worldwide, so if you decide to move that data to other applications, or even another EMR solution, you can do so.

To help physicians who are rethinking their current EMR, gloStream offers attractive discounts to practices that convert from other EMR software to gloEMR.

More than 70 percent ofoffice-based physicians are eligible for federal incentives but do not have a basic EMR, according to a recent study. However, that will likely change from 2013 through 2015, the final years of the HITECH bonus period, and as younger physicians begin practicing medicine.

Roughly 83 percent of office-based physicians could qualify for federal incentives for electronic medical records (EMR) implementation if they meet meaningful use criteria, according to a study published in Health Affairs.

The study—which used data from the 2007 and 2008 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to measure the use of EMRs by office-based physicians—found that some physicians would qualify for Medicare incentives, some for Medicaid incentives, and some for both. Eligibility was based on the number of Medicare and Medicaid patients seen.

Interesting data points from the study include:

• 70.5 percent of physicians are eligible for incentives, but do not have a basic EMR.
• 12.1 percent of physicians are eligible for incentives and already have a basic EMR.
• 14.6 percent of physicians are not eligible for incentives and do not have a basic EMR.
• 2.8 percent of physicians are not eligible for incentives and already have a basic EMR.
• Location matters: Midwest physicians were more likely to qualify, Western physicians less likely.
• Specialty matters: Psychiatrists are significantly less likely to use EMRs than other specialists.
• Practice type matters: Physicians in a solo practice and physicians in practices owned by a health maintenance organization (HMO) are less likely than those in larger practices to qualify for incentives and use EMRs.

While physicians may be slow to embrace EMRs, they won’t resist for long, according to Susan Dentzer, editor-in-chief of Health Affairs. Dentzer predicts more physicians will adopt EMRs from 2013 through 2015, in the final years of the HITECH bonus period. Moreover, as younger physicians begin practicing, the operating standard will likely change to using EMRs.

In our opinion, implementing sooner is better than implementing later. Contact us for more information about getting an EMR.

Why buy an EMR if you’re not going to use it? At gloStream, our proprietary, five-stage gloStream Detailed Needs Analysis (gloDNA) helps us gain a complete understanding of the way each practice functions—and act accordingly for better results.

According to industry statistics, 30 to 40 percent of electronic medical record (EMR) software is not used—but with the right EMR provider, that isn’t the case.

Choosing EMR software is just one part of the process of successfully transforming a practice from paper-based medical records to an EMR. It’s also crucial to have a complete understanding of the way each practice functions—and act accordingly for better results.

At gloStream, we call the process of gaining this understanding gloStream Detailed Needs Analysis (gloDNA). It consists of five stages:

Stage 1:  Practice Consult. We learn about your practice’s experiences, goals, and concerns when it comes to EMR implementation by asking a series of questions about your practice, its people, and its requirements.

Stage 2:  Practice Scan. We build on what we learn during Stage 1 by gathering quantitative data about your practice and its workflows. The result is an inventory of your specific technical and operational requirements and systems.

Stage 3:  Proposal. We provide you with a customized plan of action. It will include a clear picture of the technical, personnel, and financial requirements for successful EMR implementation.

Stage 4:  Protocol. We leverage feedback received during Stages 1 and 2 to successfully transition your practice from paper-based medical records to an EMR.

Stage 5:  Wellness. We ensure your practice’s health by providing ongoing support to address issues that may arise as you implement your EMR. We monitor the performance of your system and integrate your feedback.

gloDNA has enabled gloStream to achieve a 100 percent success rate with EMR implementation. In other words, every doctor who has purchased our software continues using it today.

To learn more about gloStream’s exclusive gloDNA process, call us at (877) 456-3671 or send an email to info@glostream.com.

EMRs should help, not hurt, your practice and your patients. Many respondents to a new survey are worried that EMR implementation will lead to lower-quality care for their patients. But that doesn’t have to be the case.

The 2011 National Physicians Survey, conducted in 2010 and updated in December 2010 and January 2011, surveyed 2,958 physicians across the country.

The result: Many are concerned that privacy, security, and doctor-patient relationships could be negatively impacted by EMRs. Specifically, when asked about the impact of reform on patients, 58 percent of physicians said it would be negative.

But that doesn’t have to be the case. gloEMR from gloStream is one of the most powerful and easy-to-use EMRs on the market today—and it helps, not hurts, your practice and your patients.

With gloEMR, security isn’t a concern. Because gloEMR is built on the Microsoft Office platform, it provides you with control over your patient data, which will always be stored in Microsoft-based formats that are thoroughly tested and supported by thousands of technology partners worldwide.

gloEMR also helps, not hinders, doctor-patient relationships. It features an intuitive dashboard, single-click access to all patient information, and integrated voice recognition technology—all of which work together to let you spend more time listening and diagnosing, and less time documenting.

With gloStream’s dedication to data portability, commitment to the Microsoft Office platform, and user-friendly interface, you can rest assured that your investment in gloEMR is one that will help your patients. Contact us for more information.

Related articles: 2011 National Physicians Survey