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Case Studies
EMERGING understands and appreciates the customer’s need to have their
documents scanned, index and input their documents into their DocuStar
electronic document management system. As with the majority of the medical
facilities the Medical Records departments typically have the greatest
filing and storage requirements. Because of existing management systems
and established processes for handling paper-based records, this department
has one of the most straightforward conversion processes that can be
accomplished in a relatively short and predictable period of time.
EMERGING understands the principal drivers behind the customer’s strategy to
request information for a document scanning and indexing solution to be four
fold:
-
the customer finds it difficult to store, locate, retrieve, and
reproduce documents contained in the paper files of the Medical Records
department.
-
On-site storage of the growing volume of department files is not an
attractive or cost-appropriate option for the customer.
-
the customer is seeking to significantly improve the productivity of its
Medical Records Department employees through the elimination of paper
filing and the instant availability of electronic records through an
electronic document management system.
-
the customer needs to have their documents scanned and indexed and
placed in a format the can be loaded into the DocuStar document
management system.
EMERGING has the
expertise and experience to fully complete the rigorous demands required by
the customer and, as importantly, understands the issues and needs facing
the customer on a daily basis that are critical to a smooth, simple, and
successful conversion of their paper records. EMERGING Technology’s
scanning and storage services have helped numerous businesses, medical
institutions and government agencies to: 1) eliminate their dependency on
paper documents, 2) reduce their storage requirements, and 3) provide access
to key information assets directly from their desktop computers. EMERGING
has the capability to scan the customer’s documents in accordance with New
Jersey State
Division of Archives
and Records Management (NJDARM) requirements.
The customer’s goal is to
attain cost savings, efficiency, quality and standards’ compliance through
conversion of patient paper records to imaged data records and
implementation of GE Centricity Electronic Medical Records (EMR). In
order to achieve the project’s goals while keeping project costs down we
held preliminary discussions with GE on the conversion and implementation
process. GE representatives said that GE EMR can access imaged data records
while in their digital imaged format. Thus, we recommend consideration that
all records be converted to digital images as planned, but only active
patients’ imaged records will be associated with GE Centricity EMR.
Non-active patients’ records would be converted to digital images, indexed
and stored, but not associated with EMR. If a patient’s status changes from
non-active to active, the patient’s records will then become part of EMR.
For active patients, the
digital scanning process involves conversion of old paper records to digital
imaged records that can be referenced from GE Centricity EMR. An EMR
database will need to be established for active patients. To accomplish
this, an interim patient form would be developed to collect the necessary
patient information in a format that can be scanned into GE EMR. The
interim form would be used during the period from project start to Go-Live
of the EMR system. This form would be scanned into EMR to build the patient
database. This information would be electronic data.
Conversion of Patient Records
1.
Records
of Non-Active Patients:
·
Their existing
records will be scanned into digital images and referenced through an index
system.
·
No additional
activity will take place with these records. The information of these
patients will not be entered into GE Centricity EMR as long as they remain
non-active.
·
In the event
that a non-active patient returns and becomes a patient again, the records
shall be treated as an active patient as defined below.
2.
Records
of Active Patients
·
Their existing
records will be scanned into digital images and referenced through an index
system.
·
A new patient
interim record format form will be defined, approved by the customer’s staff
and placed into service as the interim record that will be the base for GE
Centricity EMR.
·
The new interim
patient records will be scanned into GE Centricity EMR. GE Centricity EMR
will access patients’ existing records scanned into digital images. In the
event that the practicing physician determines that the past scanned records
are of significant importance and should be part of EMR records, they will
be entered into GE Centricity EMR as an electronic record.
3.
Records
of New Patients
·
A new patient
interim record format will be defined, approved by the customer’s staff and
placed into service as the interim record that will be the base for GE
Centricity EMR. The new interim patient records will be scanned into GE
Centricity EMR.
Proposal
Emerging Technology
implemented the following support prior to the formal beginning of the
project:
1.
Begin
project planning for GE Centricity
2.
Interface with GE for planning of the conversion of patient records
3.
Coordinate with GE Centricity and the customer the selection of the interim
forms
4.
Begin
planning the patient database
5.
Provide
quality control of the digital imaging process
6.
Begin
the work flow analysis
7.
Provide
communication to the the customer on the procedures and status of the plan
8.
Implement the interim process of preparation for cutover of GE Centricity
EMR
The customer IT environment supports an array of
healthcare and non-healthcare applications spread across divergent hardware
platforms and relying on state-of-the-art processes in order to function as
reliably as possible. Applications include Healthquest, IDX, EPIC,Logician
and Egate (interface engine). The University has made a substantial
investment in HL7, a health care protocol for interfaces. The university’s
administrative functions utilize the Banner system, a series of applications
provided to higher education customers by Sunguard/SCT. The environment is
tied together by the University’s Network, which is secured in order to
provide the utmost safety of information and to facilitate compliance with
HIPAA,
FERPA, OPRA, and other federal and state laws and
regulations. The customer state wide data network infrastructure is
comprised of a combination of technologies that reach across multiple
campuses and remote offices. The majority of the data network hardware
resides on a Gigabit Ethernet backbone with the capability to deploy
switched port speeds up to 100 mbps. However, legacy infrastructures, which
utilize a shared Ten
Ethernet backbone operating at an aggregate speed of 10
mbps shared, still exist in some locations.
Our Solution
Emerging Technology provided a single point of contact
for Document Imaging and Management Solution services in conjunction with
the customer. The Enterprise Document Imaging and Management Solution (DIMS)
is responsible for the management and resolution of problems related to the
managed infrastructure. The DIMS will perform initial problem determination,
and if it is determined to be an area Emerging Technology does not have
direct responsibility for, Emerging Technology will dispatch the
customer-designated contact. The DIMS will "own" the problem and administer
the resolution. By employing all qualified Technical personnel in the DIMS
and using sophisticated IVR and communication technologies, Emerging
Technology will minimize the problem resolution time and increase the
quality of the service levels.The entire cycle of problem reporting,
classification, dispatch, client communication and resolution is governed by
Emerging Technology’s problem management process. This process will follow
the definitive service levels and response times mutually agreed upon for
each stage of the problem process appropriate to the nature of the problem
and user requirements. Severe problems will be immediately communicated to
the key system owners and escalated to Emerging Technology management, and
regular updates will be provided until the problem is resolved.
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