Select Specialty Hospital San Diego relies on Epic as its Electronic Health Record (EHR) system, an integral component of its critical illness recovery and long-term care services. Located in downtown San Diego, the hospital has 110 beds and specializes in acute healthcare, aiding patients in recovering independence in speech, eating, walking, breathing, and thinking. Epic has been successfully implemented at this hospital for five years, significantly enhancing patient care. However, it is crucial for nursing staff to deepen their understanding of HIPAA regulations, privacy concerns, security rules, and best practices to safeguard patients’ data.
SAFER Guides
The HealthIT SAFER Guides are essential tools for identifying risks associated not only with data security and integrity but also with technology implementation in healthcare. These guides, categorized into foundational, infrastructural, and clinical processes, help healthcare professionals optimize technology to meet organizational needs. Epic’s selection as an integrated EHR system is favored by large hospitals across the U.S. for its effective management and sharing of electronic medical records (Day, 2016), contributing to enhanced patient security and operational efficiency.
Implementation and Functionality
Epic streamlines charting across specialties within patient care settings such as emergency departments, inpatient care, and clinics. The system also features MyChart, a patient portal enabling access to medical records, communication with clinicians, appointment scheduling, and online visits (Day, 2016). Active patient involvement through MyChart significantly enhances the quality of healthcare delivery.
Evaluation and Challenges
Evaluation of technology impact involves utilizing SAFER Guides to assess critical areas like patient identification, test result reporting, follow-up procedures, and clinician communication (HealthIT.gov, 2018). While Epic excels in integrating patient records to prevent duplication, challenges remain in electronically tracing send-out tests and communicating urgent clinical information efficiently. Improving these areas is crucial to prevent delays and ensure timely information dissemination.
Ethical and Legal Considerations
The adoption of EHR systems like Epic introduces innovative healthcare practices but also increases legal responsibilities for clinicians. Timely and accurate charting is essential to mitigate legal risks associated with patient care decisions and documentation.
Conclusion
Mastering SAFER Guides is essential for healthcare professionals to mitigate risks in healthcare settings effectively. Collaboration between clinical and IT teams is pivotal in creating a safer and more efficient healthcare delivery system, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.
References
Day, J. A. (2016, September 23). Why Epic. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved September 6, 2022, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/epic/why_epic/
SAFER Guides and Evaluating Technology Usage
Select Specialty Hospital San Diego relies on Epic as its Electronic Health Record (EHR) system, an integral component of its critical illness recovery and long-term care services. Located in downtown San Diego, the hospital has 110 beds and specializes in acute healthcare, aiding patients in recovering independence in speech, eating, walking, breathing, and thinking. Epic has been successfully implemented at this hospital for five years, significantly enhancing patient care. However, it is crucial for nursing staff to deepen their understanding of HIPAA regulations, privacy concerns, security rules, and best practices to safeguard patients’ data.
SAFER Guides
The HealthIT SAFER Guides are essential tools for identifying risks associated not only with data security and integrity but also with technology implementation in healthcare. These guides, categorized into foundational, infrastructural, and clinical processes, help healthcare professionals optimize technology to meet organizational needs. Epic’s selection as an integrated EHR system is favored by large hospitals across the U.S. for its effective management and sharing of electronic medical records (Day, 2016), contributing to enhanced patient security and operational efficiency.
Implementation and Functionality
Epic streamlines charting across specialties within patient care settings such as emergency departments, inpatient care, and clinics. The system also features MyChart, a patient portal enabling access to medical records, communication with clinicians,