Healthcare Informatics in primary care pediatrics

Patrick Ackah

Purdue Global

Children and Adolescent Health Focus

Professor Shelly Lehmann

11/23/21

Unit 9 Assignment instructions

Title: Healthcare Informatics in Primary Care Pediatrics

Pediatric- Is this Is a tracking Are there built-in Is there an area

Specific function function alerts to the to document and
Functionalities available in available such provider, such as a monitor special
of the EMR your EMR? as vaccination missed needs,
you are using history, history vaccination? circumstances, or
of referrals Allergies? unique qualities
with final Potential of the patient ?
reports? Medication
interactions?
Vaccination yes yes yes yes
 record
Screening yes yes yes yes
performed
Routine health yes yes yes yes
maintenance
Growth Charts yes yes yes yes
Medication yes yes yes yes
information,
dosage, and
indications?
Medication yes yes yes yes
dosage
calculation by
weight and
age?
Electronic yes yes yes yes
prescribing?
Monitoring of yes yes yes yes
special concern
such as a heart
murmur?
Pediatric - yes yes yes yes
specific norms
by age category
such as
milestones?
Current and yes yes yes yes
history of labs
and any other
diagnostics and
results
Health history yes yes yes yes
or interim
health history
Medication yes yes yes yes
history
Family: yes yes yes yes
Composition
Dynamics,
Education
needs
Anticipatory
guidance

Part two
Answer and expand on the following questions in a narrative format:
  Is there a mechanism for data sharing with members of the healthcare team?

The pediatric EMR the institution uses facilitates data sharing by ensuring that all

computer systems are interlinked through a similar system throughout the hospital. Thus,

ensuring that any health team member can have access to it from wherever they are by logging

into the system.

 Is this EMR user-friendly? Describe

The EMR being utilized is user-friendly as it utilizes a simple system of navigation,

which makes it easy for all users in the hospital to use it with ease. It incorporates a simple

navigation system with shortcuts bars, which allows for easier access to patients’ information at

any time. The system offers a quick search option, which pops up immediately you open the

system, for easy searching of information one needs. It provides software resources, which

makes it easy for its user to troubleshoot or reset the system, when necessary, without vendor

tech support. Additionally, it offers a preview feature, where one can go through the contents of

a particular tab before opening it, reducing cases of opening multiple unnecessary accounts.

 Any improvements needed? Describe

Despite being user-friendly, the system needs to be optimized to manage an increased

workflow. An increase in workflow in the institution means that more information must be

entered into this system. Currently, the increase in entered data makes the tool slow to navigate

and use, which delays seeing patients. Thus, optimization is necessary to ensure it can manage

increased data.

 Is data organized, easily accessed, easily entered? Describe

 The institution’s pediatric EMR organizes the collected data in various digital formats

across the different clinical departments involved. For instance, laboratory results, medical

imaging results, specialist notes, pharmacy, and emergency facilities. The data is easy to access

as once you type in the patient’s name, all their medical information appears under their name.

Also, the electronic medical records system utilizes an organized format of collecting data that

facilitates the entry of diverse types of data about the patient.

Part Three
Discuss in detail how this EMR system promotes the following (include references and citations
if needed):

 Safety

The use of EMR in pediatrics ensures patient safety by facilitating ease in detecting

missed diagnoses and errors that could lead to misdiagnosis and improper treatment, which risks

a patient’s health. It guides all medical professionals in developing accurate diagnoses through

conclusive information, which leads to a precise treatment regimen.

 Improved health outcomes

According to Dufendach, Eichenberger, McPheeters, Temple, Bhatia, Alrifai & Lehmann

(2015, pp. 1-2), the system improves health outcomes by ensuring that patients receive

standardized care as all the necessary information to point to it is readily available. Beneficial

results are achieved by ensuring that all children are immunized. Patients are tracked and

followed up through immunization management, records, tracking, and follow-up systems. When

medical care providers have complete access to all patients’ medical records, it improves their

ability to develop an accurate diagnosis by 98%, increasing the chances of a patient’s full

recovery.

 Collaboration
 The pediatrics EMR promotes collaboration among different medical professionals by

ensuring they can communicate easily and fast, from wherever they are, without the need for

face-to-face communication. The system allows medical professionals across different specialties

to access patients’ data simultaneously, allowing them to participate in a collaborative decision-

making process that produces proper treatment (Vos, Boonstra, Kooistra, Seelen & Van, 2020, 9-

10). Additionally, it promotes collaboration by all medical professionals at an institution by

facilitating their input in developing the system, eliminating pressure from one individual. For

instance, through the system, registration and collection of personal data are done at the

reception. Physicians input the medical diagnosis and treatment of the patient while the

pharmacy inputs the medication offered.

 Early red flags or other concerns

The system enables inputting a patient’s history, signs and symptoms, and clinical

examination into one place. As a result, a physician gets access to all this vital information

together, enabling them to identify potential red flags in a patient’s diagnosis that could point to

severe pathology. Consequently, taking immediate action to offer prompt and life-saving care

becomes easy and timely. Additionally, according to Ramanayake and Basnayake (2018, pp.

315), having the system outline a patient’s entire medical history offers a physician the ability to

identify other medical conditions the patient may be suffering from evaluating their extensive

medical history.

 Prevention of medication errors

The system prevents medication errors by warning of potential danger in the interactions

or an allergic reaction to drugs prescribed to a patient. Medication errors are averted by ensuring

the correct dosage and medicines are prescribed. Also, it facilitates access to all pertinent
patient’s medical records, which offers an understanding of what a patient needs, eliminating

errors in making a diagnosis.

 Patient satisfaction

The EMR system promotes patient satisfaction by enabling the children’s parents or

guardians’ access to their medical records, making them active participants in the diagnosis and

treatment process. The system eliminates unnecessary tests and immunizations that can cause

discomfort to the patient by keeping an accurate track of all tests and immunizations taken and

not taken. Additionally, it offers the patients easy access to their medical records, which gives

them comfort and satisfaction that all efforts are being made to keep them healthy (Migdal,

Namavar, Mosley & Afsar‐manesh, 2014, pp. 627-628).

 Evidence-based guidelines

Offering evidence-based patient care necessitates access to conclusive information when

necessary. The electronic medical records system ensures this by providing complete access to

accurate and definitive patient data. As a result, physicians can make accurate diagnoses devoid

of medical errors and assumptions, improving a patient’s care and outcome (Fowler, Yaeger, Yu,

Doerhoff, Schoening & Kelly, 2014, pp. 2).

.
 References

Dufendach, K. R., Eichenberger, J. A., McPheeters, M. L., Temple, M. W., Bhatia, H. L., Alrifai,

M. W., & Lehmann, C. U. (2015). Core functionality in pediatric electronic health

records. Agency for Healthcare Research Quality.

Fowler, S. A., Yaeger, L. H., Yu, F., Doerhoff, D., Schoening, P., & Kelly, B. (2014). Electronic

health record: integrating evidence-based information at the point of clinical decision

making. Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA, 102(1), 52.

Migdal, C. W., Namavar, A. A., Mosley, V. N., & Afsar‐manesh, N. (2014). Impact of electronic

health records on the patient experience in a hospital setting. Journal of hospital

medicine, 9(10), 627-633.

Ramanayake, R. P. J. C., & Basnayake, B. M. T. K. (2018). Evaluation of red flags minimizes

missing serious diseases in primary care. Journal of family medicine and primary care,

7(2), 315.

Vos, J. F., Boonstra, A., Kooistra, A., Seelen, M., & van Offenbeek, M. (2020). The influence of

electronic health record use on collaboration among medical specialties. BMC health

services research, 20(1), 1-11.