Real-world possibilities have been identified in this project. With the support of evidence based data, gleaned from the literature review, the Real Time Patient Data Project can bring about significant benefits to all involved parties. The ultimate goal of improving patient safety can be realized with this project.
One piece of this puzzle that still requires consideration is the need for an alert feature that will immediately notify an attending nurse of abnormal values that have been automatically transmitted into the patient's EHR. Although the user taking vital signs at the point of care should alert the nurse to abnormal values, situations can arise in which the nurse is not notified in a timely manner. Delaying notification of critical vital sign information can be detrimental to the safety of the patient. While this new technology greatly simplifies and speeds the process of entering vital sign information into a patient's medical records, in its current form this system does not ensure that critical information is provided immediately to the appropriate level of health care provider.
Possible remedies to this limitation in the system can include the following:
- programming Centricity EHR to allow input of acceptable ranges of vital signs parameters that can be established on an individual patient basis, with a resulting visual or auditory alert and acknowledgement of specified health care providers when data outside the acceptable range is transmitted from the point of care.
- programming of the Capsule Neuron to require attending nurse acknowledgment before electronic processing of abnormal vital sign information into the EMR can take place. In this case, complimentary patient care protocols could be established to ensure timely notification of health care providers depending on the severity of the vital signs recorded.
One piece of this puzzle that still requires consideration is the need for an alert feature that will immediately notify an attending nurse of abnormal values that have been automatically transmitted into the patient's EHR. Although the user taking vital signs at the point of care should alert the nurse to abnormal values, situations can arise in which the nurse is not notified in a timely manner. Delaying notification of critical vital sign information can be detrimental to the safety of the patient. While this new technology greatly simplifies and speeds the process of entering vital sign information into a patient's medical records, in its current form this system does not ensure that critical information is provided immediately to the appropriate level of health care provider.
Possible remedies to this limitation in the system can include the following:
- programming Centricity EHR to allow input of acceptable ranges of vital signs parameters that can be established on an individual patient basis, with a resulting visual or auditory alert and acknowledgement of specified health care providers when data outside the acceptable range is transmitted from the point of care.
- programming of the Capsule Neuron to require attending nurse acknowledgment before electronic processing of abnormal vital sign information into the EMR can take place. In this case, complimentary patient care protocols could be established to ensure timely notification of health care providers depending on the severity of the vital signs recorded.