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Part III Standards for Compliance

TABLE 25.1 Electronic Health Records Benefits Versus Drawbacks (II) Benefits of EHR

Drawbacks of EHR

Increased accessibility ●

From any networked computer ● Visual test results (ie, radiology) ● Previous encounters/old records

●

Continuum of care of records from MD office, home care, outpatient clinics, inpatient

Ability to interface with dietary systems (eg, diet orders, allergies)

Timeliness of test results, labs Can query information (ie, reports, audits)

Increased patient safety with computer provided order entry

Increased productivity of staff Standardized documentation screens

Clinical Nutrition Manager can conduct chart reviews from office

Increased accuracy of information due to lack of penmanship issues

Ability to view results in variety of formats (ie, tables, charts, graphs)

System downs or slow to process information Lack of computer availability

Difficulty in locating information at times (ie, physicians not sure where to find nutrition recommendations)

Don’t always have input into documentation screen content/layout

Lack of information detail at times

Two-step process to documentation—record on paper, then enter in computer

Must rely on information system department partnership to build system and get issues resolved

Lose “human” connection—decreased verbal communication

Increased training for new hires

Documentation is not always entered in a timely manner (ie, nurses record all info at end of shift)

Physicians enter diets incorrectly

Source: Reproduced with permission from Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Electronic Health Records (EHR) Toolkit. www.adaehr. com/content.cfm?content_id=88536.

nutrition practitioners have on both patient/client out- comes and health care costs.

ANDHII can also measure how use of Evidence- Based Practice Guidelines affects care and outcomes, and these measurements can then be used to promote and improve recommendations. The knowledge gained from the collection and evaluation of outcomes can then be used to ensure that the Evidence Analysis Library’s Evidence-Based Nutrition Practice Guidelines provide recommendations for the best care of individual clients based on applicable research findings, inform Academy positions and public policy efforts, and promote the positive impact of nutrition and dietetic practitioners. The success of this initiative is dependent

on the RDN and NDTR taking an active role in this process.

Technology in the Home and Beyond Technology can often make it possible for seniors to stay in their homes longer, delaying or obviating the need to move to a long-term care center. What began with a simple alert button that a person pressed when he or she fell or required assistance (still in use in some instances) has evolved into so-called smart homes, a sensor-filled residence where a person’s actions around his or her dwelling can be monitored (12-14). Advances in technology and the availability of devices with sensors, voice activation, GPS, Bluetooth, Internet