Perinatal Computerized Patient Record and Archiving Systems: Pitfalls and Enhancements for Implementing a Successful Computerized Medical Record

Abstract

Interest in purchasing and installing a perinatal computerized patient record (CPR) and archiving system is growing in the United States as a result of increased patient satisfaction demands, cost containment, and quality improvement. Perinatal nurses are commonly charged with researching available computer software and hardware, making purchasing decisions, developing menus and forms, orienting users, and maintaining and upgrading systems. The decision to chart and archive by computer as well as installation and maintenance issues mandate that nurses increase their computer-related knowledge. The article reviews information related to CPR capabilities and rationales for purchase decisions, implementation and staff development issues, ergonomic and maintenance considerations, and realistic expectations of a CPR to provide perinatal nurses who are involved in purchasing, implementing, and maintaining these systems with a timely understanding of important elements that they need to know to make this effort successful.

Integration of a nationally procured electronic health record system into user work practices

“…if an important record is not available when needed). It is therefore vital that these wider factors are considered when mapping anticipated changes to work practices, which needs to be routinely and regularly done by organisations preparing for changes associated with IT applications in healthcare [62,63]. …”

Helping Nurses Overcome Possible Barriers

“…Th ere is a reduced cost to the hospital in paper savings along with labor requirements for review, revision and provision of forms. Th e existence of paper charts also requires personnel to pick up, transport, archive, store and retrieve the records (Kelly, 1999;McLane, 2005). Cost reduction may also be acquired from decreased nursing documentation time in a computer-based system.…”

Leadership in Nursing Informatics

“…Some essential informatics skills include project management; CIS selection, implementation, and management; and database analysis. Nurses can learn from published reports about IT and CIS in perinatal and women's health settings (Kelly, 1999;Korst, Eusebio-Angeja, Chamorro, Aydin, & Gregory, 2003;Miranda, Fields, & Lund, 2001).…”