OBJECTIVE: Electronic medical records (EMRs) have not developed much beyond the days of typewritten journals when it comes to facilitating extraction of data for quality assurance (QA) and improvement of health-care performance. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Based on 5 years' experience from the Norwegian Gastronet QA programme, we have developed a highly QA-profiled EMR for colonoscopy. We used a three-tier solution (client, server and database) written in the Java programming language using a number of open-source libraries. QA principles from the Norwegian paper-based Gastronet QA programme formed the basis for development of the ColoReg software. ColoReg is developed primarily for colonoscopy reporting in a screening trial, but may be used in routine clinical work. The QA module in ColoReg is well suited for intervention towards suboptimal performance in both settings. RESULTS: We have developed user-friendly software dominated by clickable boxes and curtain menus reducing free text to a minimum. The software gives warnings when illogical registrations are entered and reasons have to be given for divergence from software recommendations for work-up and surveillance. At any time, defined performance quality parameters are readily accessible in tabular form with the named, logged-in endoscopist being compared with all other anonymized endoscopists in the database. CONCLUSION: The ColoReg software is developed for use in an international, multicentre trial on colonoscopy screening. It is user-friendly and secures continuous QA of the endoscopist's performance. The principles used are applicable to development of EMRs in general.
OBJECTIVE: Electronic medical records (EMRs) have not developed much beyond the days of typewritten journals when it comes to facilitating extraction of data for quality assurance (QA) and improvement of health-care performance. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Based on 5 years' experience from the Norwegian Gastronet QA programme, we have developed a highly QA-profiled EMR for colonoscopy. We used a three-tier solution (client, server and database) written in the Java programming language using a number of open-source libraries. QA principles from the Norwegian paper-based Gastronet QA programme formed the basis for development of the ColoReg software. ColoReg is developed primarily for colonoscopy reporting in a screening trial, but may be used in routine clinical work. The QA module in ColoReg is well suited for intervention towards suboptimal performance in both settings. RESULTS: We have developed user-friendly software dominated by clickable boxes and curtain menus reducing free text to a minimum. The software gives warnings when illogical registrations are entered and reasons have to be given for divergence from software recommendations for work-up and surveillance. At any time, defined performance quality parameters are readily accessible in tabular form with the named, logged-in endoscopist being compared with all other anonymized endoscopists in the database. CONCLUSION: The ColoReg software is developed for use in an international, multicentre trial on colonoscopy screening. It is user-friendly and secures continuous QA of the endoscopist's performance. The principles used are applicable to development of EMRs in general.
Authors: M F Kaminski; M Bretthauer; A G Zauber; E J Kuipers; H-O Adami; M van Ballegooijen; J Regula; M van Leerdam; T Stefansson; L Påhlman; E Dekker; M A Hernán; K Garborg; G Hoff Journal: Endoscopy Date: 2012-06-21 Impact factor: 10.093
Authors: Michael Bretthauer; Lars Aabakken; Evelien Dekker; Michal F Kaminski; Thomas Rösch; Rolf Hultcrantz; Stepan Suchanek; Rodrigo Jover; Ernst J Kuipers; Raf Bisschops; Cristiano Spada; Roland Valori; Dirk Domagk; Colin Rees; Matthew D Rutter Journal: United European Gastroenterol J Date: 2016-02-03 Impact factor: 4.623