| Literature DB >> 30976756 |
Renwen Zhang1, Eleanor R Burgess1, Madhu C Reddy1, Nan E Rothrock2, Surabhi Bhatt2, Luke V Rasmussen2, Zeeshan Butt2, Justin B Starren2.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Integrating patient-reported outcomes (PROs) into electronic health records (EHRs) can improve patient-provider communication and delivery of care. However, new system implementation in health-care institutions is often accompanied by a change in clinical workflow and organizational culture. This study examines how well an EHR-integrated PRO system fits clinical workflows and individual needs of different provider groups within 2 clinics.Entities:
Keywords: clinical workflow; electronic health record; health information technology; patient-reported outcomes; sociotechnical system
Year: 2019 PMID: 30976756 PMCID: PMC6447042 DOI: 10.1093/jamiaopen/ooz001
Source DB: PubMed Journal: JAMIA Open ISSN: 2574-2531
Figure 1.NMPRO Workflow in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery’s Joint Replacement Program. NMPRO: Northwestern Medicine Patient Reported Outcomes.
Figure 2.NMPRO Workflow in the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center (RHLCCC). NMPRO: Northwestern Medicine Patient Reported Outcomes; RHLCCC: Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Characteristics of interview participants
| Clinic | Role | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Orthopedics | Surgeon | 2 |
| Oncology | Oncologist | 3 |
| Psychologist | 1 | |
| Social worker | 2 | |
| Medical assistant | 3 |
Figure 3.The FITT framework: IT adoption depends on the FITT. FITT: fit between individuals, task and technology.
Summarized findings of user feedback on NMPRO based on the FITT framework
| Role | Task(s) | Technology | Individual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistants | Administered PRO assessment in exam room Prompted patients to complete PRO assessment Challenges: Patient participation issues; workflow disruption | Positives: Interface was easy to use Negatives: Only English version was available; desktop PCs were challenging to patients with mobility issues; EHR locking issues | Motivations to use: None identified Barriers to use: Not fully aware of the clinical utility of PROs |
| Physicians | Reviewed PROs during or prior to clinic visit Discussed PROs with patients Challenges: Workflow disruption; time-consuming; redundant information | Positives: PRO scores were easy to interpret; trending graphs were helpful Negatives: Data visualization types were limited; PRO scores could not be inserted into clinical notes | Motivations to use: Aware of the potential benefits of PROs Barriers to use: Task overload; lack of actionable data; lack of data validation; lack of financial incentive |
| Psychosocial providers (psychologists & social workers) | Reviewed PROs before outreach Discussed PROs with patients and delivered mental health resources Challenges: Task overload | Positives: PRO scores were easy to interpret Negatives: Patient referrals were not routed to specific social workers in the EHR | Motivations to use: Targeted conversations with patients; improved delivery of care Barriers to use: Task overload; concerns about the accuracy of PROs |
EHR: electronic health record; FITT: fit between individuals, task and technology; NMPRO: Northwestern Medicine Patient Reported Outcomes; PRO: patient-reported outcome.
Summary of NMPRO challenges and recommended solutions
| Aspect | Challenges | Recommendations |
|---|---|---|
| Task/workflow | Patient resistance to PRO completion | Provide patients with educational materials regarding the purpose, use, and security of PROs via handouts, videos, and online resources |
| Limited time for patients to complete assessment in exam room | Increase opportunities for PRO collection in various settings, such as patient’s home, waiting room, and exam room | |
| Reviewing PROs disrupts clinical encounters | Provide simple and actionable PRO results with vivid data visualization to save time for providers | |
| Technology | Lack of various types of data visualization | Incorporate tools to represent and view data in multiple ways |
| PRO results are not available for direct integration into clinical notes | Pull PRO results into the Note using existing EHR tools | |
| Desktop computers are inconvenient for certain patient populations (eg, wheelchair users) | Provide tablets or other mobile devices for PRO collection in the clinic | |
| PRO assessments are only available in English | Offer PROs in other languages and allow patient to select desired language | |
| Patient referrals are not routed to specific social workers | Provide automatic separation/labeling of patients based on their clinic and primary physician | |
| Individual | Not fully aware of the value of PROs | PROs should include relevant and validated measures based on the needs of a clinic; explicate the clinical utility of PROs to providers through training |
| Unsure how to make use of the data | Need more research and guidance on recommended clinical action with PRO scores; provide actionable data presentation | |
| Lack of incentives | Incentivize and support routine use of PROs through improved payment models (eg, incentivize providers based on the number of clicks on PRO results) | |
| Lack of training and education | Conduct training tailored to specific providers through emails, clinic meetings, and one-on-one meetings; engage physician champions |
EHR: electronic health record; NMPRO: Northwestern Medicine Patient Reported Outcomes; PRO: patient-reported outcome.