|
How to Reduce Patient Risk if Your EMR System Fails
|
Many eldercare providers are implementing Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems in their efforts to improve care and reduce costs. EMRs can help prevent harmful drug interactions, track assessments and monitor clinical outcomes. But what happens when the EMR system is down and not available? How do eldercare providers ensure patient care is not compromised?
 Consistent patient care - when your EMR system crashes - is dependent on fast and clear instructions to the entire nursing staff. Many communities choose to revert to old methods and set up a "call tree" to disseminate information to the nursing staff. But, is a call tree truly effective and the best utilization of management's precious time?
At Wingate Healthcare, an innovative skilled nursing and senior living provider in NY and MA, Lisa Jacobs, VP of Clinical Services, is replacing the anachronistic call tree in their EMR Recovery Plan with the automated messaging solution from VoiceFriend. Lisa adds, "we've been so successful in making staff more productive and containing OT expenses with VoiceFriend, that we brainstormed other ways to use their service. Replacing the call tree with VoiceFriend will greatly enhance our communications during a true EMR systems issue".
EMR down time is a tremendous challenge. Communicating consistent instructions to staff during the recovery should be the easiest part of the recovery process.
Bruce Baron is CEO of VoiceFriend. He can be reached at bruce.baron@voicefriend.net. VoiceFriend is the leader in providing messaging services for eldercare communities. For more information on solutions to reduce cost of care, improve resident and family satisfaction and improve prospect conversion rates, please contact VoiceFriend at 781-996-3123 or email us at sales@voicefriend.net.
|
