TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparison of extent of use, information accuracy, and functions for manual and electronic patient status boards
AU - Patterson, Emily S.
AU - Rogers, Michelle L.
AU - Tomolo, Anne M.
AU - Wears, Robert L.
AU - Tsevat, Joel
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Health Services Research and Development Service (SHP 08-149). The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the view of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The study sponsor had no involvement in the study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
PY - 2010/12
Y1 - 2010/12
N2 - Purpose: Electronic software packages to support patient tracking and disposition decision making in emergency departments (EDs) are being considered for implementation in many hospitals. We compared extent of use, information accuracy, and functions of manual and electronic patient status boards at 2 EDs where both were continuously in use. Methods: Ethnographic observations were conducted at 2 Veterans Affairs Medical Center Emergency Departments using both manual and electronic patient status boards (100. h, 9 physicians at Site 1; 64. h, 14 physicians at Site 2). Data included board information collected at 20-min intervals, observable behavior while using boards, and interviews. Results: Few physicians (3/9 [33%] Site 1; 0/14 [0%] Site 2) used the e-board, whereas all physicians used the whiteboards. Whiteboards had fewer inaccuracies (6/462 [1%] Site 1; 21/864 [3%] Site 2) than e-boards (62/462 [13%] Site 1; 107/864 [12%] Site 2). The primary functions of the whiteboard were to track real-time changes to patient identifiers, locations, nursing assignments, and pending activities; facilitate patient handoffs; inform physicians and nurses about newly arrived patients assigned to them; inform nurses of physicians' orders; and inform physicians of the status of ordered items. The primary functions of the e-board were to support electronic data entry (by clerks) of patient admitting and departure times; and highlight patients who had been in the ED for longer than 6. h. Conclusions: Whiteboards were more extensively used and had greater information accuracy than e-boards. Nevertheless, e-boards provided functionality not easily achievable with whiteboards.
AB - Purpose: Electronic software packages to support patient tracking and disposition decision making in emergency departments (EDs) are being considered for implementation in many hospitals. We compared extent of use, information accuracy, and functions of manual and electronic patient status boards at 2 EDs where both were continuously in use. Methods: Ethnographic observations were conducted at 2 Veterans Affairs Medical Center Emergency Departments using both manual and electronic patient status boards (100. h, 9 physicians at Site 1; 64. h, 14 physicians at Site 2). Data included board information collected at 20-min intervals, observable behavior while using boards, and interviews. Results: Few physicians (3/9 [33%] Site 1; 0/14 [0%] Site 2) used the e-board, whereas all physicians used the whiteboards. Whiteboards had fewer inaccuracies (6/462 [1%] Site 1; 21/864 [3%] Site 2) than e-boards (62/462 [13%] Site 1; 107/864 [12%] Site 2). The primary functions of the whiteboard were to track real-time changes to patient identifiers, locations, nursing assignments, and pending activities; facilitate patient handoffs; inform physicians and nurses about newly arrived patients assigned to them; inform nurses of physicians' orders; and inform physicians of the status of ordered items. The primary functions of the e-board were to support electronic data entry (by clerks) of patient admitting and departure times; and highlight patients who had been in the ED for longer than 6. h. Conclusions: Whiteboards were more extensively used and had greater information accuracy than e-boards. Nevertheless, e-boards provided functionality not easily achievable with whiteboards.
KW - Emergency department
KW - Human factors
KW - Information technology
KW - Observational study
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78650202414&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=78650202414&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2010.08.002
DO - 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2010.08.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 20863752
AN - SCOPUS:78650202414
SN - 1386-5056
VL - 79
SP - 817
EP - 823
JO - International Journal of Medical Informatics
JF - International Journal of Medical Informatics
IS - 12
ER -