A Pic May Save Your Pick List

8 December 2016

AUTHORED BY: DB Technology

In a recently published DHHS paper, “Report on the Safe Use of Pick Lists in Ambulatory Care Settings”, providers were presented various recommendations to reduce order entry errors.

One of the more significant DHHS recommendations was the assertion that patient photos in tandem with the EMR’s order verification screens will reduce these same errors.

This is a significant considering the ease and efficiency of this method compared to other interventions.

In one trial a children’s hospital collected patient photos at registration and then included these photos into existing order verification screens.

The bottom line?

There were no reports of unintended care received by a patient who had a picture in the EHR.

There was a 75% decrease in overall ordering errors resulting in unintended care.

Based on this and other studies, DHHS recommended six workflow considerations, all organized according to a general medication order workflow—identifying and selecting a patient, developing and implementing pick lists, searching for and picking a medication, completing an order, and so forth.

The first consideration was for all facilities to include a patient photo in the medical record, stating that this method facilitates provider recall and reduces wrong-patient errors.

I am glad dbtech included patient photos in our platform more than 10 years ago, placing clients like Palisades Medical Center ahead of the game in regards to this DHHS recommendation.

Our document imaging solution eFolders collects patient photos at registration using a variety of digital camera options, and is used in a number of applications…

  • Patient photos are collected at each registration and used by staff to compare between encounters to mitigate insurance fraud.
  • Patient photos are printed on wristbands and other physical materials. This, according to DHHS, encourages provider recall and reduces wrong-patient errors.
  • Patient photos are integrated with the EMR and permits adherence to the DHHS recommendations regarding the reduction in verification errors.
  • Permits a repository for Wound Care photos.

If you want more information about dbtech and how we can help your hospital capture patient photos at registration, fill out the form below and we will be in touch.

A picture might speak a thousand words, but a picture in your EMR might just save a few lives.

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