The Mainframe, an object which adapts to serve three different functional purposes depending on user needs, was featured in Metropolis!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Featured in Metropolis
The Mainframe, an object which adapts to serve three different functional purposes depending on user needs, was featured in Metropolis!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
A recent read on Fast Company
I came across an interesting article on Fast Company regarding an observation on the structure and function of US pharmacies
Upon reading the article, I started thinking about my personal experiences at the pharmacy, and how I would access a pharmacist if I needed consultation. You can read my comments posted below the article itself.
Would it be possible to apply a system modeled after a 'doctor-patient' relationship, in which the patient (or pharmacy customer) has consistent interaction with a specific pharmacist who understands their medication regimen?
Most drug store pharmacies operate sort of like an emergency room, with the first available clinician tending to patient needs as they arrive. While this is necessary when dealing with high patient volumes (a definite similarity in both instances), might the consistency of return customers in the case of the pharmacy be an opportunity for clinical familiarity over time? Especially if the customer is known to the pharmacist through both direct contact, as well as contact with their prescribing physician.
Similar to an ER, a pharmacy could also benefit from a person to handle triage, determining which patient questions demand a pharmacist's attention and which could be addressed by anyone else on staff.
Consistency seems to be of interest, due to the opportunity for increased familiarity between pharmacist and patient, and ultimately improved service.
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| www.fastcodesign.com |
Upon reading the article, I started thinking about my personal experiences at the pharmacy, and how I would access a pharmacist if I needed consultation. You can read my comments posted below the article itself.
Would it be possible to apply a system modeled after a 'doctor-patient' relationship, in which the patient (or pharmacy customer) has consistent interaction with a specific pharmacist who understands their medication regimen?
Most drug store pharmacies operate sort of like an emergency room, with the first available clinician tending to patient needs as they arrive. While this is necessary when dealing with high patient volumes (a definite similarity in both instances), might the consistency of return customers in the case of the pharmacy be an opportunity for clinical familiarity over time? Especially if the customer is known to the pharmacist through both direct contact, as well as contact with their prescribing physician.
Similar to an ER, a pharmacy could also benefit from a person to handle triage, determining which patient questions demand a pharmacist's attention and which could be addressed by anyone else on staff.
Consistency seems to be of interest, due to the opportunity for increased familiarity between pharmacist and patient, and ultimately improved service.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Why should you care about EHR?
Having worked in several hospitals over the past 10 years, only twice have I used electronic health records (EHR) for documentation.
Seem crazy? It is. Especially being from a generation that grew up with computers. It is archaic and unfathomable to my peers, (who work outside of health care) that institutions as important as hospitals would still use paper records.
A recent article from Bloomberg provides more background on the issue.
(*this article was published before the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was upheld. previously, the HITECH Act addressed the necessity of EHR)
I wish I could photograph some of the hospital charts I work with and post them on this blog... to share with others the hieroglyphic-like handwriting of doctors that I'm somehow expected to decipher. Not only is it unreasonable and ridiculous, its unsafe. If I miss a 'Hold tx' order for a test to rule out diagnoses like neuro-vascular accidents, I could potentially jeopardize patient safety through my intervention.
Speaking from experience as a clinician familiar with EHR, it significantly improves your ability to provide quality care. Having immediate access to legible notes from every medical team involved in the patient's care (*typically there are several specialties involved in a patient's plan of care) allows you to quickly develop an informed clinical picture that guides your rationale for treatment. It also increases productivity, allowing you to digest twice, if not thrice as much information in one sitting.
In addition, your records are always more in depth because you're able to type so much quicker than you write (shocking!). Thorough documentation is helpful to everyone else who interacts with the patient throughout the day, and paints a much more detailed picture of their status from hour to hour.
Conversion to EHR is an ongoing evolution that will require a lot of patience, effort (read: money) and time. However, its estimated that under new legislation which incentivizes computerized documentation, 50% of private practices and hospitals will be functioning on EHR by the end of this year.
For my designer friends out there, think about the possibilities of creating a system that adheres to HIPAA standards, allows doctors from various health systems to exchange information, and offers a simple interface that is sexy and easy to learn (two elusive terms in health care vernacular). Surprisingly enough, this magical system doesn't yet exist, and several of the largest software companies in the world are still trying to resolve the issue. In an attempt to dominate the market, each company has created their own system which doesn't communicate with other systems (sounds familiar). So what are you waiting for, designers?
Seem crazy? It is. Especially being from a generation that grew up with computers. It is archaic and unfathomable to my peers, (who work outside of health care) that institutions as important as hospitals would still use paper records.
A recent article from Bloomberg provides more background on the issue.
(*this article was published before the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was upheld. previously, the HITECH Act addressed the necessity of EHR)
I wish I could photograph some of the hospital charts I work with and post them on this blog... to share with others the hieroglyphic-like handwriting of doctors that I'm somehow expected to decipher. Not only is it unreasonable and ridiculous, its unsafe. If I miss a 'Hold tx' order for a test to rule out diagnoses like neuro-vascular accidents, I could potentially jeopardize patient safety through my intervention.
Speaking from experience as a clinician familiar with EHR, it significantly improves your ability to provide quality care. Having immediate access to legible notes from every medical team involved in the patient's care (*typically there are several specialties involved in a patient's plan of care) allows you to quickly develop an informed clinical picture that guides your rationale for treatment. It also increases productivity, allowing you to digest twice, if not thrice as much information in one sitting.
In addition, your records are always more in depth because you're able to type so much quicker than you write (shocking!). Thorough documentation is helpful to everyone else who interacts with the patient throughout the day, and paints a much more detailed picture of their status from hour to hour.
Conversion to EHR is an ongoing evolution that will require a lot of patience, effort (read: money) and time. However, its estimated that under new legislation which incentivizes computerized documentation, 50% of private practices and hospitals will be functioning on EHR by the end of this year.
For my designer friends out there, think about the possibilities of creating a system that adheres to HIPAA standards, allows doctors from various health systems to exchange information, and offers a simple interface that is sexy and easy to learn (two elusive terms in health care vernacular). Surprisingly enough, this magical system doesn't yet exist, and several of the largest software companies in the world are still trying to resolve the issue. In an attempt to dominate the market, each company has created their own system which doesn't communicate with other systems (sounds familiar). So what are you waiting for, designers?
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