A 229-bed acute care facility recently decided to implement and install the HCS INTERACTANT Order Entry Module. The organization began their relationship with HCS in 1989 to implement an automated integrated information. The facility has taken a phased-in approach to its information system goals, building upon initial projects as needed.
The decision to implement the HCS Order Entry Module for nursing was prompted by their commitment to continually produce actions that improve quality of care, reduce costs, and provide measurable outcomes. The nursing and information services departments teamed together to plan and implement an automated order entry system. The Director of Information Systems formulated a task force that included members of the nursing department and each department head from all the other ancillary departments to gain input and direction. An Applications Supervisor joined the organization's information system team and assumed ownership of the project by becoming a liaison between nursing, ancillary departments, and HCS. The initial task force asked project team members to function as representatives from their respective service areas to help her to establish priorities and sequencing. Team members attended meetings with HCS staff to identify revise, revisit, and resolve issues.
To help the nursing staff enhance their comfort level and computer knowledge, the facility provided an introductory course for the use of PC's. A computer course helped the clinicians overcome their fear of computers as many nurses thought they had to be proficient typists to operate the computer. Once they realized that a mouse was not a four legged furry animal but a tool that allowed them total ease of use, the resistance to change began to diminish. The point-and-click technology found within HCS INTERACTANT has also made the transition for nursing much more acceptable.
The HCS INTERACTANT Order Entry Module provides the hospital the capability of allowing communication of orders throughout the facility using an integrated network. The placement of orders is accomplished with only three to four keystrokes. Redundant charting will decrease as patient information does not have to be re-keyed to enter additional patient orders. RN's and other staff members at the facility can quickly and easily enter patient orders from any nursing station or ancillary department (or service area) and communicate orders to any service area for acknowledgment. HCS INTERACTANT automatically edits for accuracy, completeness, duplicate and conflicting orders.
The system records the identity of the person entering the order and the receiving department is notified automatically. The facility uses their order entry system to communicate orders to the pharmacy department, which has been operating HCS' Pharmacy Module since 1990. Pharmacy orders can be entered by non-pharmacy hospital staff with an unverified status that will not allow unverified orders to appear on a fill list or medication administration record. Pharmacy personnel with the proper authority may review, confirm, and verify orders. Once the pharmacist has confirmed orders, they then automatically populate the medication administration record.
The pharmacist stated, "I like the whole concept of nurses entering pharmacy orders at the nursing station for several reasons. For example, if there is a problem with the route of administration, dosage, or an interaction to consider, the nurse sees the problem immediately. The nurse can react right away and correct the problem by consulting with the physician and the pharmacist and ultimately expediting delivery of the drug to the patient which is the overall goal. Otherwise, it could be hours before the order reaches the pharmacy. Physicians can review drug therapy up-to-the minute because the system is on-line, real-time. Physicians can make drug therapy decisions based on the most accurate and up-to-date information otherwise. Lastly, it frees up the pharmacist's time. Rather than spending hours keying in orders, we can spend more time with the nurses and physicians at the point of administration which is where we belong instead of in the pharmacy."
HCS INTERACTANT System accommodates entry of high frequency orders, order sets, and exploding orders to decrease keystrokes and ensure compliance with treatment protocols. The decision to implement the HCS INTERACTANT Order Entry Module was brought by the tremendous value realized when staff would no longer be required to hand-write patient orders.
