Clinical decision support with a comprehensive in-EHR patient tracking system improves genetic testing follow up.

2023

04/2023

1527-974X

OBJECTIVE: We sought to develop and evaluate an electronic health record (EHR) genetic testing tracking system to address the barriers and limitations of existing spreadsheet-based workarounds.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated the spreadsheet-based system using mixed effects logistic regression to identify factors associated with delayed follow up. These factors informed the design of an EHR-integrated genetic testing tracking system. After deployment, we assessed the system in 2 ways. We analyzed EHR access logs and note data to assess patient outcomes and performed semistructured interviews with users to identify impact of the system on work.

RESULTS: We found that patient-reported race was a significant predictor of documented genetic testing follow up, indicating a possible inequity in care. We implemented a CDS system including a patient data capture form and management dashboard to facilitate important care tasks. The system significantly sped review of results and significantly increased documentation of follow-up recommendations. Interviews with key system users identified a range of sociotechnical factors (ie, tools, tasks, collaboration) that contribute to safer and more efficient care.

DISCUSSION: Our new tracking system ended decades of workarounds for identifying and communicating test results and improved clinical workflows. Interview participants related that the system decreased cognitive and time burden which allowed them to focus on direct patient interaction.

CONCLUSION: By assembling a multidisciplinary team, we designed a novel patient tracking system that improves genetic testing follow up. Similar approaches may be effective in other clinical settings.

10.1093/jamia/ocad070

J Am Med Inform Assoc

37080563

Clinical decision support with a comprehensive in-EHR patient tracking system improves genetic testing follow up.

2023

04/2023

1527-974X

OBJECTIVE: We sought to develop and evaluate an electronic health record (EHR) genetic testing tracking system to address the barriers and limitations of existing spreadsheet-based workarounds.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated the spreadsheet-based system using mixed effects logistic regression to identify factors associated with delayed follow up. These factors informed the design of an EHR-integrated genetic testing tracking system. After deployment, we assessed the system in 2 ways. We analyzed EHR access logs and note data to assess patient outcomes and performed semistructured interviews with users to identify impact of the system on work.

RESULTS: We found that patient-reported race was a significant predictor of documented genetic testing follow up, indicating a possible inequity in care. We implemented a CDS system including a patient data capture form and management dashboard to facilitate important care tasks. The system significantly sped review of results and significantly increased documentation of follow-up recommendations. Interviews with key system users identified a range of sociotechnical factors (ie, tools, tasks, collaboration) that contribute to safer and more efficient care.

DISCUSSION: Our new tracking system ended decades of workarounds for identifying and communicating test results and improved clinical workflows. Interview participants related that the system decreased cognitive and time burden which allowed them to focus on direct patient interaction.

CONCLUSION: By assembling a multidisciplinary team, we designed a novel patient tracking system that improves genetic testing follow up. Similar approaches may be effective in other clinical settings.

10.1093/jamia/ocad070

J Am Med Inform Assoc

37080563

Influence of simulation on electronic health record use patterns among pediatric residents.

2018

2018 Aug 21

1527-974X

<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Electronic health record (EHR) simulation with realistic test patients has improved recognition of safety concerns in test environments. We assessed if simulation affects EHR use patterns in real clinical settings.</p>

<p><strong>Materials and Methods: </strong>We created a 1-hour educational intervention of a simulated admission for pediatric interns. Data visualization and information retrieval tools were introduced to facilitate recognition of the patient's clinical status. Using EHR audit logs, we assessed the frequency with which these tools were accessed by residents prior to simulation exposure (intervention group, pre-simulation), after simulation exposure (intervention group, post-simulation), and among residents who never participated in simulation (control group).</p>

<p><strong>Results: </strong>From July 2015 to February 2017, 57 pediatric residents participated in a simulation and 82 did not. Residents were more likely to use the data visualization tool after simulation (73% in post-simulation weeks vs 47% of combined pre-simulation and control weeks, P &lt;. 0001) as well as the information retrieval tool (85% vs 36%, P &lt; .0001). After adjusting for residents' experiences measured in previously completed inpatient weeks of service, simulation remained a significant predictor of using the data visualization (OR 2.8, CI: 2.1-3.9) and information retrieval tools (OR 3.0, CI: 2.0-4.5). Tool use did not decrease in interrupted time-series analysis over a median of 19 (IQR: 8-32) weeks of post-simulation follow-up.</p>

<p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Simulation was associated with persistent changes to EHR use patterns among pediatric residents.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>EHR simulation is an effective educational method that can change participants' use patterns in real clinical settings.</p>

10.1093/jamia/ocy105

J Am Med Inform Assoc

30137348

The impact of access to immunization information on vaccine acceptance in three countries.

2017

e0180759

2017

1932-6203

<p><strong>INTRODUCTION: </strong>Vaccine acceptance is a critical component of sustainable immunization programs, yet rates of vaccine hesitancy are rising. Increased access to misinformation through media and anti-vaccine advocacy is an important contributor to hesitancy in the United States and other high-income nations with robust immunization programs. Little is known about the content and effect of information sources on attitudes toward vaccination in settings with rapidly changing or unstable immunization programs.</p>

<p><strong>OBJECTIVE: </strong>The objective of this study was to explore knowledge and attitudes regarding vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases among caregivers and immunization providers in Botswana, the Dominican Republic, and Greece and examine how access to information impacts reported vaccine acceptance.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We conducted 37 focus groups and 14 semi-structured interviews with 96 providers and 153 caregivers in Botswana, the Dominican Republic, and Greece. Focus groups were conducted in Setswana, English, Spanish, or Greek; digitally recorded; and transcribed. Transcripts were translated into English, coded in qualitative data analysis software (NVivo 10, QSR International, Melbourne, Australia), and analyzed for common themes.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Dominant themes in all three countries included identification of health care providers or medical literature as the primary source of vaccine information, yet participants reported insufficient communication about vaccines was available. Comments about level of trust in the health care system and government contrasted between sites, with the highest level of trust reported in Botswana but lower levels of trust in Greece.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>In Botswana, the Dominican Republic, and Greece, participants expressed reliance on health care providers for information and demonstrated a need for more communication about vaccines. Trust in the government and health care system influenced vaccine acceptance differently in each country, demonstrating the need for country-specific data that focus on vaccine acceptance to fully understand which drivers can be leveraged to improve implementation of immunization programs.</p>

10.1371/journal.pone.0180759

PLoS ONE

28771485

Using Video from Mobile Phones to Improve Pediatric Phone Triage in an Underserved Population.

2016

2016 Jun 21

1556-3669

<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Video-capable mobile phones are widely available, but few studies have evaluated their use in telephone triage for pediatric patients. We assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and utility of videos sent via mobile phones to enhance pediatric telephone triage for an underserved population with asthma.</p>

<p><strong>MATERIALS AND METHODS: </strong>We recruited children who presented to an urban pediatric emergency department with an asthma exacerbation along with their parent/guardian. Parents and the research team each obtained a video of the child's respiratory exam, and the research team conducted a concurrent in-person rating of respiratory status. We measured the acceptability of families sending videos as part of telephone triage (survey) and the feasibility of this approach (rates of successful video transmission by parents to the research team). To estimate the utility of the video in appropriately triaging children, four clinicians reviewed each video and rated whether they found the video reassuring, neutral, or raising concerns.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Among 60 families (78% Medicaid, 85% Black), 80% of parents reported that sending a video would be helpful and 68% reported that a nurse's review of a video would increase their trust in the triage assessment. Most families (75%) successfully transmitted a video to the research team. All clinician raters found the video reassuring regarding the severity of the child's asthma exacerbation for 68% of children.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Obtaining mobile phone videos for telephone triage is acceptable to families, feasible, and may help improve the quality of telephone triage in an urban, minority population.</p>

10.1089/tmj.2016.0082

Telemed J E Health

27328326

Impact of electronic health record-based alerts on influenza vaccination for children with asthma.

2009

159-69

2009 Jul

1098-4275

<p><strong>OBJECTIVE: </strong>The goal was to assess the impact of influenza vaccine clinical alerts on missed opportunities for vaccination and on overall influenza immunization rates for children and adolescents with asthma.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>A prospective, cluster-randomized trial of 20 primary care sites was conducted between October 1, 2006, and March 31, 2007. At intervention sites, electronic health record-based clinical alerts for influenza vaccine appeared at all office visits for children between 5 and 19 years of age with asthma who were due for vaccine. The proportion of captured immunization opportunities at visits and overall rates of complete vaccination for patients at intervention and control sites were compared with those for the previous year, after standardization for relevant covariates. The study had &gt;80% power to detect an 8% difference in the change in rates between the study and baseline years at intervention versus control practices.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>A total of 23 418 visits and 11 919 children were included in the study year and 21 422 visits and 10 667 children in the previous year. The majority of children were male, 5 to 9 years of age, and privately insured. With standardization for selected covariates, captured vaccination opportunities increased from 14.4% to 18.6% at intervention sites and from 12.7% to 16.3% at control sites, a 0.3% greater improvement. Standardized influenza vaccination rates improved 3.4% more at intervention sites than at control sites. The 4 practices with the greatest increases in rates (&gt;or=11%) were all in the intervention group. Vaccine receipt was more common among children who had been vaccinated previously, with increasing numbers of visits, with care early in the season, and at preventive versus acute care visits.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Clinical alerts were associated with only modest improvements in influenza vaccination rates.</p>

10.1542/peds.2008-2823

Pediatrics

19564296