Patient signout/handoff

[Dan2000]

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Hello,

I'm thinking of developing a patient sign out / hand-off software, and wanted to see if any of you think there is still a need for a good solution, or if you are all highly satisfied with the tool(s) you are currently using.

Any thoughts/feedback would be highly appreciated!

Thanks much.

 

[Doctor Grim]

Hello,

I'm thinking of developing a patient sign out / hand-off software, and wanted to see if any of you think there is still a need for a good solution, or if you are all highly satisfied with the tool(s) you are currently using.

Any thoughts/feedback would be highly appreciated!

Thanks much.

A spread sheet (word/excel) of patients with relevent details and to do list is good enough for me. Really no need to go high tech. Just my 0.02.

 

[Dan2000]

Thanks for the input, Dr Grim!

Any problems with sharing the spreadsheet among multiple people and making sure everybody has the latest version?

 

[subtle1epiphany]

Doctor Grim,
I'd love a copy or description of what you use. It's been a couple months since I've had any in-pt experience. Organizing patient info and data is a primary concern of mine as I start my internship. I'd love to have a framework in mind or even set when I hit the ground. Granted, I start in the ED, but a system is important. Thanks!

 

[gutonc]

Thanks for the input, Dr Grim!

Any problems with sharing the spreadsheet among multiple people and making sure everybody has the latest version?

Nope. We have centralized drives that all house staff (including fellows) and faculty in our department (IM) and all off-service rotators (EM and Psych in our case) have access to. Lists are then easy for anybody to update and can be re-printed in case the copy you have gets drenched in blood during that 2am code or accidentally thrown away with your midnight burger and fries scraps.

 

[mwest]

Doctor Grim,
I'd love a copy or description of what you use. It's been a couple months since I've had any in-pt experience. Organizing patient info and data is a primary concern of mine as I start my internship. I'd love to have a framework in mind or even set when I hit the ground. Granted, I start in the ED, but a system is important. Thanks!

U of NM has a centralized system of sign-off where the team can access the updated sign-out sheets. Great people and phenomenal PD but I remember the hospital is perennially on code purple😀. Good luck!👍

 

[Winged Scapula]

We had a shared drive as well with the patient lists so I wouldn't see the need for new software. Plus many hospitals are going to, or already have completely integrated EMRs where the list is updated instantaneously.

 

[gutonc]

We had a shared drive as well with the patient lists so I wouldn't see the need for new software. Plus many hospitals are going to, or already have completely integrated EMRs where the list is updated instantaneously.

This is something that keeps getting promised in "the next upgrade" for our EMR. All we've gotten so far is pretty colors and things that make billing easier but patient care more cumbersome. As it stands, all we can make is a list that includes the name, MR, location, attending and code status of the patient. No actual information about them though.

 

[Winged Scapula]

This is something that keeps getting promised in "the next upgrade" for our EMR. All we've gotten so far is pretty colors and things that make billing easier but patient care more cumbersome. As it stands, all we can make is a list that includes the name, MR, location, attending and code status of the patient. No actual information about them though.

Yeah, many of them are not very useful in this regard. As a resident, we got PowerChart and it was not designed for anything more than what you described above, so we continued to use an Excel file for ICU patients and a resident designed program for all the floor patients, so we could include diagnosis, etc.

The newer version of PowerChart I'm using at two of the hospitals I have privileges at does allow me to print lists with diagnosis, etc. although I've never utilized it, having usually fewer than 3 inpatients at any one hospital at a time.

 

[subtle1epiphany]

U of NM has a centralized system of sign-off where the team can access the updated sign-out sheets. Great people and phenomenal PD but I remember the hospital is perennially on code purple😀. Good luck!👍

Wow, are/were you a student or a resident? Great to meet you!
I'm so excited to start! Getting more and more scared of it as it nears, but trying to keep my spirits up and keep focused.
Is code purple divert? I've heard of diverting all but trauma and certain cases at major centers, but don't have much experience in that area. I've got my first rotation in the ED (IM program), so it should be a great start!
Thanks for the info!

 

[maxheadroom]

Yeah, many of them are not very useful in this regard. As a resident, we got PowerChart and it was not designed for anything more than what you described above, so we continued to use an Excel file for ICU patients and a resident designed program for all the floor patients, so we could include diagnosis, etc.

The newer version of PowerChart I'm using at two of the hospitals I have privileges at does allow me to print lists with diagnosis, etc. although I've never utilized it, having usually fewer than 3 inpatients at any one hospital at a time.

I love PowerChart for stuff like this. The version that we have at my place allows you to place "sticky" notes on each patient in which you can summarize a patient fairly well. All of the other info is pretty easy to access through it, too. I wish both of my hospitals used it.

 

[GU2010]

Most people seem to be using something they get for free or make themselves (Excel, Word sheets). Paying for something would mean it would clearly have to provide more...

Anybody know what PowerChart charges (anyone actually pay for it?). I'm not sure I'd pay very much if it were on my dime. Disclaimer: I use my own Excel template)

Hello,

I'm thinking of developing a patient sign out / hand-off software, and wanted to see if any of you think there is still a need for a good solution, or if you are all highly satisfied with the tool(s) you are currently using.

Any thoughts/feedback would be highly appreciated!

Thanks much.

 

[gutonc]

Anybody know what PowerChart charges (anyone actually pay for it?). I'm not sure I'd pay very much if it were on my dime. Disclaimer: I use my own Excel template)

PowerChart is an EMR made by Cerner...they charge a lot!

 

[LittleBearTX]

I am looking to implement a better signout method for my team and I ran across this old thread. Our consult team currently uses a Microsoft Word document on a shared drive. Unfortunately, it can only be edited by one person at a time and it is frequently locked when someone opens it and then leaves for the day. We do have Cerner PowerChart but the physician handoff tool hasn't been implemented yet (and I'm not sure if it's all that good anyways). Has anyone had a good or bad experience with CORES? Or SmartSignOut or eDocList? I've also considered just storing an Excel or Word document on OneDrive, though I am not sure if that would be HIPAA compliant.

I greatly appreciate any suggestions.

 

[gutonc]

I am looking to implement a better signout method for my team and I ran across this old thread. Our consult team currently uses a Microsoft Word document on a shared drive. Unfortunately, it can only be edited by one person at a time and it is frequently locked when someone opens it and then leaves for the day. We do have Cerner PowerChart but the physician handoff tool hasn't been implemented yet (and I'm not sure if it's all that good anyways). Has anyone had a good or bad experience with CORES? Or SmartSignOut or eDocList? I've also considered just storing an Excel or Word document on OneDrive, though I am not sure if that would be HIPAA compliant.

I greatly appreciate any suggestions.

Whatever you're doing now likely isn't HIPAA compliant either.

Does your program use Amion or another scheduling system? It might have this functionality built in.

It kind of blows my mind that a secure, uniform signout system is completely ignored by the vast majority of programs and institutions.

 

[LittleBearTX]

Yes, we do use Amion; I'm not aware of any patient handoff tool associated with it.

I agree with your last statement. I would have thought that a succinct method of summarizing and communicating a patient's care would be one of the first things built into an EMR.

 

[mvenus929]

Whatever you're doing now likely isn't HIPAA compliant either.

How so? My program uses a shared drive to write our h&ps, transfer/discharge summaries, and maintain patient lists, and it's on a shared drive that only the residents and attendings have access to (and the NPs in the NICU). Not even Med students have access to it. We can access it through our logins at the hospital or via our off site connection where we can get into our emr at home.

 

[mimelim]

Our solution was to write our own web-based patient list. Completely HIPAA compliant and has whatever features we want because we coded it and can keep adding more functionality. Also accessible anywhere, any time by any number of people. Obviously not something anyone can do, but the benefits of hiring multiple residents with many skills outside the classroom (4/10 residents have programming experience).

 

[link2swim06]

I am looking to implement a better signout method for my team and I ran across this old thread. Our consult team currently uses a Microsoft Word document on a shared drive. Unfortunately, it can only be edited by one person at a time and it is frequently locked when someone opens it and then leaves for the day. We do have Cerner PowerChart but the physician handoff tool hasn't been implemented yet (and I'm not sure if it's all that good anyways). Has anyone had a good or bad experience with CORES? Or SmartSignOut or eDocList? I've also considered just storing an Excel or Word document on OneDrive, though I am not sure if that would be HIPAA compliant.

I greatly appreciate any suggestions.

A secure hipaa compliant version of google documents word documents would be best.

Less is more, no one has time to just some bulky piece of crap software. You just need to type what you need, not click fifteen-thousands buttons and dropdowns. All made by some idiot programmer who knows as much about medicine/work environment/time stressors as I know about flying a fighter jet.

 

[Law2Doc]

Our solution was to write our own web-based patient list. Completely HIPAA compliant.,.

It's all hipaa compliant until you print it out and stick it in your back pocket, like everybody does.

 

[Raryn]

It's all hipaa compliant until you print it out and stick it in your back pocket, like everybody does.

I've lost so many lists in the last few years, I'm pretty sure that if they were all reported the hospital would be on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars of fines.

Much less the ones sitting in a pile somewhere in my bedroom...

 

[mimelim]

It's all hipaa compliant until you print it out and stick it in your back pocket, like everybody does.

The system is HIPAA compliant. I can't stop people from printing things.



😉

 

[LittleBearTX]

A secure hipaa compliant version of google documents word documents would be best.

Less is more, no one has time to just some bulky piece of crap software. You just need to type what you need, not click fifteen-thousands buttons and dropdowns. All made by some idiot programmer who knows as much about medicine/work environment/time stressors as I know about flying a fighter jet.

I second your statement regarding disappointment in the ability of programmers to make medical software slim and fast. In a lot of ways, the VA's CPRS is much more effective than Epic because it feels so much less bulky.

After a little research, I was surprised to find that there is actually a way to make Google Docs HIPAA compliant. That being said, Google Docs does not work at our hospital. I suspect IT has configured it this way on purpose, though I'm not for sure.

 

[j4pac]

As an intern we had a share drive with an excel spreadsheet. It works. could it be improved upon? absolutely. I could see your software working and being used if its a big upgrade.

 

[mimelim]

I second your statement regarding disappointment in the ability of programmers to make medical software slim and fast. In a lot of ways, the VA's CPRS is much more effective than Epic because it feels so much less bulky.

After a little research, I was surprised to find that there is actually a way to make Google Docs HIPAA compliant. That being said, Google Docs does not work at our hospital. I suspect IT has configured it this way on purpose, though I'm not for sure.

It isn't exactly surprising that Google Docs can be made HIPAA compliant. They just charge you for the service, $5/month per user. As soon as you share accounts, it is no longer HIPAA compliant. This is why we didn't go this direction.

 

[Law2Doc]

Just scribble on a piece of paper with penmanship so bad that nobody else can decipher a word -- 100% HIPAA compliant, and what residents have been doing for generations 🙂

 

[drdanny]

great thread - yes, there are a handful of HIPAA compliant tools out there that integrate with the EMR. We've used something called wardmanager for years.