Laptops in Home Care

renerian, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2003

I worked home health 11 years but we were not computerized. I hope someone can help you. Many home health agencies cannot afford such a transition. I would have loved it!

renerian

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Mar 22, 2003

Implimented HBOC Pathways 7.0 computer data base 9/1/02. Well we have the laptops and have about 10 staff using them ---out of 80+ RN / therapy staff. We had to scale back the project as the computer documentation was way too complex and have streamlined documentation screens.

Yes, we have a paper chart for consents, paperwork for staff not on laptops, flow sheets for pain control, wounds, chf etc.

Be glad to discuss our experience further.

sphinx, BSN, RN · Apr 4, 2003

We are a fairly large agency, and most of our nurses, at this point are on laptop. There are some that aren't, and will probably stay on paper. But when we changed our charting software, there was a big push to get everyone on computer. So we do have some paper charts. Even patients on computer do have some paper-when admitted they sign something, also at discharge. Any lab results sent from the labs gets filed, as do faxed scripts for IV's, etc. All the nurses get a paper referral, but that's for their own reference, as it's all in the computer. But all the charting (all of it) is on computer, as long as you've been trained. You are only allowed to use paper if you weren't computer trained or if your computer is "in the shop" for an extended period of time.