does anyone have any experience with the EASE app for the OR? easeapplications.com

[gabao]

the EASE app for updating families on surgery progress, which includes messaging as well as images from the OR, is coming to my hospital. The app developer's website states it is fully HIPPA compliant, but I am really concerned about legal implications of this, including how to handle images of OR staff who may not want to be in the picture. if anybody uses it, do you have to have an extra consent from the patient as to the recipients of the images? what if families take a picture of the screen and start sharing it without patient's knowledge? to me is looks like a really bad idea for all involved, starting with the patients.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

I've never heard of this. We use our Epic EHR to communicate via large screens in the waiting room. Each patient is assigned a number that they can watch for progress.

I would be leery of sending pictures from an OR to non-medical people, especially family. However, it is quite likely that in the fine print of your surgical consent is a line allowing pictures.