computerized charting

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Hi HH nurses! I work baylor for an agency in Eastern NC, and we have not gone to computerized charting yet....I know, we are behind.....anyway, I am really interested to know what you all think about your software programs, and whether you use notebook/laptops or little PDA-type hardware. My director is starting to investigate the different vendors, and we would really like to get a user-friendly setup.

How long on average does it take you to chart a recert or new admission and a regular nurses note?

Thanks!!:roll

We just updated to a new system Called GLMI. and it is working great, it saves soo much time on the Qasis entry, delivery time and etc..

If you want to know more email me.

MAsen

We used laptop computers for about 1 year and it was awful!!! Once our county decided we should go computer the laptops we had were already 7 years old. They were too old, too slow, much far behind the times. We are back to paper again and it also is awful. Soooooooooo much paper work, so little time. Lynn

My agency went to computer charting in June. It was a nightmare! We are now using a system called Misys. We have had poor success with it. It has a ton of technical difficulties and we are really struggling. We abandoned the point of care aspect for now and went back to paper until the bugs can be worked out. I am pretty computer literate and have used several different charting systems on the computer. I hate this one. I would love to hear if any of you are familiar with Misys and what your experience has been with it.

Thanks,

Misty

Lynn,

Our agency did the same thing about 5 years ago, and the nurses totally refused to use the system. The laptops were so big and weighed about 8 lbs, the software was horrendous, and it just took so long to enter the info. The agency ended up donating the laptops to an affiliated migrant program, and we went back to paper.

There just has to be a better way! :roll

Specializes in Home Care, Urgent Care, ER, Med Surg.

We use the ClinDoc program. It was terrible at 1st, much better now (after 2 years). The laptops are heavy, and very unrealistic to take them into the homes. We were forced to continue to use the program, even though we all went crazy trying to learn it. I agree, there has got to be a better way. Recerts are the only thing that is easier now with this program.

My agency went to computer charting in June. It was a nightmare! We are now using a system called Misys. We have had poor success with it. It has a ton of technical difficulties and we are really struggling. We abandoned the point of care aspect for now and went back to paper until the bugs can be worked out. I am pretty computer literate and have used several different charting systems on the computer. I hate this one. I would love to hear if any of you are familiar with Misys and what your experience has been with it.

Thanks,

Misty

Our agency started on misys in October 2002. Most of the bugs were worked out with upgrades and tweaks. Part of our problem is it was not really designed for an agency as large as ours, but that has really been overcome. The biggest problem is that our servers aren't quite adequate (in my opinion) and it can be pretty slow. I hated the system at first, and have come to like it better. In fact, in one week, I will be started a new job at another agency training field staff misys point of care. This agency has never done computer charting at all, so it will be a real challenge, but I feel I am up for it. They have been using misys in the office since October 2003, but will be starting point of care shortly. They are training staff in small groups at a time, as opposed to where I am now-we had to train the whole field staff at the same time, and go live all at once: our software we'd been using was very old, and was no longer being supported, and we had to start using a new system in a relatively short time (beta tested misys for a year prior, but took that long to work out many bugs).

My agency has been on computer since 1998. We use the PTCT program and for the most part it has worked well. We started with 4 nurses and trained 4-6 new clinicians approx every 4 months until we had everyone on computer. All licensed staff are on computer, SN, PT, OT, SLP, MSS, RD. We are on the third generation of computers. The ones we have now have wireless modems for the office and phone modems to import/export from home. The first year was NOT fun, but most of the bugs have been worked out and at this point it works well for us. Our agency is a hospital based agency and PTCT interfaces with the billing and the hospital medical records system. Oasis is still a pain, but with the computers we can look at the patient history, past visit records, etc while in the home and that helps tremendously. Hope this helps.

KSB13-

how long does it take you to do an admit with the computer if you count in driving?

visit and chart time are usually about 2-3 hours, depending on the type of admit, IV, wound care, CHF teaching, etc. I cover one county in Western Ky, so driving may or may not be an issue, usually I cover the southern part of the county and my job share partner covers the northern, but we do see each other's patients and do admits for each other. My driving time is calculated separately and units given for over 300 miles/week. As I am 3 days a week, my calculations are pro-rated. Luckily we have dedicated admit nurses and I don't usually do the admits. I generally drive between 150 and 300 miles in a 3 day work week and get 1-3 points for travel time. Hope this hasn't muddied the waters.... actual time in the home with the computer is usually 1.5 to 2 hours..... another -.5 to 1 hours for "finalizing" the paperwork, phone calls, setting up with infusion company, MD calls, scheduling, etc.

Wow an admit nurse.....I like that idea:)

Our admit nurses are a lifesaver.........we have two and both are long time (greater than 12years in homehealth) nurses in home health and understand the area, docs, pps, the computer, etc....... it works for our agency. They can do SCIC and ROC if no admits to be done. We still get some overflow, but not as much and that makes the scheduling easier...... we also have 12 hr shifts on the weekends for those visits....again, long term home health nurses. It really helps when we cover a geographic area that reaches >100 miles north to south and >75 miles east to west..... we cover a LOT of territory in western KY and southern IL.....

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