What’s the future of data and technology?
Eliminating duplication of effort will go a long way to simplifying and streamlining nursing workflow within EHRs. Patient care devices (such as cardiac monitors, vital sign monitors, and I.V. infusion pumps) can be linked with the EHR. Many of them are essentially mi- ni-computers that store and send their discrete data to the EHR. Currently, a significant amount of complexity is involved with these data transfers. In the future, we’ll expect them to be seamless and done in real time. Here are some examples of current and future tech- nologies that improve our ability to obtain and analyze patient data. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags are used to-
day to locate mobile equipment and people. Some RFIDs can tell members of the team where to find the practi- tioner, nurse, or assistive personnel. All of the data can
The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses informatics competency requires that nursing students:
• understand the database of health information about patients (typically the electronic health record [EHR])
• demonstrate how to navigate the EHR • appreciate the importance of the nurse’s input into the record • value the ability of technology to support clinical decision-making, support
safe care, and reduce errors.
At the graduate level, the informatics competency requires:
• in-depth knowledge of informatics principles • an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of various technology systems • the ability to evaluate the use of technology systems in supporting patient care • the skill to describe and critique the taxonomy systems (nursing language) that
support interoperability of EHR information to improve the nation’s health.
Informatics requirements
Meaningful use of certified electronic health record tech- nology:
• improves quality, safety, and efficiency, and reduces health disparities
• engages patients and their families • improves care coordination and population and public
health
• maintains privacy and security of patient health infor- mation.
For hospitals to qualify for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Electronic Health Records Incentive Programs, meaningful use must meet specific objectives, which fall into three stages:
1 Capture and share data with patients and other providers, as permitted by the patient.
2 Advance clinical processes. 3 Improve outcomes.
Ultimately, meaningful use compliance results in improved clinical and population health outcomes, increased trans- parency and efficiency, empowered individuals, and robust research data on health systems.
What is meaningful use?
AmericanNurseToday.com November 2017 American Nurse Today 47
be downloaded to a searchable and retrievable database. Middleware is software that links a patient’s monitor-
ing device to a nurse’s personal device. Some hospitals provide their staff with smartphones for communication between patients and nurses (nurse call), among team members (secure texting and direct calls), and between medical devices and nurses (alarm conditions with im- ages and values). Wearable medical devices, similar to fitness devices
that track steps and heart rate, will make technology that we use now obsolete. For instance, the current telemetry box will shrink to a wearable device that monitors not only cardiac function, but laboratory val- ues as well. All of these devices and applications will evolve as
technology improves.
What can you do? To help make the future of nursing data a reality and provide nurses with more quality time with their pa- tients, you must get involved. Be part of the selection process for new technology, provide feedback about technology support to improve workflows, and com- municate with technology companies about what will improve patient care. Without your input, nurses are at the mercy of what engineers think is best.
Kimberly S. Glassman is senior vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at the New York University Langone Medical Center.
Selected references Blumenthal D, Tavenner M. The “meaningful use” regulation for elec- tronic health records. N Engl J Med. 2010;363(6):501-4.
Cronenwett L, Sherwood G, Barnsteiner J, et al. Quality and safety education for nurses. Nurs Outlook. 2007;55(3):122-31.
Cronenwett L, Sherwood G, Pohl J, et al. Quality and safety educa- tion for advanced nursing practice. Nurs Outlook. 2009;57(6):338-48.
Greiner AC, Knebel E, eds; Institute of Medicine Committee on the Health Professions Education Summit. Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality. Institute of Medicine. Washington DC: National Academies Press; 2003.
HealthIT.gov. EHR incentives & certification: Meaningful use defini- tion & objectives. healthit.gov/providers-professionals/meaningful- use-definition-objectives
HIMSS®. Explore the HIMSS analytics stage 7 hospitals. June 15, 2015. http://www.himss.org/explore-himss-analytics-stage-7-hospitals
Institute of Medicine. The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Ad- vancing Health. Washington DC: National Academies Press; 2010.
Medicare.gov. Hospital compare: Survey of patients’ experiences (HCAHPS) star ratings. medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/Data/HCAHPS- Star-Ratings.html
Topol E. The Creative Destruction of Medicine: How the Digital Revolu- tion Will Create Better Health Care. New York, NY; Basic Books: 2012.
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