Michael H Zaroukian | PubMed Health

PubMed2006

Benefiting from ambulatory EHR implementation: solidarity, six sigma, and willingness to strive.

Ambulatory electronic health record systems have the potential to improve healthcare quality. Optimizing the value of EHR implementation requires that providers and staff become effective and efficient EHR users so paper charts are no longer required or desired. Transitioning from paper charts to EHR systems requires new learning, significant effort, and workflow changes associated with an initial adverse effect on provider efficiency. This case study describes how timely EHR implementation and regular use in a large academic internal medicine clinic was encouraged, achieved, and demonstrated. Critical success factors included readiness to change, solidarity in EHR use, a commitment to striving, and process improvement strategies that used the EHR system to repair suboptimal clinic workflows. Observed benefits include improvements in patient access, workflow efficiency, communication, decision support use, and financial performance. These success factors and implementation strategies may help others seeking to encourage greater adoption and use of EHRs.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗

PubMed2002

Upper extremity deep venous thrombosis.

Upper extremity deep venous thrombosis (UEDVT) makes up approximately 1-4% of all episodes of deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Risk factors for UEDVT include central venous catheterization, strenuous upper extremity exercise or anatomic abnormalities causing venous compression, inherited thrombophilia, and acquired hypercoagulable states including pregnancy, oral contraceptive use, and cancer. Unexplained or recurrent UEDVT should prompt a search for inherited hypercoagulable states or underlying malignancy. Clinical presentations include arm, neck, and shoulder pain; edema; skin discoloration; tenderness; and venous distension. Because UEDVT is frequently asymptomatic until complications ensue, a high index of suspicion is required for patients with one or more risk factors for thrombosis. Pulmonary embolism and post-thrombotic syndrome are the most common sequelae of UEDVT. Early detection and treatment of UEDVT decrease complications, morbidity, and mortality. Compressive ultrasonography is an effective and economical means of confirming the clinical diagnosis in most patients. Traditional anticoagulant therapy of UEDVT is giving way to a multimodal approach involving transcatheter thrombolytic therapy followed by a minimum of 3 months of warfarin sodium anticoagulant therapy, venous decompression as needed, and balloon angioplasty with stenting for treatment of residual stricture. Low-dose anticoagulant therapy can safely and effectively mitigate the increased risk of UEDVT associated with the use of central venous catheters.

Arm↗