| If you've already implanted electronic patient | | | | additional training in order to use it? A healthcare |
| record software, then perhaps you're | | | | system that isn't intuitive can waste valuable time |
| experiencing some of the benefits it offers | | | | that would be better spent treating patients. It |
| patients and staff, and why it's an essential | | | | can also undermine any confidence your staff |
| element of the NHS Connecting For Health | | | | have in the system. |
| programme. If you recognise any of these | | | | 7. When was the last time you called the |
| symptoms, then you might not have the most | | | | software company for help? If you're often |
| suitable electronic medical record software. | | | | booking engineer visits, or spending time calling |
| 1. Is your current healthcare software hard to | | | | help desks or implementing patches, or waiting for |
| use? If it is, then you'll find that your staff won't | | | | system updates to finish, then you might be |
| like using it very much. It might be difficult for | | | | spending more time supporting the system than |
| admin staff to find information, or for medical | | | | actually using it. |
| staff to update records. | | | | 8. How easy is reporting on your healthcare |
| 2. How secure is your electronic patient record | | | | software? If you need to get reports, or |
| software? Do all staff have the same level of | | | | statistics or other information from your |
| access, meaning that admin staff can see the | | | | software, then you won't want to struggle to find |
| same information? What do people need to do to | | | | out how to get the facts and figures you need. |
| be able to access the system? If you're not sure | | | | 9. Does your software meet patient needs? If |
| that the right levels of security and access are in | | | | you choose the electronic patient care software |
| place, then you might not have secure patient | | | | based on the needs of your staff rather than |
| records. | | | | your patients, then it might not be best for your |
| 3. Is your current system quick to use? If there | | | | patients. They might have to wait longer, or need |
| are always complaints about having to wait for | | | | to have their notes corrected, or miss |
| the system to catch up, or patients are made to | | | | appointments through no fault of their own. |
| wait, then you might benefit from a different | | | | 10. How cost effective is your electronic medical |
| system, or from upgraded software or hardware. | | | | record software and healthcare system? If you |
| 4. How reliable is your electronic patient record | | | | chose a system based on your budget, then you |
| software? If you seem to spend a lot of time | | | | might be faced with spiralling costs as you add |
| rebooting, or dealing with error messages, or | | | | the features and functionality you needed in the |
| apologising for the system going down, then it | | | | first place. It might be that you chose the most |
| might need to be replaced with something much | | | | expensive system and that's not right for your |
| more reliable and appropriate. | | | | needs either. You might be throwing good money |
| 5. Does your software meet your current and | | | | after bad, trying to rectify the system, and make |
| future needs? If your software is struggling to | | | | it usable. |
| keep up with your current needs, then it's highly | | | | Now you know how to check that you've got the |
| unlikely to meet your future needs. | | | | right healthcare system, have you got the right |
| 6. Does your healthcare system require lots of | | | | electronic patient record software? |