The Use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) in Pediatrics

Unit 9 Assignment instructions
Title:  Healthcare Informatics in Primary Care Pediatrics
The focus of this assignment is to increase your knowledge and understanding of how informatics, specifically the electronic medical record, improves the pediatric patient health outcomes.  Caring for the pediatric patient has unique elements that are not applicable in the adult population.  Examples are growth and development surveillance, vaccine records, transitional changes that affect “normal findings” by age group.  For example, normal respiratory rate of a newborn is significantly different than a 10 year old.  Additionally, pediatric healthcare providers are expected to educate parents through the use of “anticipatory guidance” according to age of the patient.  For this assignment you are expected to analyze the utilization of the EMR that you are using in your clinical practicum and evaluate how this particular EMR system is improving health outcomes.  For example, does the EMR that you are using have mechanisms in place that track growth and development which has led to early identification of abnormals?
This assignment has three parts.  The first part is identifying the recommended pediatric-specific functionalities of the EMR system you are using. The template will guide you through the first part of the assignment by addressing a sample of key functionalities. Part Two addresses some basic functions that would be recommended in any non-specific EMR.  Part Three asks you to discuss how your system is addressing certain outcomes such as safety, collaboration, and the prevention of medication errors.
Pediatric-Specific Functionalities of the EMR you are using Is this function available in your EMR? Is a tracking function available such as vaccination history, history of referrals with final reports? Are there built in alerts to the provider such as a missed vaccination? Allergies? Potential Medication interactions? Is there an area to document and monitor special needs, circumstances, or unique qualities of patient ?Vaccination record Screening performed Routine health maintenance Growth Charts Medication information , dosage, and indications? Medication dosage calculation by weight and age? Electronic prescribing? Monitoring of a special concern such as a heart murmur? Pediatric -specific norms by age category such as milestones? Current and/or history of labs and any other diagnostics and results Health history or interim health history Medication history Family:CompositionDynamics,Education needsAnticipatory guidance
Part twoAnswer and expand on the following questions in a narrative format:• Is there a mechanism for data sharing with members of the heathcare team? Describe• Is this EMR user friendly?  Describe• Any improvements needed?  Describe• Is data organized, easily accessed, easily entered?  Describe
Part ThreeDiscuss in detail how this EMR system promotes the following (include references and citations if needed):• Safety• Improved health outcomes• Collaboration• Early red flags or other concerns• Prevention of medication errors• Patient satisfaction• Evidence based guidelines  Part twoAnswer the following questions:• Is there a mechanism for data sharing with the heathcare team?• Is this EMR user friendly?• Any improvements needed?• Is data organized, easily accessed, easily entered?
Part ThreeDiscuss in detail how this EMR system promotes the following (include references and citations if needed):• Safety• Improved health outcomes• Collaboration• Early red flags or other concerns• Prevention of medication errors• Patient satisfaction• Evidence based guidelines