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J Clin Outcomes Manage
2008 Jul;15(7):338-343
Implementation of an electronic health record with an embedded quality improvement program to improve the longitudinal care of outpatients with coronary artery disease
Simpson AG, DeGuzman PB, Barbieri KE, Parks CM, Megginson GC, Viette CR
Abstract Objective: To describe the development and implementation of an electronic health record (EHR) with an embedded continuous quality improvement program for care of patients with stable coronary artery disease. Setting: Outpatient cardiology clinic at an academic medical center. Methods: The EHR was embedded with evidence-based treatment guidelines and performance measures developed by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and others. The EHR provided treatment reminders at the point of service, physician report cards, patient registries, and health record summaries for patients. Regular feedback was provided to the health care team. Results: After 4 years of EHR use, performance ratings and clinical outcomes improved significantly. Treatment of hypertension and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol improved by 50%, and there was nearly a 40% improvement in all measured outcomes (P < 0.001). Conclusion: A well-designed EHR can significantly improve physician adherence to treatment guidelines and capture pertinent patient data and clinical outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease.
Reports from the Field
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