Home Healthcare Organization Streamlines Processes and Improves Patient Care

Microsoft Office Customer Solution Case Study

(...) measure that would further protect sensitive patient information. Additionally, VNSNY uses the encryption features in Windows XP to safeguard sensitive information in the event that a Tablet PC is stolen or lost.

Using Tablet PCs in the Field With the Tablet PCs, VNSNY’s clinicians can use the productivity tools in Microsoft Office XP Professional, including programs such as Microsoft Excel, Word, and the PowerPoint® presentation graphics program. With the Tablet PC software’s native ink capabilities, clinicians can use the pen to control the computer and applications, as well as input regular handwriting, which can then be converted into typed text. Also, the organization now relies on Microsoft Outlook® Web Access, which makes it possible for clinicians to send and receive e–mail messages from any remote location in which they have Internet access. Additionally, VNSNY field clinicians can quickly and easily get access to all of the documents and information on the organization’s intranet, which uses Microsoft Windows SharePoint® Services.

Because its clinicians already were fairly familiar with both the Windows environment and pen–based machines, VNSNY did not have to conduct much training on the Tablet PCs. VNSNY provided some basic training on the Windows operating system for those who were unfamiliar with it. The organization also spent three hours orienting users to the physical features of the new devices, followed by three half–day sessions on the new, internally developed applications.

VNSNY clinicians now use their Tablet PCs for activities such as completing visit notes or vouchers for reimbursement. They review caseloads and plan their schedules each week by using information that they pull up on their Tablet PCs. "Anything that used to be done on paper now is handled through the Tablet PC," says Stazesky.

Benefits

With the introduction of Tablet PCs running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, VNSNY now has a means of delivering better care to its patients through accurate, up–to–date information. The organization also benefits from a body of clinical information that is highly structured, can be shared easily, and is in a consistent format that facilitates business and clinical analysis.

Better Information Access for Better Care By having technology tools at their fingertips, clinicians can check in with VNSNY before patient visits to make sure that they have reviewed the most recent patient information. If, for example, a patient receives care twice a day from two different clinicians, those two caregivers now can easily communicate with each other before making contact with the patient. Clinicians can share test results and concerns about any new health issues, which helps patients receive more consistent care. "This never could have happened before the Tablet PCs," says Stazesky. "We used to have to leave notes in conspicuous spots in patients’ homes to share information. Using Outlook Web Access means that our clinicians have a single, more discreet source for up–to–date information."

Beyond day–to–day patient information, clinicians use their Tablet PCs for sending and receiving critical medical information, such as guidelines and training updates. Having an effective e–mail tool also gives them the opportunity to communicate with others in the healthcare field. "The Tablet PC solution allows us to enhance the compatibility between our back office, our field clinicians, and other patient care stakeholders," says Stazesky.

VNSNY also has found that automating how it collects patient information has been a decided advantage in addressing ongoing regulatory demands and documentation requirements. "For us, Tablet PCs are a long–term strategic investment, with our break–even point spread out over a long period. In the meantime, we’re able to increase the consistency of our care delivery across a diversified work force— clinicians are no longer islands unto themselves but rather are interconnected," says Stazesky.

More Time Spent on Patient Care

To streamline their recording processes, VNSNY clinicians use programs such as Excel, Word, and PowerPoint as well as Outlook Web Access, which helps them send and receive e–mail messages remotely. "It’s a huge time–saver for clinicians to be able to send and receive e–mail wherever they connect, and their e–mail is synchronized automatically whenever they log on," says Stazesky.

Tablet PCs also help ease the complicated, time–consuming Medicare reimbursement process for VNSNY clinicians. Part of the process involves completing the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS), which is a federally mandated assessment tool for home health agencies. OASIS, a 25–page form, must be filled out early in the treatment period for each patient. OASIS includes instructions that require clinicians to sift back and forth through the document to enter different levels of detail, depending on the patient’s situation. Now, however, the Tablet PC OASIS application guides clinicians through the assessment, helping them deal with the layers of "paperwork" more efficiently. "I don’t have to spend much time writing the documentation because everything is basically in the application and I can click on it like using a mouse," says Lisa Felszer, Registered Nurse and per diem coordinator of care at VNSNY. Having OASIS in an electronic format also spares clinicians from having to physically carry the large quantity of paper that the previous system required.

The use of Windows SharePoint Services for centralized document management enables VNSNY professionals to quickly and easily tap into all of the documents and information on the organization’s intranet. "Clinicians don’t have to go back to a regional office to get their hands on information," says Stazesky. "And we’re able to enforce version control, so they know that our documents are as up–to–date and accurate as possible."

Says Felszer, "When we were using paper, every diagnosis had a different paper form to fill out. If you didn’t go to the office, you didn’t have the right form."

In addition to enabling VNSNY clinicians to be more productive, Tablet PCs also contribute to their flexibility. "We’re running a much tighter organization now that our field clinicians have the ability (...)