I too am not surprised, as from the laboratory we have taken it for granted that placing the reports onto a data repository/special results reporting system was the best way forward, but have not really kept up with what is going on in real time within hospitals.
We were all paranoid about sending results electronically to GP's and set up a very complex and elaborate system, with results going to their practice systems, where they are viewed before being filed (allegedly). We get reports back telling us they have been accepted into the practice system, so are content that someone has seen them - but are you sure??? Recently we found that for 3 years certain results going to a certain GP system supplier were being filed automatically without being viewed if they were classed as normal, ie no Hi/Lo flag.
So it is not really surprising with internal systems when there is no alerting to doctors in training, who do most of the requesting, that there are results to be viewed, then, as they were not on duty the day before, they are unaware the tests were requested, so don't look for them.
Maybe we need systems on PC's out on every ward telling them there are unviewed results for their ward, so they can go and see them. Many years ago we had such a system on a very old HIS system which did appear to work reasonable well, but newer standalone systems whilst being slicker do not seem to have this level of interaction, or if they do, then we are not using it appropriately.
Possibly this is something that the CfH project for electronic reporting will address, or maybe we should be pressing the current third party suppliers to include.
Concerning output to other clinical systems, surely the software will be set up to monitor all file interactions, even dreaded "bot" type searches, and still register their pickup - but obviously not that some human has actually seen or acted upon the results.
And finally what about closing the loop, because to my knowledge none of these systems allow the viewer to add back a comment onto the reports saying they have taken action etc on the results.
Regards,
Gary Mascall
Consultant in Clinical Biochemistry
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Tel: 01562 823424 extn 56100
From: Clinical biochemistry discussion list on behalf of Tilbrook Louise (Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust)
Sent: Tue 21/07/2009 17:14
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Viewing of electronic reports
Our Trust recently moved to electronic order comms requesting for in-patients and we have just been reviewing the first few months data. One notable finding is the high proportion of reports which are not viewed/accessed - over 50% of reports to one of our emergency wards, for example, are never viewed. Some areas do still receive paper reports but there is an inevitable delay before these are despatched and it is doubtful whether they are received/acted on within a clinically relevant timeframe.
For those of you who are also using order comms, I would be grateful for your feedback and whether this parallels your experience.
Kind regards
Louise Tilbrook
Louise Tilbrook
Principal Clinical Scientist
Dept of Clinical Biochemistry
Mid Essex Hospitals NHS Trust
Chelmsford
CM1 7ET
01245 515036
07919 016847
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Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed
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------ACB discussion List Information--------
This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical
community working in clinical biochemistry.
Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed
via the internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and
they are responsible for all message content.
ACB Web Site
http://www.acb.org.uk
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http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN.html
List Instructions (How to leave etc.)
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/
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