I like Jason's "who is using Synapse" idea. I am also interested in knowing the main features of Synapse that everyone is using and features not used and why. In my case, I am still using only very limited parts of the program. 1. Patient comes in, receptionists type in only required Synapse fields: name, SSN, DOB, scan intake sheets and upload to server. 2. I see the patient, use only one macro (I am modifying now to meet the bullets requirement for level of service/LOS), type in what needs to be changed, mostly past history part. 3. I go back to office, copy consult to MS Word, dictate HPI, assessment and plan into Dragon, proof read and paste pack to Synapse. 4. Consult printed and sent out the same day of service. I use a paper superbill for the biller - we use another practice management system for scheduling and billing. 5. Labs, reports are scanned, faxes are captured by Snappy fax and OCR'ed by paperport/omnipage. All these uploaded to server by receptionists. Things I plan to use: 1. create more macro/templates for each different leve of service and typical disease. 2. ticklers - I am still not used to way this is designed. 3.If Graham can add more features for the superbill part, I will try to create a ICD9 list for common neurological use. Things I am not using: 1. most demographic part are not used since it's double entry for us 2.numerical results and order history - reports are scanned 3. letters - never tested how to use this, I put all letters in consult tab now 4. diagnoses - no useful ICD9 list in Synapse for neurology, too much work to type in for each patient 5, medications - I have patient fill in a medication list each time as part of their intake, which is later scanned. I never bothered to spend time putting them in Synapse for each medication 6. LabReq & Imaging - for some reason, every physican in NJ put these requests on their precription pad (State regulated, copy-proof ones) 7. Growth & Forms - just don't use them 8. Appts - we use separate PMS
I guess the main difference is that I do a lot of chronic disease work involving inflammatory disease. So, I need numerical labs .. hence this effort to convert the 20% of my practise that isn't HL7 to numeric. And since I do a lot of prescribing, it doesn't take long to enter the medications the first time the patient is seen, and modify them thereafter .. sure beats writing a script by hand. Occasionally I do drug interaction checking .. but not usually. Having the lab request tracking also helps so I know which tests I ordered and can chase up, and since I also have the print image by default, I can easily print it out again if the patient loses the form .. as they do! The electronic faxing will also help as I will stop posting out letters and just fax them soon.
Cool idea. Thanks for your explanation. (Note: how typical of an EMR installation !) qilin, do you make use of MS Word's AutoCorrect feature ?
What genius suggested that method for you ! [] That is what I do as well. Hopefully Graham can figure out a way to pull this OCR'd text into Synapse's OCR tab, automatically. I bet you'd like this suggestion <strong style="background-color: #ffff00">LINK[/b]
Both qilin and I would have searchable .pdfs with the text embedded inside the PDF. I'd love to get this data auto-imported into the OCR tab. I'd like an <u>easy</u> way to import this information into the metadata tab. The main reason I would like to experiment with the auto-embedding is to see how reliable it would be ... and if it is possible to drive workflow as satisfying ticklers .... etc.
I have not used MS Word's AutoCorrect feature. Now I just copy OCR'ed text from PDF and paste into metadata. I will try you guys other methods when I get time.
You should try it. It'll speed up dictation for routine stuff. That's what i do now, it works very well.
I've seen it work, a very nice feature. Now I am doing too much narrative text. I am in process of switching to a different style using more standalized bullets/outline, so it will be easier for refering doctors to pick up the information and the notes will be tailored to the needs of future auditors as well. It will be a very good idea to use AutoCorrect.
