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BUSINESS OF
MEDICINE

continued from page 31

• Target: Establish a target outcome so the practice can
determine the significance of the results. Consider best
practices, benchmarking data, and evidence-based treat-
ment when setting targets. For example — “Ninety per-
cent of all test results will be communicated to patients
within an appropriate timeframe set by office policy, and
100 percent of all critical test results will be communi-
cated to patients within a timeframe established by ap-
plicable professional guidelines. Communication of
results will be documented in each patient’s chart with a
revised treatment plan, if appropriate.”

• Methodology: Describe the method you will use to ob-
tain data. For example — “Run EHR system reports to
identify all test results that have been received but are
still pending follow-up with patients.”

• Frequency: Explain how often you will measure the
metric. For metrics that have an immediate impact on
patient safety, consider more frequent measurements,
such as daily or weekly.

• Corrective actions: Describe what you will do to improve the
results if your target is not met. Will you implement a new work-
flow process, reallocate resources, or take another action?

• Monitoring: Describe how you will monitor any changes over
time. Will you continue to measure the metric for a year or MedPro Group’s guideline Using an Electronic Health Record
longer? How often will you perform spot checks to ensure con- System as a Risk-Reduction Tool contains additional details and
tinued improvement or consistent results? guidance about the audit process.

Conclusion
Delivery of healthcare in a safe and efficient manner is the goal of all practitioners. Being mindful of opportunities for improvement
and willing to invest time and energy to address those opportunities can be a challenge.
However, a well-designed EHR system is an excellent tool for risk mitigation, quality checking, and long-term performance improvement
monitoring. The activities of aggregating and analyzing data — as well as taking action based on the findings — are critical to delivering
quality patient care, preventing errors, and minimizing risk within your healthcare practice.
In the long run, efforts to identify and address gaps in performance and develop corrective plans can help improve patient outcomes,
increase patient satisfaction, and possibly reduce your liability exposure.

32 San Antonio Medicine • February 2018