Dr.
Larry Afrin confirms the a laboratory order with 10-west staff nurse Jim
Anderson during the first demonstration of the Purkinje documentation software
Clinicians, clinical researchers, care managers and administrators can sample the data mining and encounter creation possibilities of two powerful software packages, Cognos and Purkinje, at demonstrations to be held at 20-minute intervals throughout the morning of Friday, March 26.
Cognos
“The university's Oacis Clinical Data Repository has been accumulating data since 1993. This data is available to Oacis users on a patient-by-patient basis, but retrieving and analyzing information from Oacis about groups of patients has not been possible to date,” said Electronic Medical Records project representative Larry Afrin, M.D.
“Population-oriented retrieval requires data mining software that the university doesn't yet have,” Afrin said. The project, called Emerald, changes that.
After a long evaluation of data mining products, Oacis Healthcare Systems Inc. selected a set of products from a company called Cognos as the preferred data mining solution for Oacis systems, but this doesn't rule out the possibility of using other vendors' products. Before committing to acquisition of the Cognos solution, the Oacis Steering Committee would like the input of everybody at the university with interests in clinical data mining, Afrin said.
For example, a practitioner may want to see a list of all the diabetic patients he saw last year. Or a care manager may be interested in length of stay and demographic breakdowns for all hip-replacement patients from the last six months.
Clinical researchers can use data mining to help formulate hypotheses for further prospective evaluation. Those looking for answers to questions like these are encouraged to attend one of the Cognos demos.
Purkinje
Users of the Practice Partner system at MUSC already have a way of accelerating the creation of an encounter note through Practice Partner's templates. Oacis users, particularly physicians, who spend significant time creating encounter documentation don't yet have such a tool available.
Again, after a long evaluation of encounter documentation tools, OHSI selected as its preferred solution a product from a company called Purkinje. The Purkinje product gives the clinician a way of quickly generating an encounter note in the exam room or at the bedside; the encounter's plan can be directly translated into orders in the Oacis order entry system, and the product even provides a suggested HCFA E&M billing code based on the extent of documentation recorded.
OHSI is presently integrating Purkinje into the Oacis Clinical Display and Order Entry software, but this doesn't necessarily mean MUSC has to buy it or use it. The Oacis Steering Committee is looking for the encounter documentation tool that will be “right” for the greatest number of Oacis users, and the committee would like input from those who have an interest in reducing the encounter documentation burden.
Demonstrations of the Cognos and Purkinje products will be given by a team from OHSI. All demonstrations will be given in Hollings Cancer Center Room 211. Light refreshments will be available. OHSI representatives have been asked to adhere closely to the schedule out of regard for people with tight schedules.
For more information, contact Afrin at 792-4271, by pager, or e-mail (afrinl@musc.edu).
Cognos and Purkinje demonstration schedule
Friday, March 26, Hollings Cancer Center, room 211
Cognos 9-9:20 a.m.; Purkinje 9:20-9:40 a.m.; Cognos 9:40-10 a.m.; Purkinje 10-10:20 a.m.; Cognos 10:20-10:40 a.m.; Purkinje 10:40-11 a.m.; Cognos 11-11:20 a.m.; Purkinje 11:20-11:40 a.m.