NR 706 Week 2 Discussion; Clinical Information Systems

Then, address the following: Identify two selected EHR software solutions and describe three features of each software solution.Compare and contrast the benefits of the two selected EHR software solutions. Select an EHR software solution that is best suited for your workplace environment and provide the rationale for your selection. I have decided to research, compare, and contrast Epic and athenahealth, two EHR software solutions. Both charting systems offer unique features, workflows, benefits, and drawbacks. When assessing athenahealth, some notable features include the ability to review information and document on the go through the athenaOne app. The application is available on all mobile phones and allows providers to view test results, sign orders, manage their inbox, respond to patient cases, review and schedule appointments, and quickly find patient information. You can video conference with up to four other providers through the app, enhancing interprofessional communication and collaboration. In addition, athenahealth offers integrated dictation to increase the efficiency and ease of documenting. Another great feature is integrating some default content from Epocrates, which improves clinical decision-making (Athenahealth, 2024). When looking at Epic also offers multiple features to enhance care delivery and improve patient outcomes. One feature that I appreciate is Epic’s Best Practice Alerts (BPAs). These are notifications to staff when specific clinical triggers are met; for example, if an inpatient meets clinical criteria for sepsis, the staff is notified by a pop-up that must be addressed before continuing in the chart. Another useful BPA is the anti-coagulation notification that requires a provider to address if their patient is anticoagulated, and if they are not, why. Another key feature within Epic is the messaging system. This allows staff from different professions, departments, and specialties to communicate effectively about their patient’s plan of care, discuss concerns, and relay pertinent information quickly while in the chart. Another beneficial feature is ‘dot phrases,’ which are pre-composed notes that can be used in charting. These phrases can increase the speed at which staff documents, pull the most updated information and data into the note, and ensure thorough charting that meets coding and billing requirements to allow for timely insurance reimbursement. Both software systems are highly advanced and comprise countless beneficial features, making comparing them necessary to make the best choice for the practice environment in which they will be deployed. Based on my research and experience with each system, I believe Epic is more suited for acute, inpatient care settings, while athenahealth is often a better fit for long- term, ambulatory, and primary care settings. Additionally, both systems seem suited for healthcare systems of all sizes. Comparing both programs, athenahealth is frequently reported as more straightforward to learn and navigate than Epic. This is primarily because of how information is located and what navigation is required. athenahealth generally has several tabs staff can use to find patient information. In contrast, Epic has a wide array of tabs where information can be located, and users can often navigate to the same data through multiple different avenues. Because