Question

describe clinical decision support must be connected to the data found in patient's records in order to meet meaningful use

Answer 1

Clinical Decision Support (CDS) is one aspect of the health information technology implemented as electronic health records (EHRs) that can improve the quality of care, helps in avoiding or minimizing clinical errors, increase efficiency, provide cost effective care, facilitate positive outcomes, and may enhance provider and customer satisfaction. The CDS is a tool which assists the healthcare provider in making timely, informed, and higher quality decisions and that supplements clinical judgments.

Clinical Decision Support (CDS) is not a specific software, notification, or care suggestion. It incorporates a wide variety of tools such as: Computerized alerts and reminders, Clinical guidelines & condition-specific order sets, Patient data reports and summaries, Documentation templates, Diagnostic support, Contextually relevant reference information

Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, also known as Meaningful Use uses the CDs as the centerpiece. The idea of CDS for Meaningful Use encloses a wide range of information, which can be accessible to providers, clinical/support staff, patients, and/or other caregivers at various points of care. The data users must consider the government’s desire to encourage innovative efforts to use CDS to improve care quality, efficiency, and outcomes. The Meaningful Use Program under Medicaid is planned to still be in place through 2018 but the Medicare Meaningful Use Program is transitioning into the MIPS Program from January 2017.

The Meaningful Use discuss the CDS as the process which provides the general and person-specific information, intelligently filtered and organized, at appropriate times, to enhance health and health care. For meaningful use, CDS must use HER technologies in the process of care delivery. CDS tools must make sure that the information is provided at the right point in the workflow, based on appropriate patient information, even if the use is not during patient encounter.

Tools which can be used are:

1. Healthcare Portals like Patient Portals, Employer Portals, and Referring Physician Portals. Which can be used for

• Making appointments, provision to view lab results, financial statements, and prescription refills

·        Sending reminders such as appointment reminders, electronic statements

·        Communication with patients’ other physicians without delay

·        Easy and efficient online payments for both biller and patient

·        Electronic forms less faulty

2. Medication Management for Adherence :

Providers are given real-time messages about:

Drugs use and weren’t prescribed,

Medications which could cause adverse side effects

Medication with non-adherence

EHRs used in CDS must be accessible to the relevant persons and must be non- complicated for the effective use. When implemented appropriately, CDS can assure that all patients in a practice setting receive apt and suitable preventive services. The effective use of a clinical decision support system means providers and patients get the right service at right time.