1. What is the decision or change (e.g. clinical topic, practice guideline, system design, delivery of care) you are facing or struggling with where a summary of the evidence would be helpful?

We are interested in understanding the effectiveness of electronic health records in preventing duplication of care or services during care transitions, especially in systems without interoperability.

2. Why are you struggling with this issue?

Transitions of care are times of known safety risks. Transition from hospitals and emergency rooms back to primary care are especially fraught with opportunities to miss key information like diagnostic testing results, medication changes, etc. The promise of the EHR was that communication during transitions would be smooth and seamless. However, in many communities, EHRs are not interoperable, therefore primary care clinicians must depend on whatever summary is provided. This differs from some EHRs providing hundreds of pages to sift through, to a one page discharge summary, to nothing at all. We are interested in understanding if there is evidence that the EHR is effective in reducing duplication, errors, costs. What is the ideal discharge summary? What key elements should be included? How do we assure that primary care clinicians have the information they need to continue the care of patients in the community?

3. What do you want to see changed? How will you know that your issue is improving or has been addressed?

A standard discharge summary for all EHRs that contains the information needed when patients return to primary care sites.

4. When do you need the evidence report?

Wed, 05/15/2024

5. What will you do with the evidence report?

First try to influence our communities, and then move to a larger sphere of influence with EHR vendors and national policy making organizations.

Optional Information About You

What is your role or perspective? Administrator, Researcher

If you are you making a suggestion on behalf of an organization, please state the name of the organization? WV Alliance for Creative Health Solutions

May we contact you if we have questions about your nomination? Yes