Bert,
How do you save those messages and responses to the patient's chart? Yes, I use Yahoo all day long (and yes, I use it to get me out of rooms). But I still cannot send out a general task on a patient that needs to be done and needs to be documented in their chart. In my papered world, I would mark up a lab result or xray and put it in the "outbox". The first staff person free takes the document, acts on it (say schedules an MRA), calls the patient with the appointment or the results and then files it in their chart or, if waiting for the patient to return or waiting for the precert to come through, leaves it on their desk where other staffers can find it. Having a staff person off on vacation or leaving early does not keep others from knowing there are tasks there needing to be done. Easy for me, easy for them. In the unpapered world, things get placed in one staff member's box and no one else knows they are there. A patient returns a call or calls in about their tests and staff members have to go find me so I can find out what it was that is in the the unavailable staff member's box. Annoying for me, annoying for staff.
Paperport works really well for this most of the time. Everyone can see what is in everyone else's folder. Most of what I do does in fact go through Paperport. But, there are always instances where I must use the message feature in AC. For instance, a consultant calls me and recommends a mutual patient have another test or see another specialist. I message a staffer to make those arrangements and call the patient. The patient is not at home and a message to call our office is left. The patient calls back after returning several days later from their vacation and the staffer that called them is off and no one knows what the heck I wanted or what was arranged for the patient.
Also, at least twice a year I "purge" our charts. I may run a report of all patients not seen in the last 2 years and then have staff members contact them to see if they are still our patient and,if so, why have they not been in in 2 years? I do the same for diabetics and hypertensives and other patient groups. If they have not been in in 6 months, I want to know why and I want my staff to call them and schedule appointments. So, I send these messages through AC and it is hard for each staff member to keep up with whom other staff members have spoken.
There just needs to be a way for everyone to see everything.
Leslie
