Hi Barbara,
I just made the plunge to completing my charts in the room last week.
Prior to this I took my paper notes into my office between patients, dictated my Dragon Naturally Speaking into my AC and forwarded the chart to myself. I then came back when the patient visits were over for the day, proof read the AC charts, corrected the goofy mistakes I made with DNS V9, printed the patient visit and placed them into my paper chart.
I took some time a couple of weeks ago, deleted 90% of the stock templates in AC (did not sound like something I would say, too many abreviations etc.) and constructed a dozen or so of my own templates (it is unbelievable how much we repeat the same things over and over to our patients daily). I must say at this point that Bert attempted to persuade me to do this a couple of months ago. I now have developed a pattern of interviewing my patient, examinining them and then, with the patient looking over my shoulder entering the data into AC using templates at will when appropriate. I then solicit my patients' assistance in updating the preventive portion, fill out the Rx if needed and I am done!
I no longer back up my charts with a printed copy (I do it with an external hard drive and a thumbdrive daily) and I save myself a couple of hours daily. I think that I am as fast now with AC as I ever was in my 30 year divided career in emergency medicine and FP (with the possible exception of the "T" system which is of no use to anyone after completed).
Please check out the Wish List and the upcoming AC meeting in Branson; I think that many of us will learn a great deal and there is no doubt we will have fun.
Best,
Jim
