Home Forums Discussions Problems ANY WAY TO REMOVE MESSAGE??

We (okay, I) saved a message to a pt's chart that was actually an interoffice email, not intended for that pt's record. Is there anyway to remove, delete, pretend it never happened??

I suspect the only way to remove this is to get into one of the mbd database (which is password protected) and delete that record. However, this will most likely need to be done by Amazingcharts as they have the password to unlock the database. I have numerous entries where the messages (or entire chart notes)were saved on the wrong patient. It's embarrassing if someone found out. For my protection, I add a chart note immediately after this occurrence (so that it is timed and dated in the database--I hope)to let whoever examine the record know that I am aware of the wrong entry (and shows it was inadvertent).

Donna,

I am not quite sure what happened. Were you sending an inter- or intra-office email? I mean my guess is you were sending an intraoffice email while a certain patient's name was attached, but that seems a little strange. My guess is you were just sending a message via the AC messenger and inadvertently it was attached to patient or, more correctly, the patient's name was attached to it.

You may want to (and this is just a suggetion) rethink how you send messages in your office. For instance, we pretty much use an intranet messenger system (Quick Messenger -- very good; after looking at over 25 different ones) for communication. We use our intranet email for more long term communiques. We also have a patient named, Random Message, tht we attach messages such as "Baby Boy Smith born at 2:42 PM; please round on in the morning." This allows us to send a message where there is no patient associated with it but still save it to AC when it refers to patient business.

What Roy does is optimal. Immediately save a message or addendum with Correction in the subject line stating what happened.

What you would want to do, and I hate bringing up HIPAA, but would be a violation of HIPAA. When you write a progress note in the hospital or anywhere for that matter, when you make an incorrect entry, there is a protocol, as you know: One strike through the word, the word error written next to it, followed by your initials. Even if it is the first line of a fresh progress note, you aren't supposed to rip it out and start over.

So once saved to that patient's chart, it becomes part of its permanent record, and you can add an addendum. Imagine if you did have the ability to remove it and delete it as if "it didn't happen." You get a message from your nurse that Bill Smith has chest pain, etc. but you didn't see it and something happens that is not good. It would be very tempting to delete that message.

Just some food for thought. I may be off on the legalities of the HIPAA laws.

Yes, I think you are all correct. A long time ago there was a thread and even a response I think, about at some time having AC have the ability for us to do the line thru it with intitials and time stamp thing just as in a paper chart. But this seems to have faded away. But I think it is a very needed feature that all of us would eventually use from time to time and makes these mistakes look more professionally addressed. That's my two cents.

Thanks for the imput Paul, Bert & Roy. I did add an "ignore" previous msg as an error msg, but I like Paul's idea a lot! Haven't we all shredded a paper note and started over prior to AC?? There should be a trust factor here that we are all responsible people and wouldn't be deleting "suspect" msgs, but only the ones that are true errors and would look very unprofessional copied for a deposition, etc....

I'm not talking about deleting but the ability to actual "put a line thru it", just like on a paper chart. This was supposed to be a feature Jon was aware of and hopefully working on. I'm not sure if he ever committed to it so I don't want to speak out of turn. But I did get the impression that he understood the issue and knew it needed to be addressed. And lastly, that if possible it would be pretty much be like described if it came to be.... But this was quite some time now, so who knows...
Someone should put this on the "Vinny" thread to get it back in the limelight...

Donna,

I think the key point is when the note actually gets into the chart. For example, if you are sitting down to write a progress note at your office or in the hospital and you are on a clean sheet of paper, I think if you write one or two lines and you decide to rip it out prior to signing it, etc. you would be OK. But, if you sign it and put it into the chart and walk away, it is now part of the permanent record much like removing your finger from a chess piece is considered a permanent move only less than a microsecond.

If you are typing a note, you can backspace over anything you wish until you save it and the same goes for any message you save to the chart. It is now part of the permanent record, blemishes or not. This is all part of the audit. I think a record at a deposition that contains even poorly written messages is much more LEGAL than one that does not contain the note or has a different note than the one your secretary sent the day before without your knowing it.

It's just a very slipperly slope...