Home Forums Discussions Feedback and Recommendations Condenese info in Imported items

We have been using AC for over 2 years now. Many of our patients Imported Items folders are getting large -- Consults, Other, Lab -- is there a way to condense the information into another sub-folder; such as:

Other
2010
2011

A related issue is how long some of those are taking to open.

Yes, opening these charts is starting to take much longer. When we used paper charts, after so long the charts get bigger, so we would archive anything older than 2 years....starting another chart. We would only keep 2 years of records in the office, anything older would be in storage, but accessible if needed. Something like this would be helpful in AC.

Folder could still be in Imported Items, just having all of one year in a sub-folder, or maybe 6 months....or some time frame the physicians could decide.

Do you have a gigabit switch? Are you using wired/wireless? It makes a huge difference.

Yes we do have a gigabit switch, and use both wired and wireless. I can't tell much difference. I know it should matter, but it just doesn't for II. it does for other network activities.

You should record a video. Test the LAN Network speed as well. Maybe your server needs faster drives.

I will ask the IT guys to check it out. However, part of me thinks I should not have to tweak my system at all. I use other SQL based databases. Doing an indexed search for 100 items out of 20,000 records and displaying a selection BLOB fields is over so fast I have not had time to take my finger off the key. I do not understand why AC is so slow at a simple task.

Dave, are you on 6.3.3?

AC uses SQL express (1GB limit) and if you have several providers. That can get a little clogged.

Wmadrs,
Two issues here: your original one about condensing II, and slow opening of charts with big II. Anecdotally, later versions of AC seem to help to some degree with the latter issue; I would suggest 6.3.3.

On condensing: the main problem I have with doing this is that I don't think you can create sub-folders in II. I only know of one work-around, which is a half-measure that you may or may not think is worth the effort. One significant limitation is that doesn't allow you to move labs brought in with an interface (at least, we cannot move LabCorp labs).

1. Create a new folder named "zOld Labs" in II. Do this by choosing an item, right clicking, and select under "Item type" the "Add your own text" from the list. I start the folder name with a "z" so it appears at the bottom of the II list.

2. Drag and drop other appropriate II's, one-by-one, into that folder.

3. Since you cannot create sub-folders, you might want to create several folders, e.g. "zOld labs before 2009", "zzOld labs before 2005", "zzzOld Radiology"...you get the idea.

This moves all of the items to folders at the bottom of the list, leaving your current folders empty except for more recent documents.

If anyone knows a better way to do this, I would love to hear it.

Imported Items in general needs a lot of attention from the Amazing Charts development staff (listening, Jon B?). With the increased use of lab interfaces being mandated by MU, II folders are getting quite large. In addition, the entire section becomes difficult to view over time (since the folders don't remain closed), opening a window with Adobe Reader causes crashes. And who is in charge of the interface: the new labs imported are filed newest first, while non interface imported items are filed oldest first!?

At the bare minimum, AC should allow internal links to an outside folder or database, so the user can manage Imported Items.

As usual, I strongly agree with all that John said.

Yes, Jon, I am.

Thanks for the info Jon....have been away on vacation and stuff so didn't get this suggestion sooner. I will try on our test patient and see what my physicians think about this idea. We upgraded to 6.3.3 mid-August, so already have the newest version.

As usual I agree with Jon and John and usually Bert too

question: I tried this, but it wants to make the doctor "sign off" on all items!

Julia,
If you do this when signed in to AC as a provider, you will not need to re-sign off the items.

I sense from Julia's note an echo of my biggest frustration with the EHR in general.... That it "makes the doctor" responsible for a huge number of what were previously clerical tasks. There are just way too many things that are so cumbersome to delegate that it is just quicker to do it myself. I really resent this.

David,
This could be solved for the very reasonable price of $1995 and then $995 yearly.

Actually, I have a completely Different and somewhat Unique Solution to this Imported Item problem.... We simply have been using Bert's FAP; File Assist Pro for at least 3 if not possibly even 4 years now. FAP is pretty darn Fast and much faster than AC, and now our charts are not clogged with most of that death march to open stuff. We do make use of one main lab interface to download and make immediate data out of the Values which of course is the nice modern, helps you see trends and the like thing.

But 9 out of 10 things we have coming in from outside the office via fax or mail is simply scanned into FAP!!! It's Great and my Doc, Nancy Loves FAP. Leslie I thought you went FAP a good many years ago, not too long after Us? Am I mistaken?

I have done some old write-ups on our experience with FAP and while Bert has kept it working smoothly with AC as AC changes and grows, and in general software changes and grows, it still works and looks the same and is a wonderful solution to this problem.

Lastly, FAP Allows you to literally have TWO sections of the Chart Open at the Same Time now.... You don't have to leave your previous note you were reading and confering with the old specialist letter or Image Report. You don't have to leave the Rx window or the Note you are presently writing just to look at some new or old imported items. Now you can read the PFD created in FAP, Named and Dated very well I might add... Patient's full name as entered in AC and dated the date you scan it into the system, and that is that particular item's name, it the time, date and patient's name, so no concern of Orphan Items one day either.

So read the specialist notes, reveiw a report check their insurance card, up to 20 types of catagories that YOU Get to Name Yourself when you set-up FAP to fit your practice, style and needs. I hope you can see that FAP is a wonderful adjuct program to work right along side with AC that offers all of these work flow and data, systems benefits.

Try it, you'll like it....
Paul

I'd just like to be able to have a view where I show all things since ____ date... that'd be awesome...then my provider could see what's there since the last visit or a particular date to make it easier to find things... the list is too long.