On January 8, 2003, Elmhurst Hospital Center went on-line with INPATIENT CARDIOLOGY CONSULTS.  During the first two to three weeks of use, over 70 consults were documented on-line.

The consults are initially documented by Fellows or Senior Residents and then reviewed and electronically signed by the Attending Cardiologist.  The on-line consult includes comprehensive documentation of patient and family health history, medications, allergies, review of systems, physical examination findings, as well as patient assessment and recommendations for plan of care.

In addition, the following week, January 16, 2003, OUTPATIENT CARDIOLOGY CONSULTS AND CARDIOLOGY CLINIC PROGRESS NOTES were begun in the cardiology specialty clinic.  There are two or three half-day clinic sessions per week.  In the first two weeks of use, there were 32 outpatient consults and 116 progress notes documented on-line.

According to the director of the Cardiology Department, Dr. David Rubenstein, these enhancements have resulted in improved patient care and referring physician benefits by now allowing access to the consults on-line.  Dr. Reubenstein further explained that the benefits associated with this new system implementation were the result of collaboration between physicians and technological services at Elmhurst to resolve real issues rather than theoretical ones.  Further, through building upon the present system and utilizing it in unique ways, the new functionality strengthens the correlation between clinical information and billing levels.  Lastly, it is a comprehensive approach to educating physicians in appropriate documentation and was well received due to the ease of use through collaborative design techniques.

Congratulations to Elmhurst Hospital Center for improving their patients' care by continuing excellence in the use of a CPR system and to Dr. David Rubenstein for his clinical leadership on this initiative!

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