The following appeared a few days ago.
EHRs call for tech etiquette in the exam room
July 24, 2012 | By Susan D. Hall
Just as a teenager zoned out on texting instead of listening can drive parents crazy, doctors who ignore tech etiquette in the exam room do so at their peril, according to an article at amednews.com. And no, it's not OK to respond to texts during a patient visit.
The way a physician handles the disruption caused by consulting an EHR "can absolutely make or break the relationship between doctor and patient," said Larry Garber, MD, an internist and medical director of informatics at the Reliant Medical Group in Worcester, Mass.
Suffice it to say that the doctor's focus should be on the patient, not a PC or tablet.
in fact, the article says, some medical school have gone so far as to make tech etiquette part of their curricula. Among the tips it offers:
· Pay attention to exam-room setup. Avoid having your back to the patient while consulting on a PC or tablet. A triangle design putting the doctor, patient and PC in three corners can allow the physician to face the patient even while consulting the EHR.
· Consult the EHR before entering the room. Never go straight to the PC. First greet the patient and set an agenda for the consultation. Then make a transition, such as "OK, let me jot down a few notes."
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More issues and examples here:
Enough said. Watch be video and be both educated and horrified about just how badly it can be done. Just love the patient attempting to prescribe her own major analgesics because the clinician did not log off!
Enjoy.
David.