DNP 805 EHR Database and Data Management

DNP 805 EHR Database and Data Management

The adoption of information technology and reforms aimed at expanding access to healthcare services has led to the generation and accumulation of huge amounts of data by health care systems and organizations from multiple sources. The meaningful use incentive for utilization of the electronic health records (EHRs) has created vast and efficient data storage and databases that healthcare systems and providers can use to manage some of the common conditions affecting populations across the care continuum (Kruse et al., 2018). The purpose of this assignment is to discuss HER databases and management of data by focusing on a patient problem of surgical site infection. The paper explains incorporation of the information required to manage the issue, data required so that the database can manage the condition and enhance patient outcomes. The paper also describes entities that will be pulled from the EHRs and their relationships that the hypothetical database.

Patient Clinical Problem

The clinical issue of focus entails adult patients undergoing surgical procedure for colorectal cancer and susceptible to surgical site infections. According to Li et al. (2018), individuals undergoing colorectal cancer surgery have increased risk for morbidity (20%-40%) and mortality about 2% caused primarily by postoperative surgical site infections. Reports suggest that the rate of surgical infections has increased by over 25% in patients having a colon surgery (Grundmeier et al., 2019; PSNet, 2019). The implication is that infections, especially hospital acquired infections (HAIs) lead to increased length of stay in health facilities, increases susceptibility to other conditions and leads to a rise in medical cost. Imperatively, providers and organizations can leverage innovative approaches like development of EHRs databases to manage data and prevent and reduce the rate of surgical site infections.

Hypothetical EHR Database and Data Required

EHRs are digital forms of patient health information (PHI) and include personal contact data, patient medical history, allergies and treatment plans as well as test and diagnostic results. The benefits of EHRs include improving positive patient outcome and population health, organization and analysis of patient information, and enhancing clinical efficiency through better workflow, timelines, and quality of care. EHRs data can be deployed to create and internally authenticate a data-driven standard to detect at risk patients (Kruse et al., 2018). It also helps in clinical decision support to effectively identify patient at increased risk for surgical site infections. A hospital data management system incorporate all data associated with the facility in an organized manner and is a critical component of EHRs system to enhance interoperability and decision making among providers and patients.

Incorporating Information to Manage the Problem

The EHRs is widely used to gather patient health information including all their details based on the system requirement and are fed into the database. To retrieve information from such a system, one needs to write queries statement with all the criteria needed for its development. The system will offer a multi-tasking functionality by recording patient details while also taking the on duty staff details. The hypothetical database will be created to help colorectal cancer patients. The database will require information collected in the EHRs to input these details automatically. The criteria for data that will be pulled in into the database would include all patients with colon surgical procedure. The additional data would include start and end time of the procedure, room time, gender of the patient, past medical history, weight, family medical history, place of residence, any allergies and previous procedures. The database will also contain the time of medication administration, especially the administration of preoperative antibiotics (De Simone et al., 2018). The goal of these details is to ensure that preoperative antibiotics are administered 30 minutes before the set time for surgical incision.

Patient Problem Incorporating Information Needed

The patient issue being addressed is surgical site infection after a surgical procedure for adult patients with colon or rectal cancer. Surgical site infections (SSIs) after a colorectal procedure are a prevalent issue that impact patient safety and quality care outcomes with numerous reports