Reference no: EM133750740

Question

The first computers that were used in nursing were based on order entry functions and patient registration. These software applications were adapted from banking and business software that was already in use in the business world. The software worked well enough for order entry, patient registration, and billing. Healthcare's interest in technology started with applications that had a financial benefit. Early on, order entry consisted of the transcription from paper-based orders to an electronic equivalent, usually using a menu of choices, transcribed by a registered nurse (RN) or secretary. There was no intelligence built into the order choices in the form of any kind of clinical decision support. Hence, a wide order variation was very common. When that same software was adapted for clinical documentation, it did not fit as well. The physician was seen as the person who ordered the use of resources from dressings to surgery. This perpetuated the emphasis on finances being the driver of orders and documentation. Documentation for anything other than orders, registration, and billing typically remained on paper. Additionally, non-physician documentation was not seen as relevant, nor was it considered a priority in the scheme of electronic documentation planning, in spite of the vital.