Informatics

Clinical Quality Informatics

The department of Clinical Quality Informatics (CQI) plays an important role in improving the quality of patient care and safety by standardizing best practices, reducing unnecessary variation and decreasing medication errors. Our goal is to close the loop between requirements, recommendations and care provided through appropriate use of system applications.

CQI is made up of three essential teams who train and support physicians, mid-level providers and medical students at our facilities:

• Clinical Informatics Specialists – clinical team members work closely with medical staff and multidisciplinary teams to design, test and implement specialty-specific evidence-based order sets and the computer applications used by providers;
• Clinician Support Specialists – team members act as liaisons to specialty providers ensuring their success in working with our clinical information systems;
• Ambulatory Support Specialists – team members act as liaisons to hospital-owned physician network practices to support the ambulatory electronic medical record (EMR).

Palmetto Health offers a variety of clinical applications, including:

• Electronic Medical Record (EMR) – Cerner Powerchart, Firstnet and Surginet products used for both inpatient and outpatient setting; functionality includes:

  • Clinical Document Imaging – any paper portion of the patient's chart is scanned into the EMR post-discharge
  • CPOE – computerized provider order entry
  • Medication Reconciliation – electronic completion online
  • Depart Process – electronic discharge process including discharge prescriptions
  • Powernote – electronic documentation of H&P, progress notes, operative reports, discharge summaries and consult reports
• Single Sign On – Sentillion Vergence product that allows for a badging login/logout system used on clinical workstations throughout the hospital
• Remote Sign On – Citrix-based web application for PC and Mac allowing providers access to internal clinical applications from any Internet-access point
• Citrix Receiver – mobile device application for iPhone, iPad, iTouch and Android products allowing providers to access clinical applications via a virtual desktop
• IMPAX – AGFA's PACS imaging system allowing providers to access radiology films and reports on-site or remotely
• OBLink – GE's fetal monitoring system
• Heartlab – AFGA's cardiology imaging and reporting system
• PHdoc – primary intranet website for physicians which includes free access to resources such as UpToDate, Micromedex, VisualDx and MD Consult