Let the EHR Talk Loudly: An EHR-Connected Verbal Surgical Safety Checklist for Medical Procedures in the Intensive Care Unit

• Published in: Journal of patient safety Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. e136 - e139
• Main Authors: Uppot, Raul N., Yu, Alvin Yiu Chun, Samadi, Katayoun, Pino, Richard M., Lee, Jarone
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 01-01-2022; Copyright Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved
• Subjects: Checklist; Electronic Health Records; Humans; Intensive Care Units; Surveys and Questionnaires; Workflow
• ISSN: 1549-8417; 1549-8425
• DOI: 10.1097/PTS.0000000000000713

OBJECTIVESThe purpose of this study was to test the accuracy and user acceptance of an electronic health records (EHR)-connected verbal surgical safety checklist in the intensive care unit (ICU).
METHODSAn EHR-connected verbal checklist software was deployed in our ICU between January 2019 and June 2019. The software, loaded on a mobile tablet, loudly verbalized clinical information from the EHR in the form of a time-out checklist. The accuracy of the information delivered was compared with up-to-date clinical data in the EHR in 300 patients. User acceptance was assessed using survey instruments.
RESULTSThe software accurately verbalized patient demographics in 100% (300/300) of tested cases. Concordance rates with real-time values in the EHR for the following variables were calculatedallergies 98.6% (296/300), international normalized ratio 97.6% (293/300), and platelets 91.6% (275/300). Surveys showed that 41.2% (7/17) of users preferred current standard EHR time-outs, 17.6% (3/17) preferred verbalization software, 35.3% (6/17) preferred neither, and 5.9% (1/17) wanted both. When asked if EHR-connected verbalization software should officially replace the current standard EHR checklists, 76.5% (13/17) supported the idea.
CONCLUSIONSAn EHR-connected verbal surgical safety checklist software can leverage information in the EHR to help with workflow and patient safety. This study shows that the software can verbally deliver clinical information with great accuracy and that most ICU staff would support replacing current time-out processes.