Post-Discharge Microbiology Test Results Requiring Follow-up to Come via E-mail
After a BWH study that catalogued the number of potentially untreated microbiology test results returned following patient discharges, the hospital in February is launching a new effort to improve follow-up and reduce errors.
An e-mail will be sent to both the physician of record and the primary care provider when a potentially untreated microbiology test result returns after the patient’s discharge, highlighting results that may require a modification in medication. This information already is available in the LMR and BICS, and the e-mail will serve as an added alert for physicians when the results of a culture may require additional clinical interpretation and follow-up, such as a change in antibiotics, said Rob El-Kareh, MD, an informatics research fellow in the Division of General Medicine.
El-Kareh was involved in the 2007 study that demonstrated the need for such a system. “Looking at the data from the 2007 calendar year on the number of microbiology results returned after discharge, we expect this new system will generate approximately 370 individual e-mails a year,” El-Kareh said.
For more information, contact El-Kareh informatics research fellow in the Division of General Medicine, by e-mail at rel-kareh@partners.org.