Thursday, February 03, 2011

Just One More Question....


Thanks to Peter for bringing this article to my attention.

Have I ever mentioned that I hate forms? Oh, it's not just Medicare forms, it's all medical forms.
In private practice, there's not much paperwork. I see patients and I jot down a note for their charts. Sometimes I type a formal evaluation for their primary care doctor. Sometimes I need to fill out treatment plans or preauthorization forms for medications or forms for disability insurances. And these things are a pain in the neck, but most days there are no forms. I see patients, I turn off the phone, and I'm with them fully.

In the clinics where I've worked, the notes go on forms. There are simple questions to be filled out, nothing that exciting, but it pulls my attention. There's a line for the date. Oh, I do that anyway. Diagnosis. Usually I know that. Time I started. Oh, who cares? Usually I'm talking with the patient and realize I forgot that. I turn to look at the clock and record the time. First zap away from the patient. Age: ? I look at their birthdate. I subtract from the current date to get the year. Why do I have to calculate the age of every patient I see everytime I see them? There are computer labels on every page with the date of birth. If someone wants to know, why can't they do the math? Medical Diagnoses and Medications: I look that up. Date of last physical: ? I look that up or ask the patient. If it's been a while, I tell them to have a check up: Maybe that's useful, but every patient, every visit? I check the box that says they aren't suicidal and that I've discussed the risks and benefits of the medications and how often they come for therapy and what the goals are and if they are getting labs done. I update the medications on the log sheet and in the electronic record. I send a letter to their primary care doc listing their current psych meds: this is required even if their current doc is at the same hospital and can access the updated medications on the EPR. Time ended? I glance at the clock and record it. Duration of appointment: ....Oy, someone else can't subtract the minutes? I've taken to writing 17.3 minutes. Oh, and in there, there was lots of time to hear about the patient's life.

Okay, I'm ranting, but I felt vindicated when Peter sent us all Teresa Brown, R.N.'s article in the NYTimes Well Blog, "Caring for the Chart or for the Patient." Nurse Brown writes:

Because that’s my real concern: the effect on patients of incessant record-keeping. Each of these individual initiatives has merit and is worthwhile, but together they become a mishmash of confusing and oppressive paperwork.

2 comments:

synergesta said...

I agree about paperwork.

Doctor Psychobabble said...

I absolutely abhor forms.

I think the DSM-V committee should seriously consider adding formaphobia as a valid diagnosis.

I certainly have it.