Activity analysis in the Emergency Department

With funding from the state of Tennessee and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Memphis area has one of the largest Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) projects in the nation. Using technology developed by Vanderbilt University, Memphis hospitals are being connected in a healthcare information exchange (HIE). The first functions to go on-line are emergency departments. To assess the impact of the new technology on triage nurses, their activities and technology usage are being observed. These data will establish a behavioral baseline, with subsequent observations recording changes in activity and performance over time. These results will be used to verify and improve system design.

Collaborators: Vanderbilt University, Regional Medical Center at Memphis