Supporting patient care in the emergency department with a computerized whiteboard system

Abstract

Efficient information management and communication within the emergency department (ED) is essential to providing timely and high-quality patient care. The ED whiteboard (census board) usually serves as an ED's central access point for operational and patient-related information. This article describes the design, functionality, and experiences with a computerized ED whiteboard, which has the ability to display relevant operational and patient-related information in real time. Embedded functionality, additional whiteboard views, and the integration with ED and institutional information system components, such as the computerized patient record or the provider order entry system, provide rapid access to more detailed information. As an information center, the computerized whiteboard supports our ED environment not only for providing patient care, but also for operational, educational, and research activities.

Figure 1

ED treatment area: Clinicians rely on the ED information system components for communicating, documenting, and retrieving patient care information. The large, touch-sensitive monitor (arrow) provides clinicians with a central location for coordinating care, discussing high-level patient management information, and reviewing ED operational activity.

Figure 2

Functional integration of the ED whiteboard system with other ED information system components, and the institutional information system applications.

Figure 3

Display of the ED Whiteboard in a top-level view (limited functionality): Operational information is displayed at the top of the whiteboard, such as the charge and triage nurse, diversion status, or ED occupancy levels in the waiting room (right upper corner: “WR”) or the treatment area (right upper corner: “ED”). Below the operational information is the menu bar, which provides access to different whiteboard views such as waiting room, recent discharges, staff roster, “My Patients,” or the registration log. Below the menu bar patient related information is displayed. ▶ explains the patient related data elements of the ED whiteboard in more detail. For confidentiality relevant data elements were altered.