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. 2016 Jul 6;7(3):646-52.
doi: 10.4338/ACI-2015-12-CR-0168.

Patient-generated Digital Images after Pediatric Ambulatory Surgery

Matthew W Miller  1 , Rachael K Ross, Christina Voight, Heather Brouwer, Dean J Karavite, Jeffrey S Gerber, Robert W Grundmeier, Susan E Coffin
Affiliations

Patient-generated Digital Images after Pediatric Ambulatory Surgery

Matthew W Miller et al. Appl Clin Inform. .

Abstract

Objective: To describe the use of digital images captured by parents or guardians and sent to clinicians for assessment of wounds after pediatric ambulatory surgery.

Methods: Subjects with digital images of post-operative wounds were identified as part of an on-going cohort study of infections after ambulatory surgery within a large pediatric healthcare system. We performed a structured review of the electronic health record (EHR) to determine how digital images were documented in the EHR and used in clinical care.

Results: We identified 166 patients whose parent or guardian reported sending a digital image of the wound to the clinician after surgery. A corresponding digital image was located in the EHR in only 121 of these encounters. A change in clinical management was documented in 20% of these encounters, including referral for in-person evaluation of the wound and antibiotic prescription.

Conclusion: Clinical teams have developed ad hoc workflows to use digital images to evaluate post-operative pediatric surgical patients. Because the use of digital images to support follow-up care after ambulatory surgery is likely to increase, it is important that high-quality images are captured and documented appropriately in the EHR to ensure privacy, security, and a high-level of care.

Keywords: Ambulatory care information systems; clinical images; patient records; surgery; workflow.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Digital images reported after ambulatory surgery.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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