Date of Graduation

Summer 8-17-2015

Document Access

Project/Capstone - Global access

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Abstract

The CNL theme I have targeted is the development and use of Informatics and Healthcare Technologies. My project developed a method of measuring KPIs within a new EHR specifically tailored for jail health populations. The development of a Jail Health Services dashboard is modeled after the dashboard developed by California Correctional Health Care Services for the California prison population. The clinicians requested the ability to measure how many Priority 1 visits were seen within 24 hours so it could be determined whether the jail was meeting the NCCHC benchmark of 85%. Previously, Jail Health Services had no way to measure this indicator for access to care. The baseline measurement turned out to be 84.55% with an average of 87.5% over the next five months. We then wished to see if our increase in Priority 1 percentages correlated with a decrease in unscheduled ED visits. The January to June ED visits in 2015 showed a significant decline when compared to the January to June ED visits in 2014. However, a direct correlation was unable to be established because we did not have KPI measurements in 2014 as the EHR was not implemented until late November, 2014. The Triage and Intake training nurses also received extensive training and education regarding the assessment and rejection of prisoner-patients at Triage until evaluated further and receiving clearance from SFGH. The increased rejection of acutely ill patients may have had a much greater impact on the subsequent decrease in unscheduled ED visits in 2015. The establishment of a quantitative method of inquiry into KPI measures created a significant positive impact on the clinicians and nurses with greatly enhanced motivation for further study of care provision aided by the use of our new EHR.

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