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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Electronic Health Record (EHR)

Clinical Application Coordinator (CAC)

This page provides news, information and resources to assist Clinical Application Coordinators in the implementation and maintenance of EHR-related, multi-service clinical software applications. We encourage you to make use of this valuable support on an on going basis and we look for your contributions to maintaining it as a valuable and relevant resource.

CAC Updates

  • Health Summary Components released in April, 2006: This application provides functionality to produce locally customizable TIU objects. Health summary flow sheets and supplements (diabetes, asthma, etc) can be created and displayed in the GUI and inserted in the progress note. End users can also create an ad-hoc health summary on the fly on the Reports tab.
  • EHR Version 1.1 - Released in October, 2007 List of enhancements and fixes. [Word - 50 KB]
  • EHR Version 1.1 patch information

Innovation & Best Practices

  • Clinical Reminders - The Next Step: Sites who are using Clinical Reminders have demonstrated an improvement in their GPRA performance measures by informing the clinician when the patient is due for a clinical activity such as a health maintenance reminder. Reminder "dialogs" assist the clinician in resolving the reminder in a standardized manner. Your site should have the EHR fully implemented for at least 6 months before implementing reminders.
  • Tips and Tricks to maximize your EHR.
  • Information on Medication Reconciliation

Training News and Information

  • OIT Training Classes This link will take you to a listing of all course currently being offered by the Office of Information Technology
  • RPMS EHR Training This link will take you to a listing & description of all EHR courses offered by the Office of Information Technology, including EHR Basic and Advanced CAC Trainings

EHR v1.1 Manuals (User Guides, Installation Manuals, etc.)

Template Resources

Patient Information Management System (PIMS)

Patient Information Management System (PIMS) is a suite of software consisting of four main components:

The Admission/Discharge/Transfer (ADT) application includes:

  • Basic bed control functions (admissions, transfers, discharges)
  • Day Surgeries
  • Inpatient listings and reports
  • Census calculation and reporting
  • Incomplete chart tracking, and
  • Scheduled visits (admissions, day surgeries, outpatient visits from outside the area).

The Clinic Scheduling application provides:

  • Outpatient appointment management;
  • Tracking patients on waiting lists
  • File Room activities - pulling paper charts for appointments, walk-ins and chart requests;
  • Various reports on clinic capacity and workload.

The Sensitive Patient Tracking (SPT) module allows a facility to track access to patient records, either those designated as sensitive or all records. Accessing sensitive records warn users that they are accessing a restricted record. Non-sensitive records can be tracked with no warning to computer users. The software tracks which menu option the user was executing when he/she selected a patient along with date and time.

The Patient Record Flag module (new in patch 1007), is used to alert medical staff and employees of patients whose behavior and characteristics may pose a threat either to their safety, the safety of other patients, or compromise the delivery of quality health care. These flag assignments are displayed during the patient look-up process.

Learn About PIMS

Implementing PIMS at your site
Most IHS and Tribal facilities using RPMS will want to implement PIMS. If your site would like to initiate this process, completion of a site profile [Word - 54 KB] will help with assessment of your readiness for PIMS. We recommend that you contact your Area Office for assistance in implementing PIMS.

For user support following PIMS implementation, contact the OIT Help Desk (505-248-4371). Help Desk staff will assist you in resolving the problem, or will refer you to a PIMS user support specialist.

To recommend changes or enhancement to the PIMS application, please enter your request on the RPMS Feedback page.

Contacts

The best resource for support with the job of being a Clinical Application Coordinator is the EHR LISTSERV. A number of experienced CACs monitor the Listserv and respond promptly and thoroughly to questions raised by others. By using a forum such as the Listserv, the entire EHR community benefits from the discussion.