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Implementation of Toxicall: impact on documentation.
D Gopalan1, Y Gopalan, W O Robertson
1Washington Poison Center, Seattle 98125-8012, USA.
Veterinary and Human Toxicology
|February 24, 2001
Summary
The Toxicall system at the Washington Poison Center increased documentation time but improved overall staff efficiency by reducing time spent on other tasks. This system also eliminated illegible handwriting.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Health Informatics
- Medical Systems Analysis
Background:
- The Washington Poison Center previously relied on a conventional paper-pencil system for managing calls.
- Prior "time and motion" studies using random alarm devices provided baseline data for comparison.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of the implemented Toxicall system on staff time allocation.
- To compare the efficiency of the new computer-based system with the previous paper-pencil method.
Main Methods:
- A computer-based alarm system was developed to time calls and record staff behaviors.
- Data from 211 calls over a 6-week period were analyzed.
- Observed time percentages per call were compared to a 1993 study.
Main Results:
- Documentation effort increased significantly (p<0.05) compared to the anticipated decrease.
- Staff participation in non-specified activities decreased substantially, indicating increased efficiency.
- The Toxicall system eliminated illegible handwriting, a notable benefit.
Conclusions:
- Despite increased documentation time, the Toxicall system enhanced overall staff efficiency.
- The elimination of illegible handwriting is a significant advantage of the Toxicall system.