Optimizing nursing information systems

Financial, billing, and admission/discharge/transfer software applications have been available for years. Many administrators are purchasing systems to obtain automation to support nursing needs. However, administrators cannot rely on internal experience or software vendors to design their systems because not many have been operational long enough to have been sufficiently tested. In this article, the author provides a background of current functionality available, how clinical applications can interface for efficient documentation, and a strategy for developing the design of a new system.