Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026
07:13
Orienteering as a Tool for Cognitive Research: An Implementation Guide
Published on: November 29, 2024
Are problem-oriented medial records (POMR) suitable for use in GPs' daily practice?
Etienne De Clercq1, Viviane Van Casteren, Pascale Jonckheer
1School of Public Health, Health System Research, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. declercq@sesa.ucl.ac.be
Studies in Health Technology and Informatics
|October 4, 2007
Summary
Belgian general practitioners (GPs) are increasingly using problem-oriented patient record functions. This study found that linking treatments and referrals to patient problems improved significantly, indicating enhanced daily practice integration.
Area of Science:
- General Practice / Family Medicine
- Health Informatics
- Electronic Health Records
Background:
- Problem-oriented functions have been integrated into Belgian general practitioners' (GPs) software systems since 2003.
- The explicit linking of treatments/referrals to patient problems is a key feature of these systems.
- Understanding the adoption and utilization of these functions in daily practice is crucial for optimizing electronic health record (EHR) systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the extent to which GPs utilize problem-oriented functions, specifically the linking procedure, in their daily practice.
- To assess the change in utilization of these functions over time and across different software systems.
- To evaluate the impact of collaboration with a primary care research network on the use of problem-oriented records.
Main Methods:
- Data collection occurred in 26 volunteer GPs' practices using three different software systems within the Belgian ResoPrim project in 2005.
- Data were collected prospectively over six weeks in 2005 and retrospectively for 2004, focusing on hypertension and cardiovascular risk factors.
- Key indicators included the percentage of problem-linked drugs and referrals among extracted data for all and hypertensive patients.
Main Results:
- Significant variations in the use of linking functions were observed across software systems, GPs, and time.
- The percentage of linked drugs increased from 2% (2004) to 36% (2005), and linked referrals rose from 65% (2004) to 75% (2005).
- Increased utilization was observed during collaboration with the primary care research network and was not limited to the data collection theme.
Conclusions:
- Some problem-oriented patient record functions are spontaneously used by GPs in their daily practice.
- Collaboration with primary care research networks can enhance the adoption and utilization of these EHR functionalities.
- The observed increase in use suggests a positive trend towards more integrated and problem-oriented patient record keeping in general practice.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Methods of Documentation II: POMR
The Problem-Oriented Medical Record (POMR) revolutionized medical record-keeping by introducing a systematic approach focusing on the patient's problems rather than merely listing symptoms. Dr. Lawrence Weed's introduction of this method in the 1960s marked a significant advancement in medical documentation. The POMR framework consists of four key components: the database, problem list, plan of care, and progress notes.
01:18Methods of Documentation I: Source-Oriented Records
Source-oriented records, or SOR, are medical record-keeping organized by the data source. The SOR system was first developed in the mid-1900s to organize the growing patient data in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
In an SOR, each discipline involved in patient care maintains a separate medical record section. This record-keeping method enables easy tracking of patient progress and ensures healthcare staff have access to up-to-date information.
Key Attributes include the following:
In an SOR, each discipline involved in patient care maintains a separate medical record section. This record-keeping method enables easy tracking of patient progress and ensures healthcare staff have access to up-to-date information.
Key Attributes include the following:
01:21Methods of Documentation III: PIE
Problem-intervention-evaluation (PIE) is a systematic approach to documentation used in healthcare settings for clinical decision-making and patient care planning. It is a structured approach to organizing patient data based on problems, interventions, and evaluations. Here's a breakdown of its key features and considerations:
01:28Field Application of Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System (GPS) has become an indispensable tool in fieldwork, offering unparalleled precision and efficiency for surveying, navigation, and infrastructure development. By harnessing signals from a constellation of satellites, GPS receivers determine the location of objects with remarkable speed and accuracy, often completing calculations within a second.Advantages of Modern GPS TechnologyContemporary GPS receivers are designed to meet the practical demands of field...
01:30Design Example: Identifying the Locations of Monuments in the Field Using Global Positioning System Device
Surveyors use Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to measure the precise location and elevation of points on Earth. In a recent survey, GPS receivers were used to determine the coordinates and elevations of two park monuments. The process involved careful mission planning, data collection, and correction to ensure accuracy. The survey began with mission planning to identify optimal satellite visibility and minimize Position Dilution of Precision (PDOP). A geodetic control point served as...
01:30Methods of Documentation VII: EMR
Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) primarily center around electronically documenting patients' health information within a single healthcare organization or practice. They contain essential clinical data related to a patient's medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, lab results, and other pertinent information relevant to the specific encounter or episode of care. EMRs are designed to streamline documentation and workflow processes within individual healthcare settings,...