A rheumatology-specific informatics-based application with a disease activity calculator.

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Medical Informatics
• Clinical Decision Support

Background:

• Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are increasingly vital in healthcare.
• Rheumatology practice requires efficient tools for disease activity monitoring.
• Integrating specialized applications into EMRs can enhance clinical workflows.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement a rheumatology-specific tool with a disease activity calculator within institutional EMRs.
• To evaluate physician attitudes towards the utility and impact of this integrated tool on patient care.

Main Methods:

• The Rheumatology OnCall (ROC) application was developed to aggregate rheumatology data from various institutional systems.
• Physicians accessed the ROC application and disease activity calculator during outpatient encounters.
• Weekly surveys assessed physician-reported impact on patient care and management.

Main Results:

• The ROC application and calculator were used in 474 and 429 outpatient visits, respectively, by 15 physicians.
• Physicians reported improved patient care in 78% of visits using the ROC interface.
• Most physicians found the ROC application useful (11/12) and noted that tracking Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) trends improved daily care (12/13).

Conclusions:

• The ROC application is a valuable tool for daily rheumatologic care and aids in managing rheumatoid arthritis.
• Physician acceptance of EMR-integrated tools is crucial for widespread adoption.
• Limited availability of acute-phase reactant results at the point of care may affect the disease activity calculator's utility.