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Interview with Lawrence Weed, MD- The Father of the Problem-Oriented Medical Record Looks Ahead
1Lee Jacobs, MD, residing in Atlanta, GA, is the Associate Editor-in-Chief of The Permanente Journal .
Abstract:
I first met Lawrence Weed, MD, in 1972 when I was a third-year medical student at the University of Vermont. To this day I remember his passion for a disciplined approach to medical record documentation to optimize the care provided to each individual patient.Now, 35 years later, I was privileged to meet with Dr Weed at his home in Vermont. We discussed when he first was alerted to the nonscientific approach clinicians use to make decisions on patients. The rest of the interview time was spent with Dr Weed teaching me about the solution that he has spent the last 30 years designing and implementing.This interview is published to complement the editorial in the most recent issue of The Permanente Journal (Spring 2009;13[2]:85-7). We believe that in the era of health care reform and quality improvement initiatives, it is important that the medical community take a close look at Dr Weed's total approach decision-making information support defined in this interview.- Lee Jacobs, MD.
Insights
This interview highlights Dr. Lawrence Weed's lifelong work on a disciplined approach to medical documentation and decision-making. His innovative information support system aims to improve patient care through scientific methods.
Area of Science:
- Medical Informatics
- Clinical Decision Support
- Health Information Management
Background:
- Recounts a meeting with Dr. Lawrence Weed, a pioneer in medical record documentation.
- Discusses Dr. Weed's concerns about non-scientific approaches in clinical decision-making.
- Highlights Dr. Weed's 30-year effort in developing a decision-making information support system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present Dr. Lawrence Weed's comprehensive approach to decision-making information support.
- To complement an editorial in The Permanente Journal regarding quality improvement.
- To encourage the medical community to examine Dr. Weed's system in the context of healthcare reform.
Main Methods:
- An interview with Dr. Lawrence Weed.
- Discussion of his developed decision-making information support system.
- Publication to accompany a related editorial.
Main Results:
- Dr. Weed has dedicated 30 years to designing and implementing a specific solution for clinical decision-making.
- The interview details this solution, emphasizing a disciplined approach to medical records.
- The approach aims to optimize patient care through evidence-based and systematic methods.
Conclusions:
- Dr. Weed's system offers a structured approach to enhance clinical decision-making.
- The proposed system is relevant to current healthcare reform and quality improvement initiatives.
- Adoption of this system could lead to more scientific and effective patient care.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Methods of Documentation II: POMR
01:19Purpose of Health Records II
01:11Purpose of Health Records I
Here's a breakdown of how health records serve these purposes:
01:18Methods of Documentation I: Source-Oriented Records
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:
01:20Introduction to Documentation and Reporting
Nursing documentation records essential information and details regarding a patient's care and treatment in written or electronic form. It is a critical aspect of nursing practice that involves documenting assessments, interventions, outcomes, and other relevant details about a patient's health status.
Documentation maps the patient's health journey by creating a comprehensive and precise...
01:21Methods of Documentation III: PIE