Incorporating the family into a computerized office registration system

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Medical Practice Management

Background:

• Office computer systems offer opportunities to link family members' medical records.
• A computerized family grouping system was implemented in a large patient practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the experience with a computerized family grouping system.
• To evaluate the feasibility and challenges of integrating such a system.

Main Methods:

• A six-digit numbering scheme was developed within a computerized patient registration system.
• Household relationships were initially determined by shared phone numbers and subsequently updated by patients.

Main Results:

• The system facilitated the linkage of medical records for family members.
• Initial data entry costs were approximately $0.36 per patient, decreasing to $0.08 after establishment.
• Challenges included staff adjustment to new routines and data entry errors.

Conclusions:

• Computerized systems enable the linkage of medical and registration information for entire families.
• Successful integration necessitates staff acceptance and adaptation to new operational routines.