Abstract
The purpose of this project was to transition a current paper-based assessment into the electronic medical record chart and develop automated referrals to trigger off the responses. I selected this project because delays in searching for the scanned paper assessment and manual referral entry could negatively impact the patient’s treatment journey. Methods used included bringing a multidisciplinary team together and reviewing multiple nursing and medical journeys for best practices on electronic assessments. Collaboration with the formed team including the Information Technology department was necessary and the development of new nursing workflows. Education to nursing colleagues was required before implementation. The results included the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer being successfully transitioned into the electronic medical system with an automatic referral to social work as appropriate. Beyond the scope of this class, further work could be done regarding expansion of the automated referral process to other support services.
