Ambulatory Care Information System

Provides automated processing of data and information such as allergies and medical alerts, patients accounting system such as charging, billing, discounts and concessions, diagnostics imaging treatments, and etc. With this system, the patient waiting time is optimized through effective queue management. It involves one-time registration required per visit. It also facilitates the management of doctors schedule.

Where Ambulatory clients are being treated

Covers a wide range of health care services that are provided for patients who are not admitted overnight to a hospital.

Organization of Ambulatory Health Care Ambulatory clinics and surgery centers Singleand multispecialty group practices Diagnostic laboratories Health maintenance organizations Independent physician associations Birthing centers College and university health services

Other Organizations that serve ambulatory population: Faculty medical practices Community health centers Prison health centers Indian health centers Hospital-sponsored ambulatory health services Urgent and immediate care centers Office-based surgery centers and practices Pain management clinics Podiatry offices Networks Mobile clinics Nurse managed centers Groups of ambulatory care organizations

Single specialty provider offer care in setting such as: Birthing centers Cardiac catheterizations centers Dental clinics Dialysis centers

Endoscopy centers Imaging centers Infusion therapy services Laser centers Lithotripsy services MRI centers Ophthalmology practices Oral and maxillofacial surgery centers Pain management centers Plastic surgery centers Podiatric clinics Radiation/ oncology clinics Rehabilitation centers Sleep centers Urgent/ emergency care centers Womens health centers

Issues for Ambulatory Care Increased accountability The need for continuous and documented service improvements Pressures to control utilization Protection of confidential information Integration and support to the other system

Applications necessary in the Ambulatory Environment -

Ambulatory care information systems, usually computer-assisted, are designed to store, manipulate, and retrieve information for panning, organizing, directing, and controlling administrative and clinical activities associated with provision and use of ambulatory care services and facilities.

Major Applications areas needed in the ambulatory environment: Registration Billing Accounts receivable Accounts payable Patient and staff scheduling Managed care functionality

Benefits that can be achieved by using electronic records Financial

Administrative Clinical areas

Financial Benefits of automated information system Cost effective and timely bill submission process resulting in decreased days in accounts receivable and the reduction of rejected claims. Larger ambulatory care organizations use electronic data interchange (EDI) to automate the exchange of data such as claims, submittals, and remittances and health plan eligibility information. Some organization provides integrated credit card payment applications so that patients may use credit cards, which are processed immediately In the ideal electronic system, claims are edited rejected which necessitates further processing, costing, time, and money.

The Role of Nurse Using Information System in the Ambulatory Care System

The very basic objective of the automated ambulatory care information system is to easily integrate the data to the other data and easily translate these data into information. The effective transformation of data can be integrated to the other processes to transform it into knowledge. The ambulatory care nurse and other health care provider should be capable enough to implement the process effectively.