"Smart Forms" in an Electronic Medical Record: documentation-based clinical decision support to improve disease management.

This is a review of a 2008 article by Schnipper et al entitled; "Smart Forms" in an Electronic Medical Record: documentation-based clinical decision support to improve disease management.

The authors describe the development and implementation of an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) based "Smart Form system for physician use in capturing pertinent clinical data for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) or diabetes mellitus. The Design of the "Smart Form" was not only patient centered but also took into account factors that might positively impact physician ease of use while providing them with Clinical Decision Support (CDS)

Introduction

The article focuses on improving EMR Usability, coupled with integration of a "Smart Form driven" Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS)for the physicians that translates into observable improvement in patient care - as opposed to simply theoretical ones. CDSS -as noted by the authors- has historically been shown to have great potential to enhance patient care. Among the 5-key limitations cited, it appears that success or failure of the CDSS hinges on the ability of the system to be implemented with minimal disruptions to the clinician's workflow.