Matt Weir / The Collegian
Fresno State’s Student Health Center has taken the leap to modernize its system by adopting a completely paperless structure, but employees are still getting accustomed to being electronic eight months later.
The new transition was implemented in April of this year, and according to employees working at the Health Center it’s made the process significantly more efficient.
With this new system, charts can be accessed electronically when checking in. This will cut the wait time for students who are waiting to be seen. In addition, the system interfaces to the health center’s laboratory and pharmacy systems.
“When you order tests, the system communicates with the lab software that ordered the tests,” Interim Operations Director Dirk Ruthrauff said. “So when the results come back, they go into the system and the provider just reads the results from within the point and click system.”
Students no longer need to make a trip or even call the health center when waiting to receive lab results. They simply sign into their private portal that is interlinked with the health center to view their results in just a few seconds.
“We are able now to radically change our lobby,” Ruthrauff said. “We’ve taken out a lot of chairs because we don’t have as many people just waiting around.”
The Patient Web Portal provides access 24 hours a day for students to book appointments, complete pre-visit questionnaires and medical forms, exchange secure messages with providers and even print online walkout statements.
Using this portal will also have a mass amount of potential for cost savings.
While efficiency has been the key improvement in using this system, removing room for error has also been a major factor. With the new electronic charts, nurses and physicians can see patients’ medications they’re currently on, family and social history, and allergies all with just one click of a mouse.
The new implementation has also brought about significant time saving elements especially from a clerical standpoint, according to Ruthrauff.
But with the new system receiving nothing but positive feedback from Fresno State’s Health Center employees, one California State University said it does present a few challenges.
Brenda Lema, the health information coordinator for Cal State Chico, said the system has absolutely had a positive influence on their processing, but it wasn’t exactly the easiest move.
“When you go from using hard copies to an electronic system, it’s a vast transition,” Lema said. “It’s a bit challenging when you deal with the new technology and updates.”
Because Fresno State has only used the system for roughly eight months, it’s still considered new and is taking some getting used to. Chico on the other hand, has used the system for almost four years so they’ve had a chance to experience more than just the simple honeymoon stage of the new addition.
Other possible cons in making this move include worries of privacy. According to healthworldnet.com, some “privacy rights advocacy groups are the main opponent of electronic medical records.”
Things such as a fear of intrusion into private information and ability for someone to hack into records if need be poses a threat to a comforting feeling of security. Other reasons for opposing come from the fear of a “loss of human touch in health care.”
Digitalization isn’t always an easy transition for everyone. And lastly, efficiency has been argued in terms of compatibility with all systems.
But this newly added electronic system is a momentous step forward for Fresno State’s health center.
Ruthrauff said there also might be some additional upgrades as well.
Hopes to add simple check-in kiosks are in the works right now to make it simple for students to make appointments and check themselves in rather than waiting in line. With a simple swipe of an identification card, the patient can see all their information, update any status changes and the machine will direct them on where to go next.
Administrators from Cal State Chico, Cal Poly and Cal State Fullerton each said they’ve enjoyed the new system and its brought tremendous positive aspects.
In addition to Fresno State’s contentment with the newly added system, Cal State Fullerton’s medical records supervisor, Hilda Pelaez, described Point and Click as “wonderful and very easy to use.”
Ruthrauff said its been a big step up for the health center and has brought about a great transition, but they’re still adapting to the modernized ways.
“We’re still swallowing it,” Ruthrauff said. “We need to absorb it.”