Use of hand-held computers to record and analyze intervention data.

Abstract

Using the Wizard to document clinical activities has been well received by the clinical staff. What had previously been a dreaded task has become an ongoing part of daily activities. The revised Clinical Activity Log also provided the staff pharmacists with an easier method of documenting their clinical activities. The task of inputing the information from the staff pharmacists' paper logs into the computer is time consuming and is currently being done by the clinical staff. Procurement of additional Wizards for the staff pharmacists to use in the central pharmacy and satellite pharmacies is currently being considered. Using the Wizard has enabled the clinical staff to document clinical activities into the computer database in an ongoing manner throughout the day. Documentation has increased and is now more complete. Productivity is being monitored. Physician responses and patient outcomes are now being documented. Most importantly the computerized system allows for easy retrieval of the documented information for evaluation so that tracking and trending can be done and we can thereby continue to improve the quality of pharmaceutical care being provided.