We've divided up the frequently asked questions into three categories--Products FAQ:, Implementation FAQ:, Additional FAQ:
A: An efficient, chief-complaint based, documentation system for emergency departments and urgent care clinics.
A: The American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) has one over-riding goal: to help everyday emergency physicians in their everyday practices. AAEM's subsidiary, AAEM Services, organized a group of AAEM physicians to develop AAEM's own template product to support that goal. Over a dozen different AAEM physicians contributed to this project. In addition, AAEM Services collaborated with EvolveMed, a company based in Salt Lake City, which has extensive experience with documentation systems.
A: We have an editorial board of six AAEM physicians who review all templates. In addition we have six AAEM physicians who are editorial advisers.
A: These templates were developed by AAEM, your professional organization. Because this product is yours, we hope you'll help us make it even better. Our website makes giving feedback easy, and your feedback will assist us in improving the templates. You'll benefit from the intellectual capital of your fellow AAEM members.
A: There are over 60 different templates covering the entire range of emergency medicine presentations. These include over 10 different addendum templates that cover all common ED procedures and add-on evaluations.
A: It's easy! You select templates by chief complaint. The templates themselves can be categorized by body system, by number, or alphabetically. We have a special rack system available at minimal cost to help you organize the templates, or you can use the included software program, AAEM Templates Printer™ to print the templates on demand.
A: Each template is two pages except for addendum templates, which are one page. The templates are typically printed on one two-sided sheet, but options are available for those who wish to utilize a different format.
A: While many of the templates can be used for either adults or children, we have two separate pediatric templates: Pediatric Illness and Pediatric Injury. The vast majority of pediatric-specific complaints can be documented using either of these two templates.
A: AAEM Templates are very easy and intuitive to use. You'll be comfortable using them in almost no time. Of course, with additional experience, the templates will become hard-wired into your brain, and using these templates will become second nature.
A: Of course! AAEM Templates are designed to be used in EDs with multiple tiers of caregivers. For example, the templates have two signature lines. While our standard templates should accommodate your needs, we can always customize if so desired.
A: Yes, in a couple of ways. Use of these templates helps make the history and physical exam a more orderly, directed, and efficient process. Documentation time is greatly reduced through the use of preformatted information and easy-to-use notation conventions such as circling and check-offs.
A: You're absolutely correct in your observation. You are spending more time with patients, as you're getting a more thorough history and documenting in real-time at the patient's side. However, unlike your previous experience where you're documenting "after the fact" back at the nursing station, you're now documenting far more efficiently. Thus you're saving time over-all. The patients appreciate the extra "face time," even though you're now seeing more patients in less time than before.
A: AAEM Templates are a great CQI tool, for several reasons: 1) CQI audits are a snap with AAEM Templates since data is uniformly entered and organized making data extraction a simple process. 2) More thorough documentation and better organization of documentation can directly enhance quality of care. 3) Implementation of "best practice standards" is easy to accomplish by utilizing the uniform approach of AAEM Templates. 4) AAEM Template "prompts" can ensure that the important questions are asked, the important findings are addressed, and the important differential diagnoses are considered.
A: Yes! When using AAEM Templates, you'll complete much of the chart at the patient's bedside while the information is fresh in your mind! There's no need to delay charting until the end of the shift, when all those patients start to run together in your mind. There's no better feeling than strolling out the door at the end of your shift (on time) with all your charts properly documented and completed.
A: Not completely, but it will drastically reduce dictation. In the majority of cases, the completed template will communicate information as thoroughly as a dictated chart. In certain complicated cases, dictation can provide a clearer picture than a template. But if the dictation functions as a supplement to the template, the dictation can be brief and concise since its sole purpose is to communicate the care rendered in the ED. Attendings will prefer this "just-tell-me-what-I-need-to-know" approach as compared to wading through lengthy multi-page dictations. Your hospital will love the savings in transcription costs. Everybody will love eliminating the delays that inevitably occur with dictation.
A: Yes! By making documentation more effortless, AAEM Templates can reduce handwriting cramps and mental tedium. By charting at the bedside, you don't need to keep the details of the patient encounter in your head until you have time to dictate.
A: In several ways: 1) With improved documentation efficiency, you'll have more time for patient care. 2) With more time for patient care, you'll have shorter wait times. 3) Patients appreciate bedside charting - they perceive the doctor is more concerned and has spent more time with them. 4) AAEM Templates will let you take a more organized approach in history taking and the physical exam. Patients will perceive that as a higher quality of care.
A: AAEM Templates can be very helpful in reducing risk. Through "prompts," they assure that you'll be thorough in your consideration of the important differential diagnoses. AAEM Templates ensure that you document thoroughly - thorough documentation is your best defense! If you utilize AAEM Template Pearls as an adjunct, you'll have the ultimate in risk reduction.
A: Absolutely! Documentation drives reimbursement. AAEM Templates make thorough documentation easy and painless.
A: Yes! Billing agencies and coders will love these templates. They can tell at a glance what level-of-service was rendered. From the coder's standpoint, the organization of templates is a huge improvement over transcribed or hand-written charts.
A: Absolutely! Use of these templates is not only acceptable, but they can help ensure your compliance with HCFA guidelines.
A: 1) They will save money from reduced dictation costs. 2) If the hospital is doing the billing for the emergency physicians, the templates will improve reimbursement. 3) Reduced medicolegal exposure and HCFA audit exposure are worth their weight in gold. 4) If the hospital pays the physicians, there will be less overtime spent on chart completion at the end of shifts. 5) The ED will run more efficiently with reduced wait times and happier patients.
A: Of course not. Emergency Department documentation systems must serve several different functions (see Chapter 2: The Many Different Functions of ED Documentation and Chapter 2: Documentation Tasks: A Comparison of Different Documentation Systems). Given the vastly different functions that a documentation system must fulfill, there's no perfect system. However, we think that AAEM Templates are currently the best tool for ED documentation.
A: Ah, that's the Holy Grail. We think we'll get there by evolving from a well-designed paper-based system. We think that's not only the most cost-effective approach, but that it should also lead to the most affordable and most glitch-free end product.
A: You can set a "D-day" for implementation of all of the AAEM Templates, or you can phase in the implementation of AAEM Templates. It's a matter of preference, and each approach has its pro's and con's. Most facilities choose to set an implementation date for all templates and all caregivers, but some do choose a phased-in implementation.
A: Probably not completely. Nurses will still probably want to document on the ED record. However, you can now do most of your documentation on the AAEM Template.
A: It's a matter of preference. There's no right answer as it depends upon your facility and what works best for you. However, we do recommend that you chart orders/treatments on the AAEM Templates. We also recommend charting test results and response to treatments on the AAEM Templates.
A: Yes, they can - however, AAEM Templates are designed for primary use by the emergency physicians. In most facilities, the nurses and ancillary staff chart either in the nursing notes or the ED record. Again, this is a matter of institutional preference.
A: A copy of the completed AAEM Template should be sufficient. However, you should check with your billing personnel.
A: We have provided a table in the User Manual that lists presenting complaints along with the appropriate template for each complaint (Appendix IV). See also Chapter 3: Template Organization and Chapter 3: Template Selection.
A: This depends on patient flow, hardware availability, and available floor real estate. If a triage-nurse or ED staff member is available to print them and they have an appropriate computer and printer at the desk, then using the software to print may makes sense. However, if there is plenty of floor space, it is certainly faster to grab an individual template located in the AAEM Templates Rack System.
A: This depends both on your personal preference and the requirement of the medical records department. Either way will work, but two-sided templates are probably more convenient for most parties involved.
A: Scanning can be a great solution that significantly decreases the amount of paper flow in the ED. The advantages to scanning are numerous. First, you only scan the document once but it can be automatically routed to as many destinations as needed. Second, major cost savings can be realized by eliminating courier expenses, mailing costs, and inner-office, paper- handling inefficiencies. Third, delivery time of reports to various destinations can become instantaneous. Finally, you are able to provide the hospital IT staff with the electronic medical record they are demanding.
A: Space for a patient label is provided on all pages of all templates. This space can also be used for patient bar codes. Each of the templates can be modified to meet your document bar code needs.
A: As long as you chart all pertinent information on the AAEM Templates, the completed AAEM Template should be sufficient.
A: For additional information you may request an information packet here. To order the AAEM Templates, you can also call contact us at 800-301-4901 or email us at aaem@evolvemed.com.
A: If you are an AAEM member, your facility may be eligible for a discounted price of just $0.50 per patient (based on an annual census). To qualify for this discounted price you need to have two AAEM members (full or associate) at each facility site as well as one additional member for every 10,000 ED visits above the level of 20,000 annual visits. Otherwise, retail price is $0.65 per patient.
A: Your facility will be billed on a quarterly basis for your use of the AAEM Templates.
A: We are so confident that you will love the AAEM Templates that we do not have any long-term contracts. As stated above, we bill quarterly for that quarter's use. You may choose not to renew the next quarter at any time.
A: We want you to have the perfect template for your facility. That is why we offer customization services. If you would like to make some changes to the AAEM Templates, we will work with you to make it happen. There will only be a time and materials charge for any customization.
A: Depending on your customization needs, we can get the software to you in about a week. For more complex customizations, we will deliver the software to you as fast as possible so that you can begin to benefit from the template system.
A: We think the AAEM Template User Manual is more than sufficient in most cases to get you up and running smoothly. However, we are happy to provide your facility with customized training, should that be desirable. This customized, physician-to-physician training is offered at your facility site. For more information please email us at aaem@evolvemed.com.
A: We always welcome feedback. The more feedback we get, the better products and services we can offer you. Please email any feedback to aaem@evolvemed.com, use our online feedback form, or call 800-301-4901.